This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.
– John 15:12
Here in this passage we see a new call to action from our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. It’s a call to demonstrate what one believes and cherishes about love. It’s a call to love in a difficult time, beyond our grievances, above all accusations and in spite of all disappointments. See instead of what one’s flesh would do, this demonstrative act of sacrificial love is being taught to us by the Christ. Here’s what I’ve come to believe: this type of love trumps any other kind of love. This kind of love that Jesus is talking about is not fickle; it’s not sometimes on and sometimes off. In fact, this type of love is a sacrificial commitment that involves the whole being of a person and literally cost a person their life.
What is Christ talking to us about today? Well, I believe he’s calling us to encounter him through this marvelous act of love. See Jesus in this passage is pressing his way to the cross to pay for the sins of the world and it’s the last night before he is going to be betrayed and be handed over to those who would kill him. These powerful words and this powerful command is instruction that’s given to his disciples so that they would know exactly what God is calling them to do in a fallen world.
Well my beloved, this is what I want you to know: as you’re studying in your cohorts, as your serving one another in your communities, your churches and your families, remember to love one another because it is a commandment from God. So, how do we place this in active relation to everything that we’re doing? First of all, forgive the one who has offended you. Serve the one who is least likely to be served. And whatever you do, put God first in every area of your life.
Let’s pray together: Eternal God, our Father, thank you. Thank you for this amazing privilege to study your word as a family, to study and serve here at Fresno Pacific. We pray for our faculty, we pray for our staff, we pray for our cohorts; bless every student. Help us to love in difficult times and help our love to reflect that of Christ. Bless our school, bless all that we plan to do and how we align our lives up with you. We thank you for it. In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen.