Love one another; just as I have loved you

(April 20)

Love is probably the most common word in both Christian and non-Christian literature. It is used in a wide range of situations with many different meanings. It is usually used in common speech today in a very casual way! Are those who read God’s word influenced by this? If we are – it will undermine our appreciation of what this word means in Scripture? In the Greek there are two different words and the one we focus on is ‘agape’ which occurs so much in the Gospel of John; he uses it 27 times; 9 times in today’s chapters 13 and 14.

Chapter 13 today contains a key statement of the Master,

“A new commandment I have given you, that you love one another; just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another” (verse 34).

Stained glass at St John the Baptist’s Anglican Church http://www.stjohnsashfield.org.au, Ashfield, New South Wales. Illustrates Jesus’ description of himself “I am the Good Shepherd” (from the Gospel of John, chapter 10, verse 11). This version of the image shows a close up of the key features of the scene. The memorial window is also captioned: “To the Glory of God and in Loving Memory of William Wright. Died 6th November, 1932. Aged 70 Yrs.” (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

So how did Jesus love them? How did he set an example? What events and words show this?
He had just washed their feet and he used this as an example of how to serve one another; however to make a ritual of this would destroy the lesson. It is an example of love and humility toward one another. Jesus said,

“I have given you an example that you also should do as I have done to you” (verse 15).

Not many hours later he would tell them of the ultimate act of “love” soon to occur – saying

“greater love has no man than this” (15:13).

Jesus asked,

“Who is the greater, one who reclines at table, or one who serves? I am among you as one who serves” (Luke 22:27).

So the love that Jesus showed was one of serving, he came as a servant – but will return as a King.

In serving Jesus, we must ourselves seek to show love by what we do. There will be times when we need to be gentle as he was with his disciples when they faltered, and he said

“O you of little faith” (Luke 12:28; but read verses 22-31).

We might think of what we want, but our heavenly Father knows what we need.

He did not send anyone away; they went away themselves when they found his sayings “hard” (John 6:60,66). When John, years later, wrote his epistles he made one particular point which echoed these words of Jesus,

“let us not love in word or talk, but in deed and in truth” (1 John 3:18)

or as the NEB puts it, “love must be genuine and show itself by actions”.

– the Christadelphian

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Additional reading:

1. Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love
2. God demonstrates his own love
3. He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him.
4. What Jesus did: First things first
5. Do not forget the important sign of belief
6. Observing the commandments and becoming doers of the Word
7. If we love one another, God lives in us
8. Those who make peace should plant peace like a seed
9. The first on the list of the concerns of the saint
10. The Greatest of These is Love
11. The task given to us to love each other
12. Growth in character
13. Life and attitude of a Christian
14. The Law of Christ: Law of Love
15. Unconditional love
16. Agape, a love to share with others from the Fruit of the Spirit
17. Unarmed truth and unconditional love
18. Christianity is a love affair
19. Experiencing God
20. Atonement And Fellowship 4/8
21. A Living Faith #2 State of your faith
22. A Living Faith #3 Faith put into action
23. A Living Faith #5 Perseverance
24. The Spirit of God imparts love,inspires hope, and gives liberty
25. Guard well within yourself that treasure, kindness
26. Time Has A Way Of Healing
27. Quran versus older Holy Writings of Divine Creator
28. Reflect on how much idolizing happens
29. Self-preservation is the highest law of nature
30. Improving the world by improving the Faith
31. Reflection for today: hating your brother
32. To be chained by love for another one
33. Love is like playing the piano
34. Love turns one person into two; and two into one
35. Clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience
36. Work with joy and pray with love
37. No fear in love
38. Love will cure more sins than condemnation
39. Spread love everywhere you go
40. A treasure which can give me everything I need
41. Tenderness and kindness are not signs of weakness and despair
42. The one who has not had a taste of love
43. Blessed are those who freely give
44. Love envieth not
45. Love and cultivate that which is pure
46. When we love we do not need laws
47. God loving people justified
48. God let my compassionate affection be tolerant and kind

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