Love One Another

John 13-15

The story that's being retold in the Gospel of John has shifted its focus - it's moving toward the betrayal and arrest, the crucifixion of the main character: Jesus. This section begins with the Passover Meal - an event rich in stories, theology, culture and history. Jesus takes this event and adds even richer significance to it - he will be come the lamb that is slain by his own people, atoning for their sins and delivering them from death. It will come through betrayal. And yet Jesus will insist that the disciples love one another. 

To demonstrate Jesus' love for his disciples, he washes their smelly, dirty, crusty feet before dinner. And then Jesus insists that they must do this for others. It's one of the ways that the disciples as leaders can express love to their community and family.

I wonder: what would be the equivalent of washing feet today? What would be something that pastors and leaders could do that equates with the humility and gentleness, the tenderness and love of washing the feet of others?

Following dinner Jesus talks for awhile - making sure his disciples understand what is going on. To underscore his main message, he goes over the basics again: love one another. The command is: love one another. Obeying the commands that Jesus gives us reveals our love for Jesus.

How do we know if we love Jesus? When we are working to love one another. How do we love one another? In the same ways that Jesus loved us. This will require meditation on the way of Jesus. And it will require courage when it comes to those in our life who are difficult to love. Even when you have a Judas in your life. Or a Peter.

It's a daunting challenge that Jesus gives his disciples. Maybe he can see the shock in their eyes. To comfort them he promises that the Holy Spirit will always be with them to help them. Where will the power and insight come from to love others as Jesus loved us? 

It will come from the Spirit of God in us. Our love for God opens us up to His Spirit, which empowers us to love others. He can't make us choose to love, but he can influence us in that direction - and once we make the choice, he gives us the capability.

So often we find that our hearts are too small or too tired for all the love that seems to be required of us. We will always need the help of God to love others like Jesus loved us. And the more we yield to the influence of God, the more people he will bring in our path to love.

This is the challenge, 
but this is also a gift 
- to love and be loved, 
this is the greatest thing 
in all the world!