By This Everyone Will Know That You are My Disciples.

John 13:1, 34-35

“It was just before the Passover Festival. Jesus knew that the hour had come for him to leave this world and go to the Father. Having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end… (34) ^“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. ³⁵ By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”

Do you have any siblings that you look like or do you look like your parents?  People can often tell who you are if you look like one of your parents or siblings.  You are identified with your family members, those you hang out with or those that you resemble.  We often make jokes in my family about specific characteristics that identify people in my family. 

Jesus knew that His time was about over and He was going to be with the Father (God).  He loved His disciples who were with Him while He was on the earth to the very end.  He never stopped loving them.  It was His end and He still loved them, regardless of the fact that Judas was about to betray Him.  His love was unconditional and without end.  He was about to endure great suffering and yet the scripture records how He loved them to the end. 

Isn’t it amazing that God loves us even though He knows all of our flaws, idiosyncrasies, and mistakes. He died for each of us regardless of our sins.  He did it so that we could come into relationship with Him again.  He loves us to the end as well.

Jesus also wanted to let His disciples know that His end was near. Some questioned where He was going and why He was leaving. He washed their feet and left an example for them to do the same.  He announced that He would be betrayed, knowing exactly who would betray Him.  He wanted them to know that they could not go with Him.

But He wanted to leave them with an important and new command…to Love one another as He loved them.  Remember, the first verse said that He loved them to the end.  He wanted them to be an example of His love for them.  He wanted them to show love one for another so that the world would know that they were His disciples.  They were to be identified with Christ by the love they showed to one another.

Not just verbal consent (talking), but true authentic love for one another.  Their actions were going to make them look like Christ, loving to the end.  Everyone would know that they belong to Jesus because they loved, truly loved one another.  They were going to take love to another level. 

This is what Jesus is still saying to those that are His today.  We are supposed to show love to one another to the extent that it is identifies us with Jesus. Anyone looking at us will be able to tell that we belong to Jesus.  God is love and we should love one another like Christ loves us.  Real love.

You know Jesus could have pointed out Judas to the other disciples and I’m sure they would have done away with Judas.  But because Jesus loved them to the end, He didn’t call Him out or try to get Him straight in front of the others.  Jesus knew of the betrayal because it was part of His plan as well.  A plan to redeem us back to Himself.  A way for us to be a part of His family and have eternal life.

I don’t know about you, but I am grateful that God loved us enough to send Jesus.  Jesus died so that we may have life.

Jesus didn’t die so that His church could be filled with bitterness, jealousy, strife, gossip, lying, stealing, cheating, backbiting, hatred, prejudice, fear, or division.  These things should not be in the body of Christ.  Do you see these things in your church?  Well pray that your church will take seriously the command of Jesus to love one another as He has loved us.

Be blessed and love so that you can be identify with Christ, loving to the end.