Text: John 13:34-35
Core Idea: As we love one another as Christ has loved us, may our life together make Jesus visible and bring glory to His name.
INTRODUCTION
Good morning, Lighthouse. It is wonderful to see you on this special Sunday as we celebrate our fifth anniversary. As we look back, we recognize that every step of our journey has been upheld by God’s grace. Whatever fruit we have seen and whatever challenges we’ve faced, God has faithfully sustained us through it all – which is why today is not about us but all about God. We want to give Him glory for all that He has done in and through us. Now, later in the service, we’ll have the joy of witnessing the baptisms of Ellie, Max, Remy, and Slava. We’ll hear how Jesus has been at work in their lives – and through it, they’ll publicly declare that they belong to Him. So, today is truly a celebration of God’s grace – His grace toward our church and these four individuals. But before anything, let’s first turn our attention to God’s Word. Last Sunday, we began a four-week series based on one of our core values: We are committed to building a “one another” community. The NT repeatedly teaches us how followers of Jesus are to live together because church is more than attending the same service. God has joined us together as a family so that we might help one another follow Christ. And last week, from Romans 15, we considered what it means to accept one another despite the differences in culture, background, or conviction. Well, today, we come to another “one another” command – maybe the most familiar one of all: Love one another. Now, we hear the word “love” so often that it can easily lose its meaning. But Jesus is calling us to something deeper than warm feelings or simple kindness. Then, what does it mean to truly love one another? That’s what we’re going to find out today. So, please turn with me to John 13:34-35. And Jiwoo will come up and read the passage for us.
34 A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. 35 By this everyone will know that you are My disciples, if you love one another.
Children, I’m so thankful that you’re joining us today. You are an important part of our church family – and we’re glad that you can celebrate with us. Now, I know some of you were probably expecting a video since this is our joint service. But because we have so many special things happening, we won’t be showing one today. Maybe you can ask your parents to watch one with you at home. But even without a video, I hope you’ll listen carefully because I believe God has something important to say to you as well. Then, let me share three things from this passage:
A LOVE WE RECEIVE
A LOVE WE GIVE
A LOVE THE WORLD CAN SEE
1. A LOVE WE RECEIVE
Let’s begin with the words at the center of Jesus’ command: “As I have loved you.” Before Jesus tells His disciples what they must give to one another, He reminds them of what they have already received from Him. Christian love begins not with our love for Jesus, but with His love for us. And to understand the depth of that love, we need to go back to the beginning of the chapter. John 13:1 says, “Having loved His own who were in the world, He loved them to the end.” This is how John begins the story of Jesus’ journey to the cross. Jesus knew that His hour had come – and yet as He entered the darkest valley of His earthly ministry, He continued to love His own to the end. Now, what makes this so remarkable is that Jesus knew exactly whom He was loving. He knew that Judas would betray Him, that Peter would deny Him, and that the other disciples would abandon Him. He saw how often they argued about which of them was the greatest, and he knew how weak they would become when following Him became costly. But Jesus didn’t love His disciples for who they might become one day. He loved them as they were – with full knowledge of their weakness, selfishness, and failure. More than that, Jesus knew what awaited Him. He knew He would be arrested, falsely accused, mocked, beaten, and crucified. He knew on the cross, He would bear the judgment our sins deserved and cry out, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?” He knew the cost. But He didn’t say, “I have enough burdens of My own. Why should I keep giving Myself to people whose sins have brought Me to the cross?” No, He didn’t become so consumed with the coming suffering that He stopped caring for those around Him. Even under the shadow of the cross, He loved them to the end.
And friends, this is how Jesus loves you too. He doesn’t love you because He has overlooked the truth about you. He knows the sins you hide, the thoughts you would be ashamed for others to hear, and the struggles that remain even after years of following Him. In fact, He even knows the ways you will fail Him in the future. And yet, if you belong to Him, He has set His love upon you. Some of us find that difficult to believe. We may believe that Jesus forgives sinners, but we struggle to believe that He truly loves us. He only loves a better version of us – someone more disciplined and faithful. Which is why when we’re doing well, we feel close to Him – and when we fail, we feel distant. But Jesus didn’t go to the cross for the improved version of you. In other words, He gave Himself for you – knowing the whole truth about you. His love is not a reward for your spiritual performance. It’s grace given to those who could never earn it. Then, let me ask you: Do you know this love? I don’t mean, have you heard sermons about it? I mean, have you personally experienced it? Are you learning to rest in the love of Christ every single day – to find comfort in the truth that you are fully known and yet, by grace, deeply loved? This is so important because we cannot give a love we’ve never received. Think about it. If we’re still trying to earn love, we’ll make others earn love as well. If we believe we must hide our failures, we’ll have little patience for the failures of others. But when we know that Jesus has loved us in all our weakness, His love will begin to soften our hearts toward those around us. Friends, the command to love doesn’t begin with what we must do for Christ – it begins with what Christ has done for us. So, before you try to give this love to others, receive it for yourself: this love that knows you completely and loves you to the end.
2. A LOVE WE GIVE
The love of Jesus is not something we only receive – it’s something we’re called to give. Jesus said, “As I have loved you, so you must love one another.” Now, the command to love wasn’t really new since God had already commanded it in Leviticus 19:18, “Love your neighbor as yourself.” But what is new here is the standard Jesus gives: “As I have loved you.” We’re to love others as Jesus loves us. What does that love look like? Well, Jesus had just shown them. Earlier in the chapter, we read about how Jesus and His disciples had gathered for a meal. In those days, walking dusty roads in sandals left people’s feet dirty – so washing them was considered a lowly task, usually left to a servant. But when the disciples entered the room, none of them was willing to take that place. In fact, not too long ago, they were arguing about which of them was the greatest. In other words, they were so concerned about their position that no one was willing to pick up the towel. Everyone wanted to be recognized, but no one wanted to serve. So, Jesus got up from the meal, removed His outer clothing, wrapped a towel around His waist, poured water into a basin, and began washing their feet. Think about that scene. The One who deserved the highest place took the lowest place. The hands that created the world washed the dirt from His disciples’ feet. He washed Peter’s feet – knowing Peter would deny Him. And He even washed Judas’ feet – knowing Judas would soon betray Him.
This is the love Jesus calls us to give – not just our emotion but also the willingness to lower ourselves, move toward another person, and seek their good. It’s the kind of love that takes up the towel. And that kind of love always involves sacrifice. Note that I didn’t say it may involve sacrifice – no, it will involve sacrifice. We cannot love others while making our own comfort, convenience, and preferences our highest priority. Love costs time. It requires attention. It interrupts our plans. Then, how does this look practically within the church? Well, it definitely means more than being friendly for a few minutes on Sunday – it means making room for each other in our actual lives. It may mean noticing someone who regularly sits alone and choosing to join them. It may mean checking in during the week after someone shares a struggle in small group rather than assuming the pastor will take care of it. It may mean bringing a meal, offering a ride, or caring for someone’s children. And sometimes the most loving thing we can give is our presence. We may not know what to say or how to solve the problem. But we can listen, pray, and sit with someone in their grief so that they don’t have to carry it alone. Brothers and sisters, hear this carefully: the reality is that we can easily admire what Jesus did without following His example. We can be moved by the sight of Jesus washing His disciples’ feet and still wait for someone else to pick up the towel. We think, “Someone should welcome that person. Someone should help that family. Someone should reach out.” But love becomes real when that “someone” becomes me. And let me make it clear: Jesus is not calling us to meet every need or to live without healthy boundaries. None of us can serve everyone. But all of us can love someone. Then, the question is whether we’re willing to be interrupted, inconvenienced, and humbled for the good of the people God has placed around us. So, look around this church. Is there someone whose need you have noticed but kept walking past? Is there someone you can show love by encouraging, helping, or simply spending time with them? Friends, Jesus didn’t love us only with words. He knelt before His disciples and then gave His life upon the cross. Then, as you receive His love, may it not just remain in your heart – may it become visible through your life.
3. A LOVE THE WORLD CAN SEE
Verse 35: “By this everyone will know that you are My disciples, if you love one another.” Jesus could’ve pointed to many things that distinguish His disciples – our knowledge of Scripture, the strength of our convictions, or the quality of our worship. I mean, all those things matter. But Jesus says that the distinguishing mark of His disciples will be their love for one another. Now, He’s not saying that love is the only mark of a Christian or that truth no longer matters. No, Christian love is always shaped by God’s truth. But the reality is that it’s possible to speak the truth without displaying the character of Jesus. We can defend sound doctrine while treating others harshly. We can gather every Sunday and participate in church activities while remaining distant from others. Then, the question is not only whether we say the right things about Jesus, but whether our life together looks like Jesus. Now, why would our love be such a powerful witness? Because this kind of love cannot be explained simply by what we naturally have in common. The world already knows how to love people who are easy to love – people who share the same interests, background, personality, or opinions. But when people who might not naturally choose one another become family, sacrifice for one another, forgive one another, and remain committed through trials, the world sees something different. Imagine someone looking at our church and asking, “Why do these people care so deeply for one another? Why do they give up their time to be with someone who is grieving? Why do they bring meals to another family for weeks? Why do people from different generations and cultures welcome one another into their homes? Why do they forgive after being deeply hurt and continue loving when walking away would be easier?” Hopefully, the answer will be clear: Because Jesus has loved them like that. Our love doesn’t testify to how naturally compatible we are. It testifies to the power of Christ to create a new family. It shows that the gospel does more than reconcile individuals to God – it also reconciles people to one another. That, of course, doesn’t mean that our church will never experience conflict. Jesus didn’t say the world would know we are His disciples because we never disagree, misunderstand one another, or cause hurt. But the evidence of Christ’s work is seen in how we respond when conflict comes: Do we listen? Do we confess when we’re wrong? Do we forgive? Do we seek restoration instead of withdrawing? The world doesn’t need to see a church pretending to be perfect. It needs to see a church learning to love because it has been loved by a perfect Savior.
Friends, I pray that our goal as a church would never be to just exist for a long time but to become a church whose life together makes Jesus visible – a community where the lonely are welcomed, the weak are supported, the hurting are cared for, sins are confessed, forgiveness is extended, and people gladly give themselves for others. Then, let me ask you: If someone watched the way you relate to the people in this church, what would they learn about Jesus? Would they see His patience in the way you respond to difficult people? His mercy in the way you forgive? His humility in the way you serve? His faithfulness in the way you remain present when someone’s need becomes costly? Brothers and sisters, Jesus has given the world the right to look at the way we love one another and draw conclusions about Him. That is both a sobering responsibility and an incredible privilege. Then, may we love one another so that the world will see how wonderful our Savior is.
CONCLUSION
Lighthouse family, as we love one another as Christ has loved us, may our life together make Jesus visible and bring glory to His name.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
What are you thankful for when you think about Lighthouse? As Lighthouse enters its sixth year, what kind of church do you pray we will become? What part can you play in that?
What does it mean that Jesus loved His disciples “to the end” (Jn. 13:1)? Why must we receive Christ’s love before we can love others as He commands?
What does washing the disciples’ feet reveal about the character of Jesus’ love? What would it look like for you to “pick up the towel” in your home, school, workplace, or church?
Why is love among believers such a powerful testimony to the reality of Jesus? If someone observed the way you relate to people in this church, what would they conclude about Jesus?
Questions for Youth: Do you ever feel that Jesus would love you more if you were a better Christian? What does this passage say to that fear? What is one way you can “pick up the towel” this week for those around you?
