Love As Jesus Loved

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Today let’s read John 13:18-38.

Time is ticking. Jesus knows His time with His disciples on earth is coming to a close. He gives them a new command: 

““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.”” ‭‭John‬ ‭13‬:‭34‬-‭35‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Jesus had already told them what the greatest command was, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.” And the second to love your neighbor as yourself. 

Jesus wanted the ones who follow Him to take that further. That is to love as He loves! This Agape love, “God’s love” is self sacrificial, forgiving, and gives away all for another. It is the kind of love that benefits and prospers another person with no expectation of receiving anything in return. This kind of love is not possible for us to demonstrate in our own lives on our own. It is His love that He pours out inside of us through the Holy Spirit who lives inside of us. (Romans 5:5) 

When we love as Jesus loves, we demonstrate or reflect Him to the world. In fact Jesus says that this is how everyone will know that we are “HIS” disciples — when we love as He loves. We will be living as one who bears HIS Image to the world. 

Holy Spirit we ask You to fill us with Your love so we can do as Jesus commanded. We desire to love as Jesus loved! 

Jesus Served

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Good morning! Today let’s read John 13:1-17.

“It was just before the Passover Festival. Jesus knew that the hour had come for him to leave this world and go to the Father. Having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end.”‭‭John‬ ‭13‬:‭1‬ ‭NIV‬‬

God is omniscient (all knowing). Jesus is God so He knows all things. 

“…Jesus knew…” The events that occurred right before Jesus died did not happen by chance and they were not a surprise to Jesus. He knew! He knew that one of His twelve disciples, Judas, would betray Him. He knew another one, Peter, would deny Him. He knew the rest would scatter when faced with the danger in the moments ahead. He knew He would be arrested, beaten, spit upon, have His beard pulled out. He knew He would be made to carry a heavy cross, a Roman instrument of torture, up a hill. He knew He would be crucified. 

So what was Jesus’s response to all the injustice He would suffer? He washed feet… He humbled Himself, took the position of a lowly servant and bowed before the ones who called Him teacher. The Master served…

Why would Jesus do such a thing? LOVE.  He loved His own and He loved them to the end. Everything Jesus did was from His love, His desire to benefit and prosper us with absolutely nothing that could be repaid to Him. 

I think the thing about this account that gets me the most is that Jesus washed Judas’s feet. Even though He knew… Would I do that? Would I serve the one who would betray me?

One more thought… It’s easy to read this account and forget that I am one of those He loves and loved to the end… When I have chosen sin over obedience, I have betrayed Jesus. When I have chosen to go my own way instead of follow His, I have denied Him as Lord. When I have repeatedly refused to live as He has called me to do, I have abandoned Him. Yet, He knows all this and He would willingly wash my feet. Because Jesus came to serve not to be served… 

What is my response to such love?  What is your response to such love? 

Jesus finishes washing feet and then gives an instruction:

““You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and rightly so, for that is what I am. Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet. I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you.”‭‭ John‬ ‭13‬:‭13‬-‭15‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Help me to love as You love, Jesus. Help me to serve as You serve. 

Who Do I Really Love?

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Today let’s read John 12:37-50.

“Yet at the same time many even among the leaders believed in him. But because of the Pharisees they would not openly acknowledge their faith for fear they would be put out of the synagogue; for they loved human praise more than praise from God.” ‭‭John‬ ‭12‬:‭42‬-‭43‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Who am I living for? Who do I really love? 

It is very possible to have an encounter with Jesus and believe that He is God, yet not acknowledge that you ever believed, or live like it…

Complete surrender to Jesus and His ways is uncomfortable to our sinful nature/flesh. Openly acknowledging Him and living with Him as your Lord for all to see will cause rejection by those who are not living for Him. If you are a people pleaser and you love to hear people complementing and praising you, the tendency will be to hide what God is doing in your life and not give glory to Him. But living this way points to a heart that really isn’t surrendered to Jesus as Lord of your life. 

If your concern is about “what will people think?” and not about “what will God think?”, there is a problem. You cannot serve two masters! 

You cannot live waiting for the world to say “well done” and waiting for Jesus to say “well done” as well. There is only One that we need approval from! 

Again it is good to reflect on these questions:

Who am I living for? Who do I really love? 

The Hour Has Come — Glorify Him!

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Today let’s read John 12:20-36. 

“Jesus replied, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified.”” (Verse 23) 

Glorified — honored, dignified, exalted to glory. (Websters 1828)

Jesus speaks the words above and then begins to predict His death. Glorified but losing His life? Glorified but being lifted up on a cross — the most horrid method of Roman torture and execution… ? It almost seems to contradict. 

But with Jesus death is not the end of the story! He is the Resurrection and the Life! Those who die in Him will live and never die! (John 11:25-26) 

We are invited to participate in Jesus’s life where He is glorified (right here right now), but as His servants, we also go where He goes. This means we follow Jesus to the cross/ death to ourselves —our selfish and sinful nature. 

If we really want to experience Jesus and His life to the fullest, we must lose our lives built on ourselves— what we want, when and how we want it. (verse 25) Taking on Jesus’s life where He is glorified — displayed in us! 

You and I were created with a purpose — to know God! As we come to know Him, we will display Him wherever we go. This is being His image bearer. In order for us to glorify God with our lives, display Him to those around us, who we were before we came to Jesus must die daily. 

Am I experiencing the true life of Jesus? Or am I holding on to my old sinful life? Am I following Jesus all the way to the cross/ death to my selfish ways so I can be alive to Him? 

The hour has come for us to live our lives Glorifying Jesus! 

Jesus — The Servant King

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Let’s read John 12:12-19.

“At first his disciples did not understand all this. Only after Jesus was glorified did they realize that these things had been written about him and that these things had been done to him.” ‭John‬ ‭12‬:‭16‬ ‭NIV‬‬

The conquering kings of Jesus’s time would ride into their newly acquired territories on their war horses. They displayed their power in order for their new subjects to understand their need to submit. “Jesus found a young donkey…” This was to fulfill a messianic prophecy regarding Him. He had come as King! The crowds shouted it! BUT He had not come as a conquering King, but as a King of peace! Riding a donkey symbolized a King who had come to reconcile the people to Himself. It was a symbol of humility and service. 

BUT the people did not understand… including Jesus’s very own disciples. 

Jesus displayed the heart of His Heavenly Father to the world. What we see Jesus doing as we read the Gospels is exactly what Our Heavenly Father does. Jesus came in peace. Our Father comes to us in peace as well! He comes to us for our deliverance from sin! He comes to us in humility and love! He does not come to force us to follow Him! He comes to provide the way for us to be restored to what He had designed us for all along… relationship with Him! 

“Do not be afraid, Daughter Zion; see, your king is coming seated on a donkey’s colt.” (verse 15) Jesus our Servant King displayed what God had revealed about Himself almost 1400 years earlier when He spoke to Moses regarding who He is. He said He is:

“The Lord, the Lord, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness, maintaining love to thousands, and forgiving wickedness, rebellion and sin...”‭‭Exodus‬ ‭34‬:‭6‬-‭7‬ ‭NIV‬‬

God never changes! Who He was to Moses, He was in Jesus’s time. Jesus is still our Servant King, humble, and “abounding in love and faithfulness” today! 

Jesus chose to ride into Jerusalem on a donkey so the people could know and understand exactly who He was.

Jesus wanted them to KNOW Him! He still wants us to KNOW Him today! 

Extravagant Love

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Let’s read John 12:1-11 today! 

“Then Mary took about a pint of pure nard, an expensive perfume; she poured it on Jesus’ feet and wiped his feet with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume.” John‬ ‭12‬:‭3‬ ‭NIV‬‬

This is one of my favorite stories of worship, which is defined as honoring Jesus with extravagant love and extreme submission. Mary gave something very costly to express her love for Jesus. She wanted to express her recognition of how valuable He was to her and what He meant to her. She had seen Him do miracles, including raising her brother from the dead. He had changed her life! Her response was DEEP love for Him!

When I read this account, I wonder about my heart. Do I love Him deeply? When you love someone deeply, the cost you pay to express that love is never too great! 

Do I express extravagant love and extreme submission in my relationship with God? Do I value Him and Him alone? 

Hard heartedness

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Today let’s read John 11:45-57.

“Then the chief priests and the Pharisees called a meeting of the Sanhedrin. “What are we accomplishing?” they asked. “Here is this man performing many signs. If we let him go on like this, everyone will believe in him, and then the Romans will come and take away both our temple and our nation.””

‭‭John‬ ‭11‬:‭47‬-‭48‬ ‭NIV‬‬

I am always amazed at the hard heartedness of the religious leaders of Jesus’s time. Jesus simply did not fit into their agenda. They wanted things the way they wanted them, when and how they wanted it… They pursued their ways so much that they had drifted further and further from the very God they claimed to serve. They could see Jesus doing miracles that were beyond explanation, but they chose to pursue their ways instead of following Him. They stood there in the very presence of Jesus and they were not moved by His words, His miracles, His love… I would like to point my finger, but there have been times in my life that I chose to go my way instead of pursuing Him. There have been times I’ve heard His voice, saw His miracles, and yet turned away. 

Lifehouse recorded a song in the year 2000 thats lyrics have been rolling around in my head this morning as I have thought of this section of scripture. 

“You are the life to my soul

You are my purpose, you’re everything

… And how can I stand here with you

And not be moved by you?

Would you tell me how could it be

Any better than this?” 

You and I were created with a purpose — to Know God! A hard heart will keep us from realizing this purpose. Sin hardens our hearts. What is it that stands between you and God? Are you able to stand in the very presence of Jesus and not be moved by Him? 

This video illustrates the things that get in between us and God. Let’s ask  these questions: “How can I stand here with you and not be moved by you?” 

Is there an area of sin in my heart that has caused me to have a heart that is hardened towards God? 

Am I living my life wanting only what I want when and how I want it? Or is knowing Jesus my one true purpose, my everything? 

You Will See God’s Glory If You Believe

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Today let’s read John 11:17-44.

There is a perceived finality in death. More than once I have attended the graveside committal of someone I love. The separation we feel here on earth becomes so real. But Jesus!

These words of Jesus are often read at such an occasion where we stand next to the casket of someone we love moments before they are lowered into the ground: 

 “…“I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?”” 
John‬ ‭11‬:‭25‬-‭26‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Jesus experienced the things we do when He walked this earth. He stood outside the tomb of His friend as well. He saw the heartache of those left behind. He felt compassion for those who could only see the finality of the situation. Verse 35 says, “Jesus wept.” But that was not the end. Jesus ordered that the stone covering the entrance to the tomb be rolled back, and then He spoke. “Lazarus, come out!” Lazarus walked out of that tomb fully alive! 

This section of Scripture stirs up questions as well as comfort within me. Sometimes I don’t understand why things go the way they do.  I find comfort knowing that Jesus has stood graveside and wept. Not because it was the end, but simply because He loved the ones who thought it was. 

Then there have been the times I have seen Jesus do miracles that I could not explain and completely turned impossible situations around. 

I have often thought how convenient it would be to be able to say, “Do x,y,and z and this will result.” 

“Then Jesus said, “Did I not tell you that if you believe, you will see the glory of God?”” (Verse 40) The glory of God is His manifest presence and power. Simply put, I believe and God will do more than I could ask, think, or imagine within impossible situations. Martha could not conceive that opening a tomb with a dead body would ever be a good idea. BUT with Jesus, what is dead becomes alive. 

Do I understand that Jesus truly cares about the things that I am weeping about? Do I believe that no matter what I am up against Jesus is bigger? His Words He spoke to Martha are a promise to me as well. If I believe, I will see His Glory! (Verse 40) I will see He is with me and He is acting in His power on my behalf. He will do miracles. And “even though” I die. I will live! I always win when I believe (trust in and rely on) Jesus, who is Victor over everything including sickness and death! 

God’s Delays

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(I’ve been writing a lot on the Gospel of John lately. I felt like I should share today’s thoughts on the account of Lazarus’s death:)

Good morning! Let’s read John 11:1-16 today!

“So the sisters sent word to Jesus, “Lord, the one you love is sick.” When he heard this, Jesus said, “This sickness will not end in death. No, it is for God’s glory so that God’s Son may be glorified through it.” Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. So when he heard that Lazarus was sick, he stayed where he was two more days,”
‭‭John‬ ‭11‬:‭3‬-‭6‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Being sick is a horrible thing. Especially a major illness. In sickness, there is pain and discomfort. Jesus heard His friend, the one He loved, was sick. BUT Jesus delayed going to His friend for two days…

I have been thinking this morning about God’s delays. Jesus knew all things. He was and He is God. He also knew the end of Lazarus’s story, “…This sickness will not END in death. No, it is for God’s Glory…” God always had a plan. Jesus’s delay was a part of it.

In the book of Isaiah God tells us something that is very important to consider:

““For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the Lord. “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.”
‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭55‬:‭8‬-‭9‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Jesus knew the reason that Lazarus had to SUFFER and DIE. He knew that He would raise Lazarus from the dead in order to display the glory of God to the people. It was an opportunity for Him to make Himself known in a way the people had not known Him as before. “I am the resurrection and the life.” (Verse 25) Jesus was going to display HIs power over death itself.

There are circumstances of life that we simply will not understand. Sometimes it seems that God is delaying doing what is best for us. We suffer. BUT God wants us to know that His thoughts are not our thoughts and His ways are not our ways either. What we think is best may not be what is the best in His Heavenly perspective. We must trust in Him!

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.”
‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭3‬:‭5‬-‭6‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Is there a circumstance in my life that I am suffering in? Am I trying to make sense out of it? Does it feel like Jesus has delayed?
Can I believe and trust that Jesus is always working in every circumstance for my good? (Romans 8:28)