Jesus is reclining at the Passover table with His disciples after Judas leaves. He gives His beloved friends some parting words to prepare them for what’s about to come, and He tells them this:
“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
He doesn’t tell them everyone will know they are His disciples if they go to church, or memorize scripture, or carry a Bible, or be nice, or any of a million other things.
He says everyone will know if they love one another as He had loved them. Agape love. Sacrificial love. All-encompassing, forgiving, loving-kindness love.
And He didn’t just say other believers will know they are His disciples, but everyone will know. The world will know.
He tells them to love one another so profoundly, so boldly, so much so that the world sits up and takes notice and says “Hey, there go those Christians, loving each other again.”
Why does Jesus tell His disciples that?
Well, one, because that’s just how much Christ loves. He loved those around Him so much that everyone knew who He was. He loved all the way to the cross. And by extension, through the power of the Holy Spirit living in us, that is how much we’ll love when we’re following Him.
When we’re loving God, we’ll love one another.
And two, because that’s our witness. He says “everyone will know…” We are His ambassadors, and our witness to the world is our love for one another. The gospel message that lives in and through us is that we have a love that goes beyond a worldly love. We have a divine, supernaturally given, godly love.
And as that love drew multitudes to Him, that love lived out through us will draw the world to Him.
We want revival, we pray for revival, but are we living out the love Christ called us to in such a way that would be noticed by the world, that would draw them to Him, and lead to revival?
Let’s take a look. Is that what believers are known by? What is our reputation? Does the world look at us and talk about the love we have for one another? Or do they talk about the way we judge, and criticize, and live hypocritically?
I would tend to say the latter. Now, I know not all those criticisms are deserved, but maybe if the world doesn’t see who Jesus truly is, the all-encompassing love He offers them, it’s because we haven’t shown them. I know that after walking with Christ for 30 years and experienced what I have, even I don’t always have that view of believers. And I know I’m not alone.
There are entire books written on how to heal after being hurt by those in the church, by people who have chosen to treat their brothers and sisters in ways that are far from loving. Even Anne Graham Lotz talks about her own experience being hurt by Christians in her book Wounded by God’s People. And she also freely admits at times she’s been the one to wound.
We all have.
What we need to do right now, though, is regroup, repent, claim Christ’s commandment, and start loving one another.
Jesus tell us in Matthew 5, “Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother or sister has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to them; then come and offer your gift.”
And in Mark 11, “And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive them, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins.”
We don’t know how long we have here before Christ returns. Right now we may be experiencing a time when God is speaking to us, desiring that revival among His people first, preparing us, completing us, fully maturing us before He takes us up with Him, and also desiring revival throughout the world, the salvation of as many souls as possible before that time.
We need to start the revival through our own repentance, forgiveness, and commitment, through Christ, to love one another as Christ loves the Church.
And then maybe, just maybe, the world will sit up and take notice of our love for one another. And in their desperate need for that kind of love, will be drawn to Christ, and repent, and forgive, be saved, and through Him, begin loving one another.
