Lent Devotional - Day 26
Read John 13:18-38.
This chapter and the next several chapters take place on the final night of Jesus. As such everything Jesus says and does is quite deliberate and vastly important. He wants to make sure the disciples fully know him and trust him, and understand the mission before he dies.
During this last supper, Jesus talks of love and betrayal. He reveals that two people will betray him: Judas Iscariot and Simon Peter. Two people who have seen Jesus face-to-face, and have done ministry together and ate together will betray him. It is possible to “know” Jesus, but not really know Jesus. It is possible as we see through Judas and Peter that we can be religious and excited about Jesus, but miss the whole point. Do you know him?
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 one another.
Jesus give us an explicit command that his followers need to love one another. This love is not simply about a fellowship or a local church, but the body of believers. As followers of Jesus, we need to learn to love every part of the body and not just the ones that look like us, smell like us, eats like us, and behaves like us. How can we say that we love Jesus whom we cannot see and hate our brothers and sisters whom we can see? How can we say that we love him when we disobey him and his love is not in us?
Many churches are weak and failing because of lack of obedience when it comes to love. Noise and activity is not faithfulness. Ask Jesus to give you his heart and capacity to love others especially our brothers and sisters who are different from us so that we can truly be followers of Jesus. This includes race, gender, culture, and those whose faith are weak and strong. Let us not despise one another, but be merciful and loving towards one another knowing that Jesus loves us and has died for us. Get to know Jesus by getting to know your brothers and sisters. Love Jesus by loving your brothers and sisters. Let Jesus’ love into your hearts today.