A New Command

As Jesus sat down with His disciples in His final hours before being arrested and murdered, He begins to teach them. Jesus will teach them about staying connected with Him always because He is the only way to God, He will teach them about the Holy Spirit, and He will teach them that being a disciple means being hated by the world yet comforted by God. 

However, before Jesus can teach His disciples any of this He gives them a command; (John 14:34-35) “A new command I give you:Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”

Jesus is saying, forget about the rest of the rules, the laws, the commands, and the expectations, and love. Love one another not because it is going to be easy, love one another not because you are going to get a reward, love one another simply because I have loved you. 

And, Jesus says, although people are going to set certain standards on how to tell if someone is a follower of mine, your love for one another will be the transformational tool, your love for one another is what will turn heads and draw attention, your love for one another is what will soften hearts and change lives.

Jesus gives us this same command today.  “A new command I give you:Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”