John 13: 31-35 | May 2, 2010
31 When he was gone, Jesus said, “Now is the Son of Man glorified and God is glorified in him. 32 If God is glorified in him, God will glorify the Son in himself, and will glorify him at once.
33 “My children, I will be with you only a little longer. You will look for me, and just as I told the Jews, so I tell you now: Where I am going, you cannot come.
34 “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. 35 By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”
What are we known for? If someone were to mention Living Word/Christ Lutheran congregation, what would be said about us? Most people around here might not have much to say. Some may have noticed the work on our community garden. Hopefully no one has been stung by my bees. What would people say? What is our reputation?
Well this morning, our Lord Jesus tells us what kind of reputation he wants his people to have. So we say this morning:
LET’S BE KNOWN FOR OUR LOVE
I. Love that comes from knowing Jesus’ love.
II. Love that goes out to one another.
This takes us back to Thursday of Holy Week. We call it Maundy Thursday. As Jesus prepared to go out to the Garden of Gethsemane to face his betrayer, he says to his disciples, 34 “A new command I give you: Love one another… Those few words are a tall order for each of us. The kind of love that Jesus speaks of here doesn’t come naturally. Yet we can be what Jesus wants us to be. We can be known for our love, a love which comes from knowing the love of Christ.
We see Jesus’ love all around this evening. We see it when he stooped down to wash their feet, a lowly act of service. But for the moment let’s focus on these two words. He calls them my children Here don’t misunderstand. Jesus wasn’t putting them down. These are tender words that express Jesus’ great love.
You see, Jesus knew what they would soon go through. They would see their friend torn from their presence. Some would see him beaten and spit upon, then killed on a cross. For a time, any hope they had in him would be dashed to the rocks. So Jesus’ heart goes out to them. He calls them my children.
Of course, someone once said, “talk is cheap.” In other words its easy for people to speak lovingly, but when it comes time for action we might hear a different message. I’m too busy. I don’t have the time. We’ve heard the excuses. We’ve made them ourselves.
Jesus is different . His actions line right up with his loving words. For he now speaks of what he will do not only for his children but for every person we will ever meet. He tells them, 33 “My children, I will be with you only a little longer. You will look for me, and just as I told the Jews, so I tell you now: Where I am going, you cannot come.
We know where Jesus was going. He was going to do for them and us and all people what only he could do as the Son of God. He was walking the lonely path to the cross to suffer and die in our placed. And don’t underestimate Jesus’ love. There Jesus took upon himself the wages of our sin. He took upon himself the death, the forsakenness of hell that we deserved. He took it all upon himself that you and I could have a restored relationship with God and the sure hope of life that death cannot touch. How? Through faith in Him.
Of course, when some people look at the cross they see only grief and shame. They may see something ugly and offensive. I remember years ago, a friend told my son that his parents thought the cross on the front of our church was offensive.
But God the Father is not offended by it. And neither are we. The Holy Spirit has brought us to believe that the cross gives glory to God and his Son Jesus Christ.
For there we find the source of that love which Jesus commands among you and me – His love for us. And the closer we are to Jesus, the more we know that love, the more it fills our hearts and lives. Think of the light bulbs we used to have before those curly ones. When you get close to it, its light is bright. You can feel its warmth. But as you further away it gets dimmer and dimmer until it barely has any effect on you.
It’s the same with Jesus. The closer we are to him, the more we experience his love. So draw closer. don’t be so far away that his love barely touches you. Draw closer to him where he promises to draw closer to you, in his Word and Sacrament. Draw closer by his hearing his Word preached. Draw closer by reading your Bible at home. Draw closer by coming to Bible class. Draw closer by coming to his Supper where he comes to you with his true body and blood to assure you. You are forgiven. You are loved.
Now let me ask you a question that might seem odd. Why do you charge up a battery? Do you charge it to sit in the garage and do nothing. You charge it so it can power something, do something. You charge it so electricity can go out from it. It’s the same with Jesus’ love. It’s meant to go out. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. So let’s be known for our love. Love that goes out to one another.
There is a great need for love among us Christians. We are like an AA group. AA is a place for recovering alcoholics.
This is a place for recovering sinners. And because we are still recovering, we’re not always loving. We say things and do things that hurt and disappoint one another.
But there’s another reason why love is so important. The world can be a tough place to live or as some people like to say, It’s murder out there. And it is at times. So we need loving Christian friends. We need loving Christian congregations.
That’s what Jesus aims to provide with his command. He aims to make his church an oasis of love in the parched desert of this often selfish, uncaring world. So let’s talk about some simple ways we can love one another.
The first is time. What time do you give to your fellow Christians? Do you come to worship and immediately depart thereafter or do you take the time to set down and talk with someone. Or better yet to sit down and listen. And we’re not talking about just the Hi How are you. I’m fine. No friends we’re talking about spending real time with your fellow Christians here and during the week. That’s loving one another.
Of course, you’ve heard the saying, Familiarity breeds contempt. And it’s true to a certain extent. When you get to know someone, you become aware of their annoying habits. And of course, even though we don’t like to admit it, they become aware of ours.
Yet in Jesus, this is more the case. Familiarity breeds compassion. In other words, as people open up to us and share the things that trouble them, their needs, concerns God’s people are moved. We are moved to be a friend in their time of need.
Here’s one example. Two members were going door to door in a community I once served. After some time together one began to share some real financial challenges he was going through. The next day, the other member quietly shoved an envelope under the front door.
Here’s another example. A couple was having some pretty severe marriage problems. On their own, another married couple took the time to go out to their house. They talked with them, pray with them and for them. They took the time to show them that they cared for their brother and sister in Christ.
I could go on and on but it all comes down to one thing. Love means getting out of your shoes into another’s. It means not being so self centered. It means asking ourselves, what does he need? What does she need to hear? What can I do or say?
35. By this, Jesus says, all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” You see, people can’t see what’s in our hearts. They can hear us say I believe, but it’s love for one another that shows our sincerity.
This was written about the early Christian church by an unbeliever about 120 AD. It is incredible to see the fervor with which the people of that religion help each other in their wants. They spare nothing. Their first legislator Jesus has put it into their heads that they are brothers.
We are brothers. We are brothers and sisters in Christ. So let’s be known for our love.