A New Commandment (John 13:31-35)
In the summer of 2010, I was preaching for a decent-sized congregation when the elders called me in and let me go immediately; they believed, they said, 10 years at one place was enough. The boys, Tammy, and I lived in the church parsonage, so not only did I lose my job, but we also lost our house. The boys were in elementary school, so we hated to uproot them until I found something permanent. Plus, Tammy had a good job; if we moved in with one of our parents while I looked for work, not only would we uproot the boys, but Tammy and I would both be unemployed.
Well, there was a widow in that congregation; her husband had preached for many years, and she understood a great deal of what we were facing. She approached us and said, “Why don’t you come stay with me?” So, Tammy, the boys, and I moved in with Reba, and she treated us like family. It was hard on Reba; she was elderly and having two young boys in the house wasn’t the easiest thing. It was a financial strain on Reba; obviously, Tammy and I gave Reba money to help cover the extra water and electricity and food—yet, Tammy and I didn’t have much, and Reba helped. Reba put my family in front of herself.
Have you ever had someone love you the way Reba loved my family? Has anyone ever shown up early on Saturday morning to help you move? Has anyone ever given you a ride to or from the hospital? Maybe someone loaned you a truck to move some furniture. Perhaps someone gave you cash when you were down and out.
In this morning’s passage, Jesus said that he expects his disciples to love one another. No, not to tell each other that they love them, but he wants his disciples to love each other as he has loved them. In fact, the Lord wants his people to understand: “Jesus’s disciples love their brethren sacrificially.”
Scripture (John 13:31-35)
verse 31-32:
Judas had just left the Passover meal when Jesus began to teach the disciples about love. Judas’ actions were the antithesis of love, and I doubt it’s a coincidence that Jesus waited until he left to talk about love.
The Son of Man would soon be glorified, and God would be glorified in him. Jesus spoke about his crucifixion. Yes, Romans viewed crucifixion as shameful and humiliating; they didn’t even use the word “crucifixion” in polite company.
However, Jesus’s crucifixion was the way to his glory and exaltation. Earlier at the Supper Jesus had spoken about his crucifixion as glory: “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified” (Jn 12:23).
verse 33:
Why did Jesus start talking about loving each other by speaking about his crucifixion? For one thing, the crucifixion was the beginning of the end of Jesus’s earthly ministry. He would remain with the disciples only a short while after the resurrection. Therefore, whatever he was going to teach the disciples needed to be taught now.
The disciples, like the Jews (and like you and me), could not go where Jesus was going. Jesus was about to ascend to the right hand of the Majesty on high. No one else could go there; Jesus was leaving his disciples.
verse 34:
Jesus also began this conversation on love by speaking of his crucifixion because the crucifixion itself is the model for how Jesus’s disciples are to love.
Jesus gave his disciples “a new commandment” to love one another just as he had loved them. The Old Testament required a Hebrew to love his neighbor: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself: I am the LORD” (Lev 19:18).
Jesus raised that standard a million-fold: Jesus’s disciples love one another as Jesus loved; in other words, Jesus’s disciples willingly lay down their lives for one another.
verse 35:
The world will recognize Jesus’s disciples through their love for one another. Jesus’s didn’t mention doctrine; he didn’t mention attendance in the assembly; he didn’t mention the number of people someone converts; he didn’t mention holy living. The Lord mentioned the way his disciples love one another as the shining light for the world.
Why? Simply put: The world doesn’t know doctrine or morality or the assembly are important. Yet, when they see people who love each other sacrificially, they’re attracted to such love.
Application
“Jesus’s disciples love their brethren sacrificially.” Jesus displayed sacrificial love for his disciples. Disciples were expected to model their rabbi, so it’s not surprising that Jesus expected his disciples to love like he did.
If you’re a disciple of Jesus, you will love your brethren sacrificially. “By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers. . . . Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth” (1 Jn 3:16, 18).
You’re being here this morning says that you wish to be Jesus’s disciple. How can you love your brethren sacrificially as Jesus did?
One: You must demonstrate a Looking Love.
If you’re to love your brethren sacrificially, you must look to Jesus’s sacrifice and understand just how much he loved.
He sacrificed greatly to love you. Jesus sacrificed his glory to come to earth: “And now, Father, glorify me in your own presence with the glory that I had with you before the world existed” (Jn 17:5). Jesus gave up praise and adoration to come to a sin-infested world to live and die.
Furthermore, if you wish to understand the sacrifice at Golgotha, go to Gethsemane. See Jesus as his soul was “very sorrowful, even to death” (Mk 14:34). See him fall on the ground and pray, “Abba, Father, all things are possible for you. Remove this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will” (Mk 14:35-36). See him submit to the Father’s will. That’s sacrifice. That’s love.
Two: You must demonstrate a Losing Love.
After you’ve looked at Jesus’s sacrifice, you lose yourself to love; in other words, you sacrifice.
The Philippians were to sacrifice for one another: “Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others” (Phil 2:3-4). Gaius demonstrated that love as he supported missionaries who traveled through his town: “Beloved, it is a faithful thing you do in all your efforts for these brothers, strangers as they are, who testified to your love before the church” (3 Jn 5-6).
What will you lose to demonstrate Christlike love? Gaius sacrificed money. The Philippians were to sacrifice their own interests. What will you lose this week to demonstrate love? Will you financially assist a struggling brother or sister? Will you set aside your own interests and sacrifice your time or your energy or your talents to help? How will you lose yourself and show your brethren love this week?
Three: You must demonstrate a Leading Love.
As you sacrifice for your brethren, you must allow others to see your service. If others don’t see your sacrifice, all men cannot know that you are Jesus’s disciple.
Jesus warned against doing great acts in front of others to be seen by men: “Beware of practicing your righteousness before other people in order to be seen by them, for then you will have no reward from your Father who is in heaven” (Matt 6:1). Ananias and Sapphira practiced their righteousness to be seen by men, and they dropped dead as a result.
At the same time, Jesus expects you to practice your righteousness before others: “Let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven” (Matt 5:16). There’s no contradiction in those statements by Jesus—it’s all about your heart. Are you doing good that others may see you and praise you? Are you doing good that others may see you and praise God? What can you sacrifice for your brethren that others might see “your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven?”
Are you giving glory to your Father who is in heaven? Do you need to come this morning and begin glorifying your Father who is in heaven?
This sermon was originally preached by Dr. Justin Imel, Sr., at Church of Christ Deer Park in Deer Park, Texas.