Serve One Another in Love (John 13:31-35)

(It is preached in morning devotion in Jatarkatia Baptist Church (IEM) at Dhemaji (Assam) during 2nd Field Convention on 21st March, 2018) 

Jesus was with his disciples and they had dinner together on the upper room. Jesus knew that he would be arrested soon and condemned to death. HE also knew that Judas Iscariot would be betrayed; and Peter would be denied; and disciples would be scattered because of fear and doubts. Therefore Jesus would like to encourage them in fatherly love. HE didn’t express HIS agony or complaint about disciples’ weakness. Even he didn’t present a 360 degree appraisal feedback for the disciples for their performance improvement. He just spent time with them and exhort them to face the challenges in future. 

Our circumstances are much different today, but the difficulties we face are similar. The country where we live is increasing the persecution and freedom to follow our faith is vanishing especially for Christians. Economy is going down and unemployment is rapidly increasing. People are harassed and hopeless around us. Our society is changing rapidly, but the basic needs of mankind remains the same. Everyone needs someone whom they trust, to love and share their feelings. Around 2000 years ago, Jesus spoke these words to his disciples; and urges them to serve one another in love. 

Tragedy of Judas Iscariot (vs. 31)

“When he had gone out …” (vs. 31). Jesus knew of what was in Judas’ heart. HE knew his hidden agenda to follow HIM, but HE never said of it in public. Jesus loved him as HE loved other disciples. Judas sat on the table and participated on the Lord’s Table. Jesus even washed his feet. It is sad to see that Judas determined to betray the Master.

Judas walked with Jesus more than 3 years, yet in reality he followed Satan. Judas was very near to Jesus physically, yet spiritually he was lost. He knew about Jesus, yet he failed to have a personal relationship with Jesus. Similarly, it is happening around us today. There is crowd in churches, conferences and conventions, yet we lack genuine believers. There are so called pastors, missionaries, Christian leaders and believers who have been selling Jesus in order to earn worldly fame and possessions. They are not different from Judas who sold his Master for thirty pieces of silver. In reality, not Jesus, Judas sold his own soul to Satan. Therefore Jesus didn’t hinder him “When he had gone out …”

Teachings of Jesus Christ (vs. 31-35)

“… Jesus said, “Now is the Son of Man glorified, and God is glorified in him. If God is glorified in him, God will also glorify him in himself, and glorify him at once” (vs. 31-32). After Judas departed, Jesus began to speak with disciples about glory. But we need to understand that it was not the glory what disciple expected. Still disciples were thinking that Jesus would reign over the earth as the king and throw down the Roman Empire. HE spoke the glory of crucifixion. When Jesus spoke of the glory, actually he was speaking about his own suffering on the cross. The cross showed us the glory of God’s love toward us. It manifested the glorious victory over sin and Satan. It demonstrated the marvellous glory of God’s grace. We need to understand that we are saved because Jesus died on the cross bearing our sins. God the Father glorified in Christ while Jesus Christ in HIS human nature glorified on the cross.  Therefore Paul writes, “Who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father” (Phil. 2:6-11). The greatest motivation to be a missionary is not that thousands are dying each day without knowing Christ, but it is this that when one confesses that Jesus Christ is Lord, it brings the glory of God the Father. We preach the Gospel, not only to bring people in heaven, but to glorify God the Father.  It is our worship.

“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” (vs. 33). Jesus called them ‘little children’. Nowhere Jesus has addressed his disciples in this way. Jesus exhorted them in fatherly love. Jesus knew that HE should walk on this path alone. No one could accompany with you in this journey. Therefore Jesus expressed a new commandment to them. He expressed his love, set an example of his love and its evangelistic purpose to them that his disciples might be united to serve in love in order to spread the Good News to the world.

1.  Expression of New Commandment (vs. 34)

“A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another” (vs. 34). Whole Old Testament law is summed up into two commandments: love your God and love your neighbour as yourself (Mt. 22:3-40). It is not good suggestion or good idea, but a commandment. It is new commandment give by our Lord Jesus Christ to his disciples. Before it was, love your neighbour as yourself, now it is, love one another. Jesus renewed it and expressed it in new and fresh way. It is like an old book in new edition corrected and enlarged.

2.  Example of New Commandment (vs. 35)

“… just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another” (vs. 35). Jesus didn’t just command them, but He set an example for it. Jesus loved them unconditionally, patiently and practically. He never demanded them to do something to earn his love. He never gave up loving them while they failed to fulfil HIS expectation. He loved them deeply and shared all He had. His love was not just an emotional phenomena or mere words. Therefore Jesus expects from us that we should love one another in same manner.

3.  Evangelistic Purpose of New Commandment (vs. 35)

“By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another” (vs. 35). How would world know that we are the disciples of Christ? It is our love for one another. It is not our eloquence to preach the gospel, but love which leads people to understand the love of God. Our love for one another makes us effective in our evangelistic ministry. Nowadays missions are looking for methods, busy to set goals and make strategy, but have forgotten these lines: “If you have love for one another, all people will know that you are my disciples.” It is the first step toward evangelisation.

Conclusion / Application

In 2005, I went to Jhakari (a village nearby Rampur, District Shimla) for two months internship during theological training. During that time, one nepali woman believed in the Lord and began to attend fellowship. Her neighbour used to mock her, but she never quarrelled with her. One day, her neighbour began to mock her saying, “Our scriptures like Bhagwat Geeta are filled with so much unsearchable knowledge and wisdom.” Suddenly Christian woman said her politely, “I also used to read Bhagwat Geeta, but I never found in it where it commands that we should love our enemies and pray for them. It is written in the Bible only that we should love and pray for those who speak ill to us.” After listening this, she who used to mock Christians kept quite. She never dared again to mock her.

Christians are known for their service. Hospitals, schools, colleges, orphanages, etc. are opened by Christian missionaries throughout the world. History witnesses that Christian missionaries took the Good News to ends of the earth and served people there. But nowadays we have lost the sense of service. We have forgotten to serve one another in love. Our success in ministry is measured by how many people are coming in the fellowship, not by how many people we have been serving.

In this 21^st century we evangelicals have great responsibility to preach the Good News and to render our service to the world in love.

Are you ready to serve one another in love? 

Let us pray together!