true love — Faves of Dave - Bible Study

33 Little children, yet a little while I am with you. You will seek me, and just as I said to the Jews, so now I also say to you, ‘Where I am going you cannot come.’ 34 A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. 35 By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”

Jesus, addressing his disciples as “little children,” was not demeaning to these adult followers. It was a manner with which a rabbi would have addressed his students. This is similar to Proverbs where the sage addresses his recipient as “My child” or “My son.” The “son” is not necessarily the biological or adoptive parent of the one to whom he is imparting wisdom. In fact, as we read the Proverbs, each of us is “the son” who needs to learn the wisdom shared. This address from Jesus to his disciples is affectionate but authoritative. It reminds them that he is their teacher and he is about to teach them something important and they need to pay attention.

He tells them that he will only be with them a little while longer before he goes away. Furthermore, they will not be able to follow him. They didn’t understand it then and, as we’ll see, Peter does not want to accept this as certain. But, they would not be able to follow him to the cross, to the grave, or back to the Father in heaven. Why is that?

Jesus explains the reason. He intends for them to remain for the purpose that the world recognizes that they are Jesus’ disciples. Why is that important? Clearly, the Father wants the world to understand his love for mankind. The world cannot thwart God expressing His love toward mankind. His disciples would be so impacted by Jesus that they would risk their own lives to carry on this message from the Father through the Son to the world. How were they supposed to do that?

Jesus told them they must show the same kind of love toward each other that he was showing to them. What did that kind of love look like? He had just given them the example of washing each other’s feet. But, he was about to take it much farther by laying down his life for the sins of the world. These men could not lay down their lives for others’ sins. But, Jesus was telling them that their attitudes and actions would need to become such that they would even lay down their lives for the interest of others. That is the kind of love Jesus said would cause the world to take notice and they would understand that these were disciples of Jesus. The implication of this is that Jesus was planning on his disciples making an impact upon the world by drawing others to faith in Jesus through this kind of love. This principle continues to this day and the command to love others with the same kind of love Jesus showed applies to us.

As I reflect on this, I think to myself how great it is to love others and how wonderful a privilege it is to tell others about the good news of Jesus. But, if I honestly ask myself if I want to love other believers with that sacrificial kind of love that Christ showed me, I can easily think of people who I don’t want to love that deeply. This is why we need to remember Jesus. Each of us needs to be reminded of the quality and depth of his love and that he wants us to show that to others.