Focus 40 Sunday Devotional Week 3

Focus 40 – Extreme Love

March 3, 2013

John 13:31-35

The time has come for the Son of Man to enter into his glory, and God will be glorified because of him.  And since God receives glory because of the Son, he will soon give glory to the Son. Dear children, I will be with you only a little longer. And as I told the Jewish leaders, you will search for me, but you can’t come where I am going. So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other. Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples.”

This is a passage that describes both who God is and who we are to be as His followers.  First, Jesus is telling his disciples about what is to come.  He is talking about the cross and the sacrifice that will happen on it.  This sacrifice glorifies God.  It is an act of loving obedience between God the Father and His Son.  This sacrifice also glorifies Jesus.  It the act of supreme love given for all people and for all time.  Nothing is as glorious as selfless love.  The glory continues through to resurrection as the love of God conquers sin and death through sacrifice.  The glory of God is found in love.  God is love.  To know God is to know what true love is. 

So God makes it clear to his people that he will act sacrificially in love.  He says, demonstrates, and confirms that love in central to his identity.  So Jesus says that love should be central to the identity of his followers.  He is the example of true love.  Jesus loves selflessly and sacrificially.  His love demonstrates understanding and forgiveness.  The love of Jesus knows everything about us and still acts with forgiveness and sacrifice.  So should his followers.  How well do we do at this?  How often do we hide that which might make us appear less perfect than we would like?  How often are we selfish with our love and conditional with our forgiveness?  Does this properly reflect the love of Jesus?

Love proves our identity as followers of Christ.  How we love each other will demonstrate to each other and the world who we are.  Love is kind of a big deal.  When we fail to love as Jesus loves we get confused as to who we are and what we are to be about.  When identity is unclear we will lack understanding and forget our purpose.  Let’s be clear on who we are as we follow Jesus.  Let’s love people as Jesus does.