By Rev Charles Seet

Preached at / Published Life BPC 10.45am Svc, 2010-02-28

Text: John 13:31-38

Recently my son showed me something new that was given to him. It looked exactly like a freshly baked bun, with the same soft and spongy texture. It even smelled like a bun. But although I was initially fooled by it, I found that it was actually a very ingenious fake, made of synthetic rubber. Today there are many products like that, that are designed to look just like the real thing. Some are made merely for playful amusement, like fake buns or fake chocolates. Others, like wigs, false eyelashes and artificial limbs, are socially accepted means to improve one's appearance. 

But there are also some fake items that are made to victimize unwary people by making them believe that they are really authentic. This would include things like counterfeit money, fake degrees and fake medicine. The sad thing is that using these fake items will only bring disappointment and anger in the end because they do not have the real value or benefits that belong only to the authentic items. And in matters affecting the souls of men and the testimony of the Gospel in this world, the authentic becomes most needful and necessary. The only way to impact this world with the authentic Gospel is through authentic disciples of Christ with authentic Christian love in their hearts.

This morning we will look at a passage that teaches us how to know if we are authentic disciples of Jesus Christ, and how to tell if our love is authentically Christian.

I. The Giving of the New Commandment

In last week's sermon we had seen that when Satan entered Judas, Judas left the place where Jesus and His disciples were having their Passover meal together. As Judas went out to complete his wicked act of betrayal the death of Jesus became imminent. That event was now irrevocably set in motion. There was no turning back! In less than 12 hours Jesus would be nailed to the cross to die a slow, agonizing death - the death that the Lamb of God alone must die to take away the sins of the world. Knowing all this, Jesus made a surprising announcement: 

'Now is the Son of Man glorified, and God is glorified in Him.' (v.31) This announcement reveals how glorious Christ's death on the cross is. His death glorifies Him as our great loving Saviour, as the Good Shepherd who lays down His own precious life to rescue His sheep from destruction. His death glorifies the Father by satisfying all that His justice rightly demands as the punishment for our sins. Nothing has ever brought such great glory to the Father and to the Son as the death of Jesus Christ on Calvary's cross. 

This announcement in vv.31 and 32 was deliberately made here at this moment to prepare the disciples for some very unsettling news. In order for that great glory of God to materialize, Jesus would have to leave them for a time. Soon they would be parted from Him. They would no longer have Him with them physically to lead them, instruct them and protect them. They would now have to fend for themselves in the midst of a hostile and ungodly world. How would they survive when Jesus is gone? How would they remain strong and faithful to Him without His support? And without the Lord's strong and inspiring leadership how would they carry on His work on earth as His disciples?

The answer to these questions is found in everything that Jesus said to them from this point in John's Gospel all the way to the end of chapter 16. These would be the most important instructions for the disciples to follow after Jesus leaves them for His journey to the cross, and later on, for His return to their heavenly Father. And the very first thing that He gives His disciples in this entire body of instructions is a new commandment. Let us look at v.34,35 to see what it is 'A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.' 

II. The Meaning of the New Commandment

This commandment seems to be plain and simple enough when we first read it - it is a commandment to love our fellow man. This is something that every Jew in Israel had already known, because the Old Testament law had taught them to love their fellow man. You will see it in Leviticus 19:18 'Thou shalt not avenge, nor bear any grudge against the children of thy people, but thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself: I am the LORD.' 

Why then did Jesus call it a NEW commandment? Why did He not say, 'You already know this old commandment to love your neighbour as yourself. Now just make sure that you apply it'? How is this commandment to love our fellow man in v.34 a new commandment? From studying this passage and comparing it with other passages of scripture, we can suggest at least 5 ways in which this commandment is new.

Firstly, it is new in its origin. The old commandment to love was given by God through Moses. But the new commandment was given by Christ Himself. He said, 'A new commandment I give unto you.' What difference does this make? The difference is that Christ had been with His disciples for 3 years and had known them and loved them dearly. In v.33 He calls them 'Little children.' This is a term of loving endearment and tender affection, like that of a father for his own children. When someone who knows you well and loves you dearly tells you to do something, you know that doing it surely cannot result in anything but your own good. And that thought stirs you to do it as well as you can.

Secondly, this commandment to love is new in its reciprocal nature. This is emphasized by the words 'one another' found no less that 3 times in vv.34-35. This phrase shows that it has to be a love that is to be shared mutually by all of Christ's disciples; It is a love for one another that will naturally bind them closely one to another. And because of this it is called the 'bond of perfectness' in Colossians 3:14. When we come to John 17 later in our series of messages, we will learn that this close bond of love that is shared by Christ's disciples is actually meant to reflect the intimate bond of love that is shared by the 3 persons within the Godhead. We ought to love one another because God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit love one another. Isn't that a glorious thought?

Thirdly, this commandment to love is new in its objects. The disciples were to love one another in the same way that Jesus had loved them. Their love must therefore not depend on the worthiness of the ones who are loved since Jesus did not love His disciples because they were lovely or loveable. He loved them despite all their faults and failures. Until that moment they were still arguing about who was the greatest among them (Luke 22:24). Last week we saw that Jesus still loved Judas despite being troubled that he would deliberately betray Him. Here in v.38 of our passage we now see that Jesus loved Peter despite knowing that he would deny Him 3 times in a moment of weakness. Therefore the new commandment requires us to love fellow Christians who may have failed us or wronged us before, and to love even those who we may find very hard to love. 

Fourthly, this commandment to love is new in its duration. This point is also derived from the way that Jesus Himelf had loved them. The very first verse of this chapter tells us, 'When Jesus knew that his hour was come that he should depart out of this world unto the Father, having loved his own which were in the world, he loved them unto the end.' In fact the command to love one another in v.34 is given in grammatical form that implies continuous or repeated action - They were commanded to 'keep loving one another.' This is echoed in Hebrews 13:1 which says, 'Let brotherly love continue.' To do this, Galatians 6:9,10 tells us that we must not become weary in well doing, especially to those who are of the household of faith.

Lastly, the commandment to love is new in its results. The love we are commanded to have for one another is a love that results in self-denial. Christ loved us to the extent of being willing to die for us. In the same way, we are to love our brethren in Christ enough to be willing to die for them, if such should ever become necessary. We see this in 1 John 3:16  'Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.' But laying down one's life is only one out of many results of Christ's love. 

If you were to do a thorough study of the life of Christ in the 4 gospels you will find many other things He did for His disciples because He loved them. Here are 6 of them: He admonished them (Matthew 16:8-11 cf. Romans 15:14), He comforted them (e.g. Matthew 14:27 cf. 1 Thessalonians 4:18), He cared for their welfare (Mark 6:30,31 cf. 1 Corinthians 12:25). He prayed for them (John 17:9 cf. James 5:16), He served them (John 13:5 cf.Galatians 5:13) and He forgave them (John 21:15 cf. Ephesians 4:32). And if you look up the references provided in your outline you will see something interesting: They match up nicely with some of the 'one another' commands given in the New Testament - Look them up later today and you will see that we are told to admonish one another, comfort one another, care one for another, pray one for another, serve one another and forgive one another. These and many other 'one another' commands teach us what it means to love one another with the same love that Christ has for us. 

This last aspect of the new commandment that we have just seen helps us to understand why Jesus said, 'By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.' (v.35) The more that we love one another the way that Christ Himself loves His disciples, the more we will bear the likeness of Christ in our lives, and the more that people around us will be able to see Christ in us and recognize that we are truly His disciples. What a glorious result this is from keeping the new commandment!

III. The Purpose of the New Commandment

I trust that by now it quite clear to all of us, that the new commandment in John 13:34 is not merely another commandment to love our fellow man. It requires more from us than having the natural love that even non-believers may have for one another. All human beings despite their fallen state are capable of showing ordinary love and care for the needy and impoverished. In times of disaster like famine, tsunamis and earthquakes, secular organisations will rally to provide aid and humanitarian support within a short time. And philanthropists will give of their billions to ease the sufferings of their fellow man. 

Love for one's fellow man is also very much evident during the Chinese New Year season which ends today. It is the season when everyone becomes outwardly generous to share their material blessings with others and express their goodwill to others - they give out good food and hongbaos, enquire after each other's welfare and visit one another. 

But if all that we do as Christians is merely to emulate this love we would be no different from unbelievers who love one another. The love that is required of us in the new commandment is meant to distinguish us from unbelievers. That is why Jesus called it a new commandment. We have seen that it is new in its origin, in its nature, in its objects, in its duration and in its results. And we have seen that most of all, it makes us recognisable as Christ's disciples because it exhibits the love of Christ Himself. This then is the authentic Christian love that all of us should have for one another. 

This was the kind of love that the first-century Christians became known for. Let us turn to Acts 2:44-47 'And all that believed were together, and had all things common; And sold their possessions and goods, and parted them to all men, as every man had need. And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart, Praising God, and having favour with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved.' 

Tertullian who lived in the 2nd century AD, records what the pagans of his time were saying about the Christians: 'See how they love one another and are ready to lay down their lives for each other.' (Apology 39) This is the kind of testimony that has caused many to turn to Christ for salvation. Art Lindsey wrote a book entitled, Love - the Ultimate Apologetic, in which he demonstrated that love is the heart of Christian witness. Francis Shaeffer, a Christian philosopher and theologian, believed that the 'final apologetic' is the love among Christians and of Christians for unbelievers. 

And that same authentic Christian love must be evident in our midst if we are to be used by the Lord. We must therefore apply what we have learnt today by honestly examining our own lives. Perhaps all this while we thought that we have been keeping the new commandment but now we realise that this may not really be the case. Yes, we may have shown some measure of love and care for others before, but was it real Christian love? Does it measure up to the mark that Christ Himself has set for the love of His disciples? Do we really love others with the same kind of love that Christ has for us? 

Let each of us be earnest this morning about having this love, because at the beginning of 1 Corinthians 13, the famous chapter on love, Paul wrote that without love we nothing (vv.1-3). Without love, all our gifts, talents, skills and abilities and all our spiritual knowledge will come to nothing. Without love all my preaching and teaching would be meaningless noise. And even if I have faith that can move mountains, or give all my goods to feed the poor, all this is nothing without love. 

IV. The Ability to Keep the New Commandment

So what should we do now if we are convinced that we don't have authentic Christian love for one another? Can we resolve the matter merely by saying to God with all sincerity, 'Lord, I've made up my mind today to keep this new commandment. From now on I am going to love my fellow brethren as Christ has loved me'? Making sincere resolutions may work for a short time, but they will not last. 

Look at what happened to Simon Peter in vv.37 and 38. He was very confident about his own love for Jesus when he said, 'I will lay down my life for Thy sake.' But when it came to the crunch his fear got the better of him and he denied 3 times that he knew Christ at all. 

But there was still hope left for Peter because of what Jesus had said to him in v.36 'Whither I go, thou canst not follow me now; but thou shalt follow me afterwards.' Peter could not follow Christ to the cross of Calvary at that time because he was not ready to die for his master. But he did follow Christ later on. He laid down his life for Jesus when he was crucified upside down in Rome many years later. And what caused this change? 

It was Peter's full dependence on the power of Christ that made the difference. After Jesus had ascended up to heaven, He empowered His disciples including Peter with the Holy Spirit. As they confessed their inability and prayed for God's grace to granr them the ability, they were filled with the Spirit and were then able to do the Lord's will, keep His commandments and witness boldly for Him. They were also able to love one another sacrificially, just as Jesus had loved them. You can read all about this on your own in Acts 4:29-35.

The point is that without God's enablement, you will not be able to love as Jesus loved, because it is beyond your human ability to love like He did. You need to seek God's help in prayer. Tell Him that you are not able to love others. Tell him that you need the Holy Spirit to fill your heart with love and to empower you to love others as He loved. Use Romans 5:5 as your basis for praying. It says, 'And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.' And remember also that love is also the very first item mentioned in the fruit of the Spirit in Galatians 5:22. 

All this assumes that you do have the Holy Spirit dwelling in you, which you would have if you are truly born again. If you are not born again, you may profess to be a Christian, but you are not an authentic Christian. And it is impossible for one who is not an authentic Christian to have authentic Christian love. This is stated very plainly in 1 John 4:7-8 'Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God. He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.'

Therefore if you find that you are not able to love others as Jesus loved, and that praying for the ability to love does not help you at all, perhaps it is time to consider whether you are truly born of God and know God. In other words, perhaps you are not saved yet. 

How does one get saved from sin and eternal damnation? Firstly, you must accept everything that the Bible says about Jesus and about yourself as true - that He is the Son of God who came down from heaven to be made a sacrifice for sin, and that you are a sinner who deserves nothing but judgment from God. Secondly, you must put your trust entirely in Jesus alone to save you, and throw away whatever confidence you may have in your own good works or in any other thing to save you. And thirdly, surrender your life to Christ once and for all with no thought of turning back. He must be made the Lord of everything in your life.

Let me stress once again that only authentic Christians are able to have authentic Christian love one for another. Jesus said, 'By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.' (v.35). So let us all examine ourselves and be sure that we are truly disciples of Christ, for then we would be able to keep that new commandment that He gave to us, which is to love one another as He has loved us.

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