February 12, 2023

Doing Love Right

Doing Love Right

Doing Love Right (2023) (John 13:34)

John 13: 34 Jesus is nearing the end of this life on earth, and He is giving His disciples instructions on how to live and how to spread the Gospel after His death.

  • So, Jesus starts by giving a “New Command
    • First, it is a command straight from the mouth of Jesus.
    • So it’s pretty clear that Jesus is telling us to do this. It’s not a casual suggestion.
    • This command in John 13:34 is how Jesus’ disciples were to live after His death.
    • The second, thing we need to see here is that this is a “New” command
    • So this commandment to love goes against the old order of things.
      • The old order of things was law following.
    • There is something about Human nature that loves law following, and law creating.
  • What is this new command? “Love one another”  
  • Simply that. Not real complicated, easy to remember but perhaps hard to do.
    • It is the Greek word, “Agape,” was not commonly used in Greek prior to the first century.
    • This word seems to be a Christian expression of love.
    • The word really has at its core the essence of value.
      • I Love you because I value you.
    • So agape love is where I love you because I see the value God has put in you.
  • So, what does this look like to love others in this new way?
  • Continuing in the verse This phrase tells us we are to love, “like Jesus loved us.”
    • Our love must look just like the love of Jesus.
  • So, what does that look like?
  • John 8:2-11 This story perfectly represents the new command we just saw in John 13:34.
    • The old way, law following, would have meant the woman must be killed by stoning.
    • Of course, this is what the pharisees wanted to do.
    • But Jesus demonstrates the New Way of love.
  • Verse 8:6 This verse makes it clear that the teachers of the Law and the Pharisees were not interested in true matters of the law or justice for this woman.
  • Their plan was also one of shame and humiliation.
  • Notice also what it says in verse 2 They did this very publicly to reinforce shame.
  • The story of the woman caught in adultery in John 8 gives us a glimpse of how we can love like Jesus did.

Verse 13:35 Not only are we to love others well for the sake of the other, for their value.

  • We are to love others well so that the World can see Jesus in us.
  • Loving well gives me identity as a disciple; And loving well is evangelistic.

What are some things we would need to know about loving others well?

First, we must be led by Jesus in this.

  • The world has strange definitions and ideas of love.

Second, this will be hard.

  • Human nature tends toward Law following.

Third, this might be messy

  • As we love well and without judgment, waiting for the Lord to work.

Super important

  • Often people are reluctant to love this way because they feel it is an endorsement of the other person’s sin.
  • But remember this is agape love, which is value-based love. I don’t have to love or endorse their sin.
  • I simply love the value that God has put in them. This will attract them to Jesus.