Five “Callings” of Jesus that Changed the World – #5 “Love as I have loved you.” (Part One)

Five “Callings” of Jesus that Changed the World – #5 “Love as I have loved you.”

  • Come out and live

“When (Jesus) had said “these things”, He cried out with a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out!”

His call to Eternal Life

“He who believes in the Son has eternal life; but he who does not obey the Son will not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him.” John 3:36

His call to Abundant Life

“The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they (His sheep – us) may have life, and have it abundantly.”  John 10:10

His call to a Selfless Life of Serving

“So if I, the Lord and the Teacher, washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I gave you an example, so that you also would do just as I did for you.” John 13:14-15

  • Rise Up and walk

(Jesus to the paralytic) “Rise, take up your bed and walk.” John 5:8 This story in all gospels.

    • Paralysis of analysis.
    • Paralyzed by fear.
    • Paralysis of the Sluggard.
  • Abide in Me

I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing. “If anyone does not abide in Me, he is thrown away as a branch and dries up… and cast them into the fire and they are burned.”  John

  • Die with Me (Command)

“Then Jesus said to His disciples, “If anyone wants to come after Me, he must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow Me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it; but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it.”  Matthew 16:24-25

JESUS and His Disciples: Their Attitudes toward dying with or for Jesus.

Then Jesus *said to them, “You will all fall away because of Me this night, for it is written… Peter *said to Him, “Even if I have to die with You, I will not deny You!” All the disciples said the same thing as well.  Matthew 26:31-35  Their actions spoke louder than their own words:

Then all the disciples left Him and fled.”  Matthew 26:55-56

Following the words of Jesus, we find application in the words of the Apostle Paul.

“I affirm, brothers and sisters, by the boasting in you which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord, that I die daily.” 1 Corinthians 15:31

 “I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me.” Galatians 2:20

  • Love as I loved you – Five loves Jesus taught and lived

Jesus’ first love is God His Father (part of Old Testament Shema)

“Hear, Israel! The LORD is our God, the LORD is one! And you shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. These words, which I am commanding you today, shall be on your heart.” Deuteronomy 6:4-6 

These are considered among the holiest and most important words in the Bible to the Jewish people. The Shema is considered the holiest of prayers and prayed to end the high holy day of Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement). It is prayed daily by Jews who love God.

NT Confirmation (in synoptic gospels)

“One of the scribes came up and heard them arguing, and recognizing that He had answered them well, asked Him, “What commandment is the foremost of all? Jesus answered, “The foremost is, ‘HEAR, ISRAEL! THE LORD IS OUR GOD, THE LORD IS ONE; AND YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, AND WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND, AND WITH ALL YOUR STRENGTH.’” Matthew 22:37-40

How can we show God that we love Him? How do we show Jesus we love Him? The answers should not come as any surprise because they are the same.

OT Response for showing our love to God

“by loving the Lord your God, by obeying His voice, and by holding fast to Him; for this is your life and the length of your days.”  Deuteronomy 30: 20

NT Response for showing our love to God

“If you love Me, you will keep My commandments…The one who has My commandments  and keeps them is the one who loves Me; and the one who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and will reveal Myself to him… Jesus answered and said to him “If anyone loves Me, he will follow My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our dwelling with him. The one who does not love Me does not follow My words; and the word which you hear is not Mine, but the Father’s who sent Me.”   John 14:15, 21, 23-24

“And now I have told you before it happens, so that when it happens, you may believe. I will not speak much more with you, for the ruler of the world is coming, and he has nothing in regard to Me, but so that the world may know that I love the Father, I do exactly as the Father commanded Me. Get up, let’s go from here.” John 14: 29-31

So Christian, how do we demonstrate our love for God the Father and Jesus Christ the Son?

OBEDIENCE TO HIS WORD

The words of both (OT and NT) are commands not suggestions. Our obedience that demonstrates our love for Them is inextricably linked to the previous teaching of Jesus we covered in “Abide in Me”

The Invitation

  • Do you know why Jesus died?
  • Has it caused you to rethink your (eternal) position in life or before God?
  • If not, will you repent of your sins and receive Jesus as your Savior today?

For Christ’s sake,