Scripture: John 13:21-35
21 After he had said this, Jesus was troubled in spirit and testified, “Very truly I tell you, one of you is going to betray me.”
22 His disciples stared at one another, at a loss to know which of them he meant. 23 One of them, the disciple whom Jesus loved, was reclining next to him. 24 Simon Peter motioned to this disciple and said, “Ask him which one he means.”
25 Leaning back against Jesus, he asked him, “Lord, who is it?”
26 Jesus answered, “It is the one to whom I will give this piece of bread when I have dipped it in the dish.” Then, dipping the piece of bread, he gave it to Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot. 27 As soon as Judas took the bread, Satan entered into him.
So Jesus told him, “What you are about to do, do quickly.” 28 But no one at the meal understood why Jesus said this to him. 29 Since Judas had charge of the money, some thought Jesus was telling him to buy what was needed for the festival, or to give something to the poor. 30 As soon as Judas had taken the bread, he went out. And it was night.
Jesus Predicts Peter’s Denial
31 When he was gone, Jesus said, “Now the Son of Man is glorified and God is glorified in him. 32 If God is glorified in him, God will glorify the Son in himself, and will glorify him at once.
33 “My children, I will be with you only a little longer. You will look for me, and just as I told the Jews, so I tell you now: Where I am going, you cannot come.
34 “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. 35 By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love
Observation:
“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love” (John 13:34-35)
To love one another was not really a new commandment, was it? the Old Testament book of Levitcus instructed: “Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against anyone among your people, but love your neighbor as yourself.” (Leviticus 19:10). The difference is in Jesus words to love one another as I have loved you. Jesus was laying down his life for his followers, the ultimate form of love. Are we willing to lay our lives down as Jesus did?
Application:
Jesus new commandment to his disciples was a greater commandment than that which was recorded in Leviticus 19:10. The expectation was that we would value other people over ourselves with a love that is sacrificial. That is almost impossible to do without the aid of the Holy Spirit.
Prayer:
Dear Lord, your love for us is without question as you laid down your life for us while we were yet sinners. Help us to look at the other’s in our lives with your vision. After all, you created everyone in your own image and likeness, and you are not willing to let anyone perish, no not one. Help us then to be a part of your plan so that we may love the others in our lives as you love us. Amen