Pastor’s corner - June 10, 2010

Loving one another

I have been studying the commands of Jesus recently. Those passages of scripture where Jesus told us to do something, to go somewhere, or to be something. It has been a fascinating study. The command I would like to focus on today is found in John 13:34-35.

Jesus is speaking here after just finishing the Passover Supper with the disciples. Judas has just left and is about to betray Jesus. Jesus knows this is the last opportunity to impart wisdom and share any last instructions with the men that are being tasked with preaching the gospel to the world. The command He gives them is a seemingly simple one.

“Love one another”, He says. Well, that’s not too hard. I can love the next guy just as easily as anyone else can. He goes on to say, “as I have loved you, that you also love one another.” That had to get them thinking. They have been with Jesus pretty much every waking moment over the last 3 years. They have watched Him selflessly give of Himself, they have watched Him attend to others’ needs no matter what. They have witnessed the love He has had not only for them, but for everyone he comes in contact with. This has got to be sinking in a bit. They have not witnessed Him give up His own life for everyone yet, but they are about to.

We find it difficult to get to know some folks sometimes. You may have difficulty loving a neighbor that plays all of that loud music and races their engine late at night, or that person that stands up and protests and tries to stop a war they don’t believe in, or even a person who ridicules you for your faith in Christ.

Jesus said, “as I have loved you, that you also love one another.” Jesus did not show partiality with people and His love. Jesus loves everyone. John 3:16 says that God loves the world so much He sent His own Son to earth to die and pay for all of our sins, all of our transgressions. Romans 5:8 says, “While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” That’s love. Jesus says we are to have that same love for one another.

Everyone should be able to see that we are His disciples by our love for one another.

We read in James 2:8-9 “If you really fulfill the royal law according to the Scripture, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself,” you do well; but if you show partiality, you commit sin, and are convicted by the law as transgressors.” Showing partiality is sinful. We may not want to love some folks. Some are easy to love. Others on the other hand are not so easy to love. You know what, Jesus loves them. We need to love them if for only one reason, that Jesus loves them and we want to be more like Him.

Part of loving them is showing that we love those around us. That we care about them. That we want to help them. That we want to meet them right where they are and love them all the way to Jesus, whether it be the first time, or back to Him for the umpteenth time.

We need to be taking our faith in Christ and duty as a disciple seriously. When you read the gospel accounts you see Jesus with all sorts of people. He didn’t ask about their politics, whether they were up on their sacrifices and religious duties, or what got them to where they were at the time. He would ask, “What do you need? What can I do for you?” Their political view, their social position, nor their ethnic background mattered to Him. He met their need right where they were.

Are you doing that today? Are you loving those around you with the love of Jesus Christ without strings attached, without judgment, without a poor attitude? Can the world tell you are a follower of Christ?

Rev. Brian E. Conklin, Sr

Garfield Community Church

of the Assemblies of God