Each week of the DISCIPLE series we will be asking a question and suggesting a motion.
What does a disciple do?
Actively Love Others
John 13:34-35 (NIV84)
34“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. 35By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”
In the Great Commandment Jesus commands us to teach new disciples to “obey everything I have commanded you.” I don’t know about you, but I am tired already. And that is before I am reminded that there are 1050 commands in the New Testament, a good majority of which Jesus spoke in the Gospels. I cannot carry our all of the commands. And the thought of teaching others all of the commands just does not seem possible. I cannot even remember a grocery list when it exceeds three items.
Or might there be a different way to approach things? When Jesus was approached by some Pharisees and asked which of the 613 OT laws was the most important he answered this way:
“‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ 38This is the first and greatest commandment. 39And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ 40All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”
Jesus summary of the OT laws through the Great Commandment covers the commands in the NT as well. As a matter of fact, in this week’s main verse from the Gospel of John, Jesus says that that the defining action of disciple is not that he or she perfectly carry out obedience to all 1050 NT commands, but rather that their actions communicate Biblical love towards others.
When we see spiritual success as perfectly doing the laws and commands in the Bible, we are following the footsteps of the the Sadducees and Pharisees. But, when we see spiritual success as having a heart transformed by God’s love through His Son, Jesus, His laying down His life for us on the cross, and His rising again so we can have New Life, and then, taking that transformed heart and continually asking the question, “how can I love God and love others more because of that transformation,” then we are following the footsteps of Jesus.
Let’s follow in Jesus’ footsteps.
Resources:
Choose Love. Alliance Video about nurse in the middle-east choosing LOVE.
February 2016 Video Blog by Alliance President John Stumbo…LOVE.
1050 New Testament Commands – This pamphlet is put out by Christian Assemblies International and was taken from their website: www.cai.org.