Love as Evidence

John 13:18-36

 "A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all will know that you are My disciples. If you have love for one another."  John 13:34-35

As Jesus and His disciples are sharing the Last Supper He gives them a "new" commandment. This is given after acknowledging His betrayal by one in their very midst. When He dipped the bread and handed it to Judas Iscariot, Jesus honored Judas and revealed that He knew the intent of this disciple's heart. This action showed a "new" kind of love.

In the Old Testament we find a commandment to, "...not take vengeance, nor bear any grudge against the children of your people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself...".  The concept of loving one another was not a new one. Part of loving your neighbor as yourself was spelled out in Zechariah 8:17, "Let none of you think evil in your heart against your neighbor...".

In the New Testament, Jesus takes this a step further as He instructs us to, "...love your enemies, do good to those who hate you." (Luke 6:27) This is the kind of love He showed towards Judas Iscariot. Jesus knew everything that was about to happen to Him, yet He sat at the same table with His betrayer sharing a meal.

When we love with the same type of love that Christ showed us there is a recognizable difference. A humble, self-sacrificing, enemy-loving, full of forgiveness love is completely different from the type of love we find
apart from Christ. Jesus loved when it wasn't convenient, cared even when it hurt, put other's needs before His own. That kind of love changed the world.

Included in a sermon was this question, "If you were put on trial for being a Christian, would there be enough evidence to convict you?"

Loving as Christ commanded is evidence!

"Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. He who does not love does not know God, for God is love. In this the love of God was manifested toward us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him. In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another." (1 John 4:7-11)