John 13:31-35 (NRSV)
Read John 13:31-35 on biblegateway.com
Verse 31When he had gone out, Jesus said, "Now the Son of Man has been glorified, and God has been glorified in him. Verse 32If God has been glorified in him, God will also glorify him in himself and will glorify him at once. Verse 33Little children, I am with you only a little longer. You will look for me; and as I said to the Jews so now I say to you, 'Where I am going, you cannot come.' Verse 34I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another. Verse 35By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another."
Devotion
It is often noted that Jesus’ command to “love one another” in John’s Gospel is focused on a small, likeminded community of faith—namely, those who follow Jesus. This will certainly be easier to obey than, say, Jesus’ outrageous command to love our enemies, won’t it? (Matthew 5:44, Luke 6:27) Except that even as this command is being given, the sins of greed and self-preservation are already breaking into the first community of disciples. This “new commandment” is bracketed by Judas’ leaving the community to betray Jesus (v.27-30) and Jesus’ assertion that Peter will soon deny even knowing this community (v.38). “Love one another,” it seems, is already being exchanged for “love thyself.” So why didn’t this community collapse then and there? Because Jesus is already in the process of fulfilling the command—for them and for us. It is the love of Christ made known on the cross that compels us to love one another; it is this love that continues to grow Christian faith communities across time and space.
Prayer
Gracious God, you have loved and cared for your communities of followers from the first days of your church. Hold us in your care and bring your church together as one, that we may reflect the love you have first shown us to one another. Amen.
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