“A New Commandment: Love Each Other” May 18, 2025
“A New Commandment: Love Each Other”
Psalm 145:8-13
Acts 11:1-18/ Revelation 21: 1-6
John 13:31-35
Good morning. Good morning, and welcome on this beautiful day to the 5th Sunday of Easter tide, the 50 days following Easter which will end on Pentecost Sunday. It’s probably good to remember that a good portion of the gospel texts we will read during this period are not chronologically correct. Today’s lesson from John, for example, occurs during what we refer to as “the Last Supper:” that time Jesus spent with his disciples in the upper room before his arrest, conviction, and crucifixion, and not after the resurrection. It was at this time that Jesus prepared his disciples for the events to come. I dare say that it was probably one of the most intense teaching sessions the disciples had experienced up to that time: intense and valuable. The beauty of it all lies in the fact that these lessons are as valuable today as they were way back then, and today’s lesson from the gospel of John is no exception. But before we dive into it, let me share a little of the back story to this moment. First of all, Jesus shocked them all by gathering them up that he might wash their feet. Then, Judas left the room after Jesus announced that one of them would betray him, which caused a little concern, as you can imagine. Next, he told them that he would be leaving them soon and where he was going they could not follow. The session ended with a commandment; a new commandment, which speaks to our theme of the day. So as a refresher, what is here the words of John once again, starting at verse 31: 31 As soon as Judas left the room, Jesus said, “My time has come; the glory of God will soon surround me—
and God shall receive great praise because of all that happens to me.
And God shall give me his own glory, and this so very soon. 33 Dear,
dear children, how brief are these moments before I must go away and leave you! Then, though you search for me, you cannot come to me—just as I told the Jewish leaders.
34 “And so I am giving a new commandment to you now—love each other just as much as I love you. 35 Your strong love for each other will prove to the world that you are my disciples.”
“love each other just as much as I love you.” Well, yikes – we might strive to honor the commandments of Moses and we might do our best to live the way that our God has guided us to live, but let’s face it – this is a tough one. I mean, write me a list of things that are impossible to do and I would have to say that loving each other as Jesus loves us would be in the top 10.
Here’s a scenario to think about which I believe comes from my favorite Canadian, Ralph Milton: ”picture a small church in rural America. The congregation is well established; some folks belonged to the 3rd or 4th generation who had been faithful members of this beautiful country church. But there’s a concern. The talk over coffee after church went something like, “Church attendance isn’t what it used to be. We don’t have any young families…” And the list goes on and on. So, the committee that decides these kinds of things got together and decided that they need some programs. What kind of programs? Nobody knows. Finally, a few ideas come forward: “How about a free toaster for all new visitors?” someone said, “It works great at the bank.” But that got voted down – too much money, it would blow the budget.
More ideas come before the committee: free car washes for visitors,
a free pass at the collection plate for a month for new members – but one by one, they were voted down. At last, one of the few younger members spoke up. She had only been attending for a few months, and quite frankly, folks were starting to wonder about her place in their church. She was a bit too outspoken for their tastes, but …you know, she’s young. But when she spoke, it was obvious she had crossed the line. “How about having a foot washing ceremony once a month, just like communion?” she said. “When Jesus commanded us to love one another just as he loved us, I think he really meant that. What a better way to demonstrate that we believe this than by ….well, showing folks how Christ loves us; by getting down and showing that we can love like Christ; that we do love like Christ. I think it would be fun!”
There are certain silences that are awkward. Some silences, on the other hand, are just devastating. The temperature in the room dropped about 10 degrees as the thoughts of the committee members turned to the embarrassment of hammer toes and the red polish that hadn’t quite worn off of Mr. Thornton’s toenails that he had allowed his grand-daughter to paint. They thought, “What a ridiculous things to suggest. Why, it’s embarrassing – it’s unsanitary! // And let’s face it – it’s icky.” The motion failed by a vote of 10 to 1.”
(vs 34) “And so I am giving a new commandment to you now—love each other just as much as I love you.” love each other just as much as I love you. Hoo, boy. So, how are we doing with that? Are we progressing by fits and starts or is loving like Jesus something that evolves over time? There may be friends that tell us. “This Christianity thing just isn’t for me.”
“I mean, there is that fasting thing and we are expected to memorize all sorts of prayers and stuff. Add to that, we have to show up at church once a week and support that church with our time and money. Naw, this Christian stuff just ain’t for me.” Imagine their surprise when you tell them that we do all these things gladly. They bring us joy: joy in the spirit, joy in belonging, joy in being in the presence of the divine.”
“Yeah, but what about all them commandments? You can’t tell me that you follow all those with this joy you’re talking about?”
“Actually, we do,” you might say. It’s easy as pie. One of the old prophets- it was a guy named Isaiah, I think, hit the nail on the head when he said’ his yoke is easy, his burden is light. “
“So you really believe all that stuff, then?”
“Oh yeah,” I would say. “There is one commandment that’s been giving me fits, though. Maybe you can help me out. Jesus commanded us to love each other the way that he loves us. I can’t figure out how to even get started.” Got any ideas?
“Well, I’d say a lot depends on how this Jesus guy loves you, don’t you think?” I would then explain that the love of Jesus is far greater than anything we can imagine. It is unconditional, it is bursting with forgiveness and mercy, and it is eternal.
“Well dang!” he might say. “That is awesome. I don’t know what’s holding you back but if I was you, I’d start working on this commandment right away. There is no telling how it might turn out, but I have a feeling it’s going to be a really good thing.”
So thank you once again, for tolerating one of my little trips into the hypothetical
it just seems to me that the better we might understand the love of
Christ, then the more anxious and able we might be to love like that. With that in mind, I’ll close with another story; this one I believe, from Delmer Chilton who said: “He was 92 years old. And he was invited to preach an anniversary service. People in the pews were restless, wondering what the hoary old clergyman might do. Would he drop dead in the middle of the sermon? Would he go on and on and on?
Slowly he made his way forward. He had no notes in his hand. He steadied himself on the pulpit and said, “When I was asked to come here today and talk to you, your pastor asked me to tell you about the greatest lesson ever learned in my 50 odd years of preaching. I thought about it for a few days and boiled it down to just one thing that made the most difference in my life and sustained me through all my trials – the one thing that I could always rely on when tears and heartbreak and pain and fear and sorrow paralyzed me. That one thing is: “Jesus loves me this I know, for the Bible tells me so. Little ones to him belong, we are weak but he is strong. Yes, Jesus loves me…the Bible tells me so.”
.Nuff said.
Amen and shalom
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