John 13:31-14:14 from the daily reading in the One Year Bible

Therefore when he had left, Jesus said, “Now is the Son of Man glorified, and God is glorified in Him; ³² if God is glorified in Him, God will also glorify Him in Himself, and will glorify Him immediately. ³³ Little children, I am still with you a little longer. You will look for Me; and just as I said to the Jews, now I also say to you: ‘Where I am going, you cannot come.’ ³⁴ I am giving you a new commandment, that you love one another; just as I have loved you, that you also love one another. ³⁵ By this all people will know that you are My disciples: if you have love for one another.”

³⁶ Simon Peter said to Him, “Lord, where are You going?” Jesus answered, “Where I am going, you cannot follow Me now; but you will follow later.” ³⁷ Peter said to Him, “Lord, why can I not follow You right now? I will lay down my life for You.” ³⁸ Jesus replied, “Will you lay down your life for Me? Truly, truly I say to you, a rooster will not crow until you deny Me three times.

14 “Do not let your heart be troubled; believe in God, believe also in Me. ² In My Father’s house are many rooms; if that were not so, I would have told you, because I am going there to prepare a place for you. ³ And if I go and prepare a place for you, I am coming again and will take you to Myself, so that where I am, there you also will be. ⁴ And you know the way where I am going.” ⁵ Thomas said to Him, “Lord, we do not know where You are going; how do we know the way?” ⁶ Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father except through Me.

⁷ If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also; from now on you know Him, and have seen Him.”

⁸ Philip said to Him, “Lord, show us the Father, and it is enough for us.” ⁹ Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you for so long a time, and yet you have not come to know Me, Philip? The one who has seen Me has seen the Father; how can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? ¹⁰ Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and the Father is in Me? The words that I say to you I do not speak on My own, but the Father, as He remains in Me, does His works. ¹¹ Believe Me that I am in the Father and the Father is in Me; otherwise believe because of the works themselves. ¹² Truly, truly I say to you, the one who believes in Me, the works that I do, he will do also; and greater works than these he will do; because I am going to the Father. ¹³ And whatever you ask in My name, this I will do, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. ¹⁴ If you ask Me anything in My name, I will do it.”

In today’s text Jesus says: “I am giving you a new commandment, that you love one another; just as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all people will know that you are My disciples: if you have love for one another.”  I am convinced that one of the reason’s the churches testimony of the gospel has lost its power is not that the power of the cross or Christ’s blood has diminished, but rather because there is so much lack of love between those who say they are Christ’s followers. There is too much division in the body of Christ over doctrines and theology. It seems that there are many who would rather argue about scripture, than stand for it. If we don’t have love for one another how will people know we are disciples of Christ. Jesus says this is a new commandment, that we love just as He has loved us. 1 John 4:19 says:  We love, because He first loved us. The verse that follows the end of today’s text, in John 14:15 Jesus says: “If you love Me, you will keep My commandments.”  It is not a request or a suggestion that we love one another, it is a commandment, and it is the evidence that we are His disciples.

Unconditional love does not mean that we agree on all things. It does not mean that we accept or embrace all things. To love others, we must first see them from heaven’s perspective. Romans 5:8 says: God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. It is through the lens of Christ’s death on the cross, the demonstration of His and the Father’s love that we need to see others. We need to not focus on our differing doctrines, but rather on our common Savior. The word community comes from the combination of the words common and unity. To become a true community of believers, disciples of Christ, we need to focus on the common unity we have in the cross, the demonstration of God’s love. I think that perhaps1 Corinthians 13:4-8 is one of the greatest evidences of the inspiration of God on all scripture. I don’t know that any natural person, even Paul could have described unconditional more accurately.  Love is patient, love is kind, it is not jealous; love does not brag, it is not arrogant. It does not act disgracefully, it does not seek its own benefit; it is not provoked, does not keep an account of a wrong suffered, it does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth; it keeps every confidence, it believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails…

In the closing verses of today’s text Jesus says: “Believe Me that I am in the Father and the Father is in Me; otherwise believe because of the works themselves. Truly, truly I say to you, the one who believes in Me, the works that I do, he will do also; and greater works than these he will do; because I am going to the Father. And whatever you ask in My name, this I will do, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask Me anything in My name, I will do it.” Again, the next verse says: “If you love Me, you will keep My commandments.”  Perhaps not only has our testimony of the gospel been diminished because of our lack of love, but we also lack the power to do the works that Jesus did.  The Holy Spirit, who provides the power to be witnesses for Christ is in every believer. If we are opposed to one another, then we are opposed to the Holy Spirit.

Forgive us Heavenly Father, Lord Jesus Christ and precious Holy Spirit. Thank You that You first loved us and demonstrated that love through the cross. It is only through that love that we can love. May we truly find the community that we have in You and be witnesses of Your love and power. In Jesus name, Amen.