“By this all people will know that you are my disciples …”
Jesus said this to His disciples toward the end of His time on earth. I would guess that if we do not know this part of scripture, most of us would finish it incorrectly. "By this all people will know that you are my disciples … " If we keep your commands? If we obey you? If we pray daily? If we go to church? Listen to Christian music? Act like you?
These are all good things ... but not what Jesus said. He continued ... “By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”
It is interesting what is recorded as happening right before and after this statement. Just prior, Jesus had taken the time to serve His disciples by washing their feet and He told them that one of them was actually going to betray Him. Immediately after this, He foretells Peter’s upcoming denial of even knowing Jesus, much less loving Him.
By simply putting this teaching between these events, Jesus highlights three things:
- Love is better shown than spoken.
Love is meant to be experienced, not just proclaimed. The famous scripture that defines love is all about action ... not words:
Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude.
It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful;
it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth.
Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.
Love never ends.
1 Corinthians 13:4–8
- Love, true love, in unconditional love.
Love - true love - is the love that God has for us, and it can not be increased or decreased by any action or inaction that we take. Unconditional love is not earned; it is given!
but God shows his love for us in that while
we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
Romans 5:8
- Love is equal opportunity love.
For Peter to deny Christ must have been so painful for Christ to experience in His humanity. While Christ would not have considered Peter an enemy in that moment – you and I probably would have.
You have heard that it was said,
'You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’
But I say to you, Love your enemies and
pray for those who persecute you.
Matthew 5:43-44
Jesus Christ taught that we will be known to this world by our love, shown more than spoken, for one another, including, especially, those who do not deserve it ... and even by those who have offended us.
I am assuming you are reading this because you are a follower of Christ. I am assuming you are reading this because you are seeking to be more Christ-like in your life. So I think that as Christians and as those who desire to become more Christ-like, this simple teaching of Jesus leads us to ask just one question of ourselves ... Would others describe you as a loving person?
If so, well done good and faithful servant of Christ – keep up the good work! If not so much, maybe it is time for a reality check. If others do not see you as loving, how will they know that you are a follower of a loving, merciful God?
For more on loving others, watch this sermon by Pastor Jerry Edmonson: Watch Now
-Pastor Brian