How can I love as Jesus loved? Jesus gave a new commandment. What is new is that we are to love as Jesus loved. This makes it radically new. Jesus demonstrated the commandment throughout his life. The greatest need that mankind has is to love and to be loved. It is getting harder to love in these days. Abounding lawlessness causes love to wax cold. It is a sign of the last days. You are to love those you find impossible to love because Jesus commands it.

1 – A selfless love (Philippians 2)

Jesus is our Lord. Jesus laid aside his rights but not his deity. If you are often talking about your earthly rights then you are likely to be walking away from the Lord. Jesus came from heaven’s throne but he laid aside his rights. Are we prepared to lay aside our rights for the love of others?

2 – A steadfast love (John 13:1)

Jesus never stops loving. “To the end” means “to the last” or “utterly and completely”. Jesus loved his disciples, even though he knew one would betray him, another would deny him and all would desert him for a time. He washed his disciples feet when he was on the way to the cross. The Christian is to love under pressure and testing. Jesus’ love was an unconditional love. You find out who your friends are when you start making mistakes. You are to love until the end. Jesus never ever stopped loving.

3 – A serving love (John 13:4-5)

Love knows no job that is too lowly to do. Jesus even washed the feet of Judas. Love does not give people what they deserve but what they need. There is no work too menial for love to do. See 1 John 3:18 – “My little children, let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth”. Loving words are not enough if we stop short of doing anything to prove that love.

4 – A sanctifying love (John 13:6-16)

Peter put his foot in his mouth! Peter was already saved but he walked in a dirty world and needed his spiritual feet washed. (Judas had never even had a bath!) When Peter cursed and denied that he never knew Jesus, he still needed his feet washed. We are to wash one another’s feet. If Jesus can wash my feet then we can wash one another’s feet. This is not a Christian ritual. It is symbolic. We are not to carry round a grudge. We are to forgive as Jesus has forgiven us. Jesus wants to wash our feet today. Will you let him? Now will you wash his feet? If you do it to the least of your brethren you have down it unto Jesus. You will never look down on someone when you are washing their feet. When we love as Jesus loved then it will come as no surprise if people want that same love in their life.

Categories: John