They Will Know By Our Love
John 13:34-35
The last message was called “Where is God?” and it was a look at Psalm 23 The Lord Is My Shepherd, and it was all about God’s love for us. It was all about who God is as our Good Shepherd, and it was meant to give us peace and assurance in this very uncertain and difficult time.
And the two live stream Wednesday night studies I’ve done, have both been about peace and assurance. Because I’ve been wanting people to know that God is with us and that this situation we are facing cannot separate us from God’s love, or God’s presence, or God’s plan for us or God’s victory in our lives.
Pretty much everything I’ve done since the beginning of this Covid-19 trial has been to try to give you (and other people) peace, and comfort, and assurance and hope in who God is and in what Jesus Christ has done for us. Every Pastor I know is doing the same thing because people have needed that peace and comfort and hope from God in the midst of these difficult times. And it is really good for us to embrace those truths, and we need to have our perspective changed by those truths.
But, in the last few days, I’ve been feeling like, “Now what?” If we have embraced the peace and comfort and hope that is ours in Jesus Christ, the question has to be – now what?
I’ve been asking the question, now what, and some of you have been asking the same question. Just Friday night in the young adult’s study on Zoom, Eva-Lyn said to the group, “Doesn’t it seem like the focus on self-care might be going a bit too far?” And her question was right on the mark. Doesn’t it seem that our culture (including our church culture) might be just a little inward-focused during this whole crisis?
Now, for the first couple weeks, I think it was right for us to focus on who God is in our lives and on all that he’s done for us. But it seems to be getting to the time where we should be saying, “What’s next?” And it seems to me to be time to start looking more outward than inward.
We still want to be praying for God’s presence and his protection, and we still want to be living with wisdom in light of the facts of the situation. But, it’s also time for us “To show the world that we are Christians – by our love.”
Martin Luther wrote a letter to Dr. John Huss about the Bubonic Plague 500 years ago. Here’s what Chuck Swindoll had to say about it.
“It feels strange to maintain this kind of distance, doesn’t it? It may feel strange, but it certainly isn’t the first time this sort of thing has ever happened. I say that, because I came across a letter Martin Luther wrote to Dr. John Hess dated almost 500 years ago. In that old letter, he wrote about dealing with a deadly plague sweeping its way through where they lived. Composing that letter in a time of quarantine, Luther wrote this about his life and ministry to others.
‘I shall ask God mercifully to protect us. Then I shall fumigate, help purify the air, administer medicine, and take it. I shall avoid places and persons where my presence is not needed, in order not to become contaminated and thus inflict and pollute others and so cause their death as a result of my negligence. If God should wish to take me, he will surely find me, and I’ve done what he has expected of me. And so, I’m not responsible for either my own death or the death of others. Now, if my neighbor needs me, I shall not avoid place or person, but will go freely as stated above. Such a God-fearing faith is there because it is neither brash nor foolhardy and does not tempt God.’
“Luther’s thoughts are worth considering during these unusual days in our lives. Admittedly, staying separated from one another isn’t easy. We’re not made to live isolated lives. We not only like being together, we need each other. Being separated is a sacrifice, but it’s worth it because of the social benefit. As one of my mentors used to say, ‘Certain things must be, that other things might be.’”
Do you hear how Martin Luther is focused on maintaining a right vertical relationship with God while accepting the responsibility of the horizontal relationships he has with others? Do you hear that? Even to his own death, honestly – but not stupidly. But with wisdom, he is writing about both a right vertical relationship with God and right horizontal relationships with others.
How do we keep hold of a “right relationship” with God while becoming more outward focused in today’s situation? We need a simple two-part answer to that problem.
Fortunately, Jesus gave us a simple two-part answer in the Greatest Commandment. Turn in your Bible to Matthew Chapter 22. The religious leaders were trying to trip Jesus up again (as they always were). This time it started in Matthew 22:36-37.
Matthew 22:36-37 (NLT)
36 “Teacher, which is the most important commandment in the law of Moses?”
37 Jesus replied, “‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’
Love the Lord your God with everything you’ve got. This is the first and greatest commandment. This also covers the first half of the Ten Commandments (first four). This is about a right vertical relationship with God, which is what we’ve been focused on during the first part of this crisis. And Matthew 22:38 says,
Matthew 22:38 says (NLT)
38 This is the first and greatest commandment.
And then, verse 39 gives us the second half of the Greatest Commandment.
Matthew 22:39 (NLT)
39 A second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’
Jesus is not condoning self-love. He’s acknowledging that we tend to really love ourselves, and so he says we must love our neighbor as if they were ourselves. This is about right horizontal relationships with others, and it covers the second half of the Ten Commandments (final six).
And so, in the two-part “Greatest Commandment,” we have our “marching orders” for today. I really believe this Greatest Commandment is the blueprint for our response. Maintain your right vertical relationship with God. Love God – with everything you have and then start loving those around you AS IF they were Yourself.
This is so all-encompassing that Jesus says the following in Matthew 22:40.
Matthew 22:40 (NLT)
40 The entire law and all the demands of the prophets are based on these two commandments.”
Guys, this is a blueprint for our response to this crisis. Love God – have a right relationship with him. Love others – in order to show the world that you belong to God.
Turn over to John Chapter 13. John 13 is the beginning of the Last Supper, and before that sacred Last Supper began, Jesus got up, put on the clothing of a servant, and washed all of the Disciple’s feet. They were all freaked out and (as usual) Peter spoke up and tried to stop Jesus from washing his feet because this was the lowest servant’s job. Jesus had put himself in the place of the lowest servant in order to set an example and make a life-changing point to his Disciples. In John 13:12-15 we read,
John 13:12–15 (NLT)
12 After washing their feet, (the lowest servant) he put on his robe again and sat down and asked, “Do you understand what I was doing?
13 You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and you are right, because that’s what I am.
14 And since I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, (served you at the lowest level) you ought to wash each other’s feet. (you must do the same)
15 I have given you an example to follow. Do as I have done to you.
Then Jesus begins the most intense teaching of his ministry on what it means to be his Disciple. And then down in John 13:34-35 Jesus says,
John 13:34–35 (NLT)
34 So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other (one another). Just as (in the same way as) I have loved you, you should (are to) love each other.
35 Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples.”
What kind of love for one another proves to the world that we are truly followers of Jesus Christ?
Isn’t it how we live out that love? Isn’t it how we act out that love for one another? Which is exactly what Jesus was teaching the Disciples as he washed their feet.
And the Disciples got it – we know they got it because the entire New Testament is filled with commands that we call “one another commands.” And all those commands come from this first example and command. Jesus showed his love for the Disciples, and then he says (verse 34) we are to love one another just as (in the same way) as he has loved us. And those acts of love will prove to the world that we are truly his Disciples.
There are actually around sixty “one another” commands in the New Testament, all of which are just living out this first command – to love one another. So, here’s what I have done. I just chose eighteen verses of the fifty-plus verses that you and I can be doing right now! Right in the midst of the Covid-19 crisis, we can be showing our love for one another, and we can be proving that we are truly Christ-followers.
So, here are eighteen ways that you and I can begin “one-anothering” right now. We can do each one of these in one way or another.
1). Be Devoted to one another in brotherly love
2). Honor one another above yourselves
3). Live in Harmony with one another
4). Accept one another, as Christ accepted you
5). Forgive one another
6). Greet one another … with a holy kiss (??)
7). Have equal Concern for one another
8). Serve one another in love
9). Carry one another’s burdens
10). Be Patient, bearing with one another
11). Be Kind and compassionate to one another
12). Speak to one another with psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs
13). In Humility consider others better than yourself
14). Encourage one another
15). Build one another up
16). Spur one another on toward love and good deeds
17). Pray for one another
18). Offer Hospitality to one another without grumbling (??)
Guys, this is how we move from the self-centered action first days of this crisis to the Christ-centered action of loving one another.
And so, this is a bit of a battle cry for us today to be the Church and to let those around us know that we are the Body of Christ – by our love. By our love for fellow believers and by our love for those who need to be believers.
So, what does this look like – for real? How do we actually begin to do this? To answer the question: there are two classic sayings in the ministry.
Both of those sayings can be easily accomplished by each one of us today.
Let me give you another example from the Young Adults Ministry. Last Sunday night, Justo (leader) called Manny and I (conference call), and he said, “Some of the young adults want to take food to the people who can’t (or shouldn’t) be going out.” And by Wednesday that had happened for ten people, and by Friday we had a new food bank going here at the church, and we get our first large pallet of food to distribute tomorrow.
We saw God working (in Justo), and so we joined God, and now we’re going to feed fifty families this week (in our first week of the new food bank). And we were already really busy before we started a new food bank… and so we need you to start serving with us in the food bank.
And not only did we start a new food bank, but also this week, we set up every ministry on the Zoom Video Conference Call app. And almost every ministry here is already encouraging, and praying, and lifting people up via video conferencing… in Nuevo!
Please hear me. You can prove to those around you that you are truly a Christ-follower by your love that is shown in your actions toward them.
You can learn a simple app today and begin encouraging, and praying for, and lifting people up via modern technology – not to mention a ton of digital ministry that is going on right now – all of which takes a ton of time and effort.
And that’s just here at the church. What about you and your life? Who around you needs you, right now? Who can you reach out to today, even with the old-school tech – the telephone? Who can you encourage today? Who can you pray for today? Who can you serve today – in Jesus’ name?
Because as you do serve them, you will be loving one another, and Jesus said that will prove to the world that you are truly his Disciple.
So, let’s remember that God is good, that God is in control, and that God has us in his hand. And then, let’s go out and prove to the world that we are truly Christ-followers by our love for one another.
Are you with me? Will you commit to “one-anothering” this week? Will you look for where God is working and join him? Will you look for a need and meet it?
Let me share with you one final scripture.
1 Peter 4:10–11 (NLT)
10 God has given each of you a gift from his great variety of spiritual gifts. Use them well to serve one another.
11 Do you have the gift of speaking? Then speak as though God himself were speaking through you. Do you have the gift of helping others? Do it with all the strength and energy that God supplies. Then everything you do will bring glory to God through Jesus Christ. All glory and power to him forever and ever! Amen.
They will know we are Christians by our love, and they will see our love by our serving.
And the two live stream Wednesday night studies I’ve done, have both been about peace and assurance. Because I’ve been wanting people to know that God is with us and that this situation we are facing cannot separate us from God’s love, or God’s presence, or God’s plan for us or God’s victory in our lives.
Pretty much everything I’ve done since the beginning of this Covid-19 trial has been to try to give you (and other people) peace, and comfort, and assurance and hope in who God is and in what Jesus Christ has done for us. Every Pastor I know is doing the same thing because people have needed that peace and comfort and hope from God in the midst of these difficult times. And it is really good for us to embrace those truths, and we need to have our perspective changed by those truths.
But, in the last few days, I’ve been feeling like, “Now what?” If we have embraced the peace and comfort and hope that is ours in Jesus Christ, the question has to be – now what?
I’ve been asking the question, now what, and some of you have been asking the same question. Just Friday night in the young adult’s study on Zoom, Eva-Lyn said to the group, “Doesn’t it seem like the focus on self-care might be going a bit too far?” And her question was right on the mark. Doesn’t it seem that our culture (including our church culture) might be just a little inward-focused during this whole crisis?
Now, for the first couple weeks, I think it was right for us to focus on who God is in our lives and on all that he’s done for us. But it seems to be getting to the time where we should be saying, “What’s next?” And it seems to me to be time to start looking more outward than inward.
We still want to be praying for God’s presence and his protection, and we still want to be living with wisdom in light of the facts of the situation. But, it’s also time for us “To show the world that we are Christians – by our love.”
Martin Luther wrote a letter to Dr. John Huss about the Bubonic Plague 500 years ago. Here’s what Chuck Swindoll had to say about it.
“It feels strange to maintain this kind of distance, doesn’t it? It may feel strange, but it certainly isn’t the first time this sort of thing has ever happened. I say that, because I came across a letter Martin Luther wrote to Dr. John Hess dated almost 500 years ago. In that old letter, he wrote about dealing with a deadly plague sweeping its way through where they lived. Composing that letter in a time of quarantine, Luther wrote this about his life and ministry to others.
‘I shall ask God mercifully to protect us. Then I shall fumigate, help purify the air, administer medicine, and take it. I shall avoid places and persons where my presence is not needed, in order not to become contaminated and thus inflict and pollute others and so cause their death as a result of my negligence. If God should wish to take me, he will surely find me, and I’ve done what he has expected of me. And so, I’m not responsible for either my own death or the death of others. Now, if my neighbor needs me, I shall not avoid place or person, but will go freely as stated above. Such a God-fearing faith is there because it is neither brash nor foolhardy and does not tempt God.’
“Luther’s thoughts are worth considering during these unusual days in our lives. Admittedly, staying separated from one another isn’t easy. We’re not made to live isolated lives. We not only like being together, we need each other. Being separated is a sacrifice, but it’s worth it because of the social benefit. As one of my mentors used to say, ‘Certain things must be, that other things might be.’”
Do you hear how Martin Luther is focused on maintaining a right vertical relationship with God while accepting the responsibility of the horizontal relationships he has with others? Do you hear that? Even to his own death, honestly – but not stupidly. But with wisdom, he is writing about both a right vertical relationship with God and right horizontal relationships with others.
How do we keep hold of a “right relationship” with God while becoming more outward focused in today’s situation? We need a simple two-part answer to that problem.
Fortunately, Jesus gave us a simple two-part answer in the Greatest Commandment. Turn in your Bible to Matthew Chapter 22. The religious leaders were trying to trip Jesus up again (as they always were). This time it started in Matthew 22:36-37.
Matthew 22:36-37 (NLT)
36 “Teacher, which is the most important commandment in the law of Moses?”
37 Jesus replied, “‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’
Love the Lord your God with everything you’ve got. This is the first and greatest commandment. This also covers the first half of the Ten Commandments (first four). This is about a right vertical relationship with God, which is what we’ve been focused on during the first part of this crisis. And Matthew 22:38 says,
Matthew 22:38 says (NLT)
38 This is the first and greatest commandment.
And then, verse 39 gives us the second half of the Greatest Commandment.
Matthew 22:39 (NLT)
39 A second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’
Jesus is not condoning self-love. He’s acknowledging that we tend to really love ourselves, and so he says we must love our neighbor as if they were ourselves. This is about right horizontal relationships with others, and it covers the second half of the Ten Commandments (final six).
And so, in the two-part “Greatest Commandment,” we have our “marching orders” for today. I really believe this Greatest Commandment is the blueprint for our response. Maintain your right vertical relationship with God. Love God – with everything you have and then start loving those around you AS IF they were Yourself.
This is so all-encompassing that Jesus says the following in Matthew 22:40.
Matthew 22:40 (NLT)
40 The entire law and all the demands of the prophets are based on these two commandments.”
Guys, this is a blueprint for our response to this crisis. Love God – have a right relationship with him. Love others – in order to show the world that you belong to God.
Turn over to John Chapter 13. John 13 is the beginning of the Last Supper, and before that sacred Last Supper began, Jesus got up, put on the clothing of a servant, and washed all of the Disciple’s feet. They were all freaked out and (as usual) Peter spoke up and tried to stop Jesus from washing his feet because this was the lowest servant’s job. Jesus had put himself in the place of the lowest servant in order to set an example and make a life-changing point to his Disciples. In John 13:12-15 we read,
John 13:12–15 (NLT)
12 After washing their feet, (the lowest servant) he put on his robe again and sat down and asked, “Do you understand what I was doing?
13 You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and you are right, because that’s what I am.
14 And since I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, (served you at the lowest level) you ought to wash each other’s feet. (you must do the same)
15 I have given you an example to follow. Do as I have done to you.
Then Jesus begins the most intense teaching of his ministry on what it means to be his Disciple. And then down in John 13:34-35 Jesus says,
John 13:34–35 (NLT)
34 So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other (one another). Just as (in the same way as) I have loved you, you should (are to) love each other.
35 Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples.”
What kind of love for one another proves to the world that we are truly followers of Jesus Christ?
Isn’t it how we live out that love? Isn’t it how we act out that love for one another? Which is exactly what Jesus was teaching the Disciples as he washed their feet.
And the Disciples got it – we know they got it because the entire New Testament is filled with commands that we call “one another commands.” And all those commands come from this first example and command. Jesus showed his love for the Disciples, and then he says (verse 34) we are to love one another just as (in the same way) as he has loved us. And those acts of love will prove to the world that we are truly his Disciples.
There are actually around sixty “one another” commands in the New Testament, all of which are just living out this first command – to love one another. So, here’s what I have done. I just chose eighteen verses of the fifty-plus verses that you and I can be doing right now! Right in the midst of the Covid-19 crisis, we can be showing our love for one another, and we can be proving that we are truly Christ-followers.
So, here are eighteen ways that you and I can begin “one-anothering” right now. We can do each one of these in one way or another.
1). Be Devoted to one another in brotherly love
2). Honor one another above yourselves
3). Live in Harmony with one another
4). Accept one another, as Christ accepted you
5). Forgive one another
6). Greet one another … with a holy kiss (??)
7). Have equal Concern for one another
8). Serve one another in love
9). Carry one another’s burdens
10). Be Patient, bearing with one another
11). Be Kind and compassionate to one another
12). Speak to one another with psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs
13). In Humility consider others better than yourself
14). Encourage one another
15). Build one another up
16). Spur one another on toward love and good deeds
17). Pray for one another
18). Offer Hospitality to one another without grumbling (??)
Guys, this is how we move from the self-centered action first days of this crisis to the Christ-centered action of loving one another.
And so, this is a bit of a battle cry for us today to be the Church and to let those around us know that we are the Body of Christ – by our love. By our love for fellow believers and by our love for those who need to be believers.
So, what does this look like – for real? How do we actually begin to do this? To answer the question: there are two classic sayings in the ministry.
- Look for where God is working and join him.
- Look for a need and meet it.
Both of those sayings can be easily accomplished by each one of us today.
Let me give you another example from the Young Adults Ministry. Last Sunday night, Justo (leader) called Manny and I (conference call), and he said, “Some of the young adults want to take food to the people who can’t (or shouldn’t) be going out.” And by Wednesday that had happened for ten people, and by Friday we had a new food bank going here at the church, and we get our first large pallet of food to distribute tomorrow.
We saw God working (in Justo), and so we joined God, and now we’re going to feed fifty families this week (in our first week of the new food bank). And we were already really busy before we started a new food bank… and so we need you to start serving with us in the food bank.
And not only did we start a new food bank, but also this week, we set up every ministry on the Zoom Video Conference Call app. And almost every ministry here is already encouraging, and praying, and lifting people up via video conferencing… in Nuevo!
Please hear me. You can prove to those around you that you are truly a Christ-follower by your love that is shown in your actions toward them.
You can learn a simple app today and begin encouraging, and praying for, and lifting people up via modern technology – not to mention a ton of digital ministry that is going on right now – all of which takes a ton of time and effort.
And that’s just here at the church. What about you and your life? Who around you needs you, right now? Who can you reach out to today, even with the old-school tech – the telephone? Who can you encourage today? Who can you pray for today? Who can you serve today – in Jesus’ name?
Because as you do serve them, you will be loving one another, and Jesus said that will prove to the world that you are truly his Disciple.
So, let’s remember that God is good, that God is in control, and that God has us in his hand. And then, let’s go out and prove to the world that we are truly Christ-followers by our love for one another.
Are you with me? Will you commit to “one-anothering” this week? Will you look for where God is working and join him? Will you look for a need and meet it?
Let me share with you one final scripture.
1 Peter 4:10–11 (NLT)
10 God has given each of you a gift from his great variety of spiritual gifts. Use them well to serve one another.
11 Do you have the gift of speaking? Then speak as though God himself were speaking through you. Do you have the gift of helping others? Do it with all the strength and energy that God supplies. Then everything you do will bring glory to God through Jesus Christ. All glory and power to him forever and ever! Amen.
They will know we are Christians by our love, and they will see our love by our serving.