34 “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. 35 By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” (John 13:34 – 35, New International Version)
Theme: Discipleship
Context:
Your comments yesterday emphasized the enabling power of God in the lives of those who by faith accept His call to costly discipleship. Through Spirit-enabled eyes we see the reasonableness of Jesus expecting the “most,” because He saves to the utmost. Thanks again for your contributions!
We close out our two-weeks long deliberation on Bible study by reflecting again on our biblical identity as disciples of Jesus. The passage of scripture that will occupy our attention today is an excerpt from the electrifying story of the Last Supper. The Apostle John describes how as Jesus approached the end of His earthly ministry, He met with His closest disciples to wash their feet, have supper, and throughout the process, to impart discipleship lessons. After Judas the son of Simon Iscariot left the gathering, Jesus issued a command and made an emphatic statement about the identity of His disciples. The identifying trait of Jesus’ disciples will be their love for one another.
Bible Passage:
Please prayerfully read the Scripture passage above and consider the question below.
Question:
Why is the identifying characteristic that Jesus commanded (“love one another”) crucial to the mission He has assigned His disciples?
Sharing your thoughts could be a big help to someone else. Please leave a comment on the blog.
March 1, 2024 at 6:36 am
If we “love one another” in the way Jesus commands us to, then we will develop a heart like Christ. When we possess such love, it is almost impossible to be unkind, uncaring, selfish, vindictive, envious, etc.
We will naturally express true discipleship.
March 1, 2024 at 6:38 am
Love is crucial to the mission of discipleship because it is the foundation , or the core of the mission. But to gain love, one has to experience first the unconditional love God bestowed on his children. It is not easy to love the unlovable and especially the ones we don’t like. Only through God’s Grace that we could truly love and disciple others.
March 1, 2024 at 7:19 am
Because God is love and whoever loves is born of God and knows God ( see 1 John 4:16). The commandment is love other believers with the love that Christ has loved us. Fleshly love is egotistical, selfish and vindictive. The Holy Spirit enables believers to love as Christ loves. 1 Cor 4-8 wonderfully describes what God love is like and what it will be through the Spirit enabled believer. This type of love was evident in the early church where believers had everything in common and sold possessions to provide for the needs of other believers.
Following Gods commandment will not only enable believers to love fellow believers with the love of Christ but non believers as well, as a shining example of a group of people where their defining characteristic is love not skin color, political affiliation or nationality or other common reasons people form a group.
March 1, 2024 at 7:36 am
I think “love”is crucial because everything else stems from love. Without love, the actions and message of the disciples would be meaningless. Jesus’ greatest act was done out of love (“For God so loved the world…”). If the disciples are going out on Jesus’ behalf, they must represent the love that IS Jesus.
March 1, 2024 at 7:39 am
Jesus discusses with the disciples their duty of brotherly love, a new commandment I give unto you. He not only praises it as loveable but that it’s excellent and profitable, and one of the fundamental laws of his kingdom it goes a-breast with the command of believing in Christ. He wanted His disciples to have love, not only show love, that all men would know that love is the badge of Christ’s disciples. Nothing will be more effective than if the followers of Christ do not love one another, they not only cast an unjust reproach upon their profession, but give just cause to suspect their own sincerity about the Christ they follow. How then would they be able to win souls for Christ.
March 1, 2024 at 8:01 am
Jesus knew that the heart of man is not inclined to pure love. Our understanding of love from the human perspective is jaded. The distinction of the disciples is to love purely. I think that’s why it was a commandment. Pure love is something humans will have to work to accomplish.it would then become an identifying characteristics of each Christ follower. Attracting those who do not understand it to yearn for it and seek to understand its source. Giving Jesus’s disciples, an opportunity to share His gospel.