Jesus Project, Day 4

I give credit to our Pastor Nathan Meckley, as his sermon this morning is the inspiration to today's post.  Here is today's quote from Jesus from John 13:34-35: “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.”

He tells this to his apostles the night he was betrayed.  Earlier in their evening, Jesus had taken off his robe, wrapped a towel around his waist and washed the feet of his friends.  Loving and humble, he showed them how to take care of one another.

Then, he gives them this command:  love one another as I have loved you.  By THIS, they will know you are my followers.  They will know you by your love.

Notice that he doesn't say that they will know you are my disciples by your authority.  They won't know you by how much you know or how well you obey the law.  They won't know you by what specific church you belong to or how many books you've read.  They won't know you because you only associate with "holy" people.

They will know you because you love one another, as I have loved you.

Hours later, Jesus would be betrayed and die.  But before he did, he reiterated this command.  I think it's fair to say that of all Jesus' teachings, loving each other (not only loving God and not only loving him) was incredibly important to him.

I don't know that there's a lot more to say on this wonderful subject.  I imagine that it is something that Paul thought about quite a bit, though, in his letter to the Corinthians (1 Corinthians 13), which is one of my very favorite New Testament passages:


"If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing.


Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
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And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love."