Jesus is Essential
John 13:31–35: So, when he had gone out, Jesus said, “Now the Son of Man is glorified, and God is glorified in Him. If God is glorified in Him, God will also glorify Him in Himself, and glorify Him immediately. Little children, I shall be with you a little while longer. You will seek Me; and as I said to the Jews, ‘Where I am going, you cannot come,’ so now I say to you. A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.”
Now He gives to them a new commandment. Some folk would seem to think that He said, “By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if you are fundamental in the faith.” Now friend, I believe in being fundamental in the faith, I believe in the inerrancy of the Word of God, in the verbal, plenary inspiration of the Scriptures, in the deity of the Lord Jesus Christ.
I believe that He died on the Cross for the expiation of sin; that He died a substitutionary, vicarious death for the sins of the world. I believe He was raised bodily and ascended back into heaven and that He is coming personally to take His church out of the world. But I want to say this, and I want to say it very carefully: believing those things does not convince the unsaved world outside. The world is dying for just a little love. Jesus says that His disciples are to be known for their love. 1
Walking with Jesus
Personal application: write down the names of five people that you would consider it difficult to love. Pray for them daily over the next week and ask God how you might extend His unconditional love to them in a very practical way.
And this commandment we have from Him: that he who loves God must love his brother also. 1 John 4:21
Nothing speaks louder than your unconditional love for others.
Praying
Lord, please teach me how to be more loving, more of the time.
1. McGee, J. V. (1991). Thru the Bible commentary: The Gospels (John 11-21) (electronic ed., Vol. 39). Nashville.
