TITLE: LOVE ONE ANOTHER
Text: John 13:34-35
John 13:34-35 But I am giving you a new command. You must love each other, just as I have loved you. If you love each other everyone will know that you are my disciples.
Introduction:
In the case of Christians they were not to be known by distinctions of wealth, or learning, or fame; they were not to aspire to earthly honors; they were not to adopt any special style of dress or badge, but they were to be distinguished by tender and constant attachment to each other.
God wants Christians to observe loving one another to have distinction between believers and worldly.
Body:
Transition: Why is it important to love one another?
1. GOD WANTS US TO LOVE ONE ANOTHER. (v.34a)
a. It is God who gave this command.
- “But I am giving you a new command”
- Jesus was talking of new commandment to His disciples.
- Notice the word but, it means conditional word that we are going to observe.
- We need to go back and see the preceding verse.
- V.33 say’s “My children, I will be with you for a little while longer. Then you will look for me, but you won't find me. I tell you just as I told the people, "You cannot go where I am going."
- This is the reason why God gave us a new command.
- Lev 19:18 Stop being angry and don't try to take revenge. I am the LORD, and I command you to love others as much as you love yourself.
- Jesus gave this command to see to it that He has the authority to be followed or it is a test of how the disciple will recognize His authority over them.
b. It is a new commandment that God wants us to obey.
- “You must love each other”
- To love each other means- As brethren in the same family, children of the same Father.
- “Praying one for another, bearing one another's burdens, forgiving one another, and building up one another in faith and holiness: and this He calls "a new commandment".
- In the case of Christians they were not to be known by distinctions of wealth, or learning, or fame; they were not to aspire to earthly honors; they were not to adopt any special style of dress or badge, but they were to be distinguished by tender and constant attachment to each other.
2. GOD LOVED US SO THAT WE CAN LOVE ONE ANOTHER. (v.34b)
a. It is God who loved us first.
- “just as I have loved you”
- Before we are enemies of God because of our sins.
- But God initiates love by giving and forgiveness.
b. It is God’s love who will reflect that you are from God.
- “If you love each other, everyone will know”
- so should they love one another, whether poor or rich, weaker or stronger, lesser or greater believers; and as Christ loves them not in word only, but in deed and in truth, so should they love one another with a pure heart fervently, and by love serve one another.
3. GOD’S DISCIPLE WILL BE CALLED, IF YOU LOVE ONE ANOTHER. (v. 35)
a. It measures you to qualify as disciple.
- “If you love each other, everyone will know”
- Your love for each other shall be the evidence that you are like the Savior, which all people shall see and know it. It shall be the thing by which you shall be known among all men. You shall not be known by special rites or habits; not by a special form of dress or manner of speech; but by deep, genuine, and tender affection.
b. It determines that you are God’s disciple.
- “Everyone will know that you are my disciples”.
- Brotherly love was the distinguishing character
- When they love one another with pure hearts, fervently, even unto death, then shall it fully appear that they are disciples of that person who laid down his life for his sheep, and who became, by dying, a ransom for all.
Conclusion:
It is God who wants us to love one another and He loved us first so that we can apply it to others and when we do it to others we will be called disciples.
Three things to consider in loving one another:
a. Accept other’s Uniqueness.
b. Appreciate each one’s Value
c. Acknowledge other’s Identity
