John 13: 1-35
Difficult Challenges - Jesus held a gala dinner last night with his disciples. On that occasion he held a banquet to break bread and drink wine, and he describes his body as broken bread and wine as his blood will be shed. Then Jesus gave a new commandment to his disciples, "shall ye one another with mutual love, just as I have loved you."
Jesus had given orders that the main and most importantly, now he has a new command. The first command to focus on our love for God, the second command the focus on our love for each other and new commands to focus on the relationship "with each other".
How we love one another? Jesus did not say, love your best you can do. Jesus said, "just as He loves us." This is a challenge that is impossible to do. It is love with sacrifice. Loves us even though we are sinners. Therefore, to love as Jesus loves us, we need power that only Jesus can give. Jesus challenges us to love others that are difficult for us to love, those who hurt us. We are challenged to forgive.
In Matthew 18: 21-22, Peter asked Jesus how many times must I forgive? And Jesus answered not seven times, but seventy times seven. Peter seemed to say I want to love with maximum effort, but Jesus challenged to love with the love that is impossible he can do with his own strength. In other words, Jesus is saying that we need power from outside ourselves. We need the power of Jesus to forgive and love those who hurt us. In our relationships with others, with friends though, surely one day there will be no feeling of incompatibility even hurt. In such experiences we must remember the new command of Jesus, we must love as He has loved us. We must be willing to forgive, sacrifice and put the relationship as the highest value.
Inspiration: Love to love like Jesus is a matter that is not only difficult, but impossible. We need the power of Jesus to love like Jesus.
Moment of Inspiration.
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