Title: New Commandment/John 13:34-35
New commandment (John 13:34-35)
When God created humans, He created them to reach out to each other and love each other. He also reached out to get what they needed. If you look at your new born baby, you can see that it reaches out very small hands to get food and safety and warmth. So, when you watch your baby reach out and grab her mother and feed her, you can see the calm, warmth and satisfaction that is far more precious than the nutrients that breastfeeding provides.
Likewise, people are born on this earth and reach out to get what they need. And then, as you grow older, you realize that you don't reach out to get what they want, but to reach out to give others what they need. This is proof that you are growing, and this is the process of maturing. Therefore, as a person matures, he realizes that he is reaching out to help and love others rather than reaching out to get what he needs, and how important it is to reach out.
St. Madris, India. In a dormitory in the Thomas Mountains, the headmaster was holding the baby carefully. The teacher was feeding the baby milk while playing a soft song. However, it is said that the child in the teacher's arms was a crying child who had been dumped in the garbage a while ago. Someone asked. “Why are you feeding the baby milk while singing it?” The headmaster nodded and replied, "If you don't feed them milk while holding them in your arms and singing, babies die easily." It's not just that the kid is unusual here. We all need all kinds of touch and love from millions of people to survive.
When God created human beings, He created them to live in love with one another. Genesis 1 and 2 are the chapters of creation. Genesis 2:2 says, “When the seventh day came, the work that God had made was finished… ” In this way, it seems that the work of creation is over. But in Genesis 2:18, it says, "The Lord God said, It is not good for a man to be alone; I will make him a helper matchmaker."
In fact, Adam was in a perfect environment. There was no terror, no war, no disease, and it was a beautiful and peaceful Garden of Eden. However, looking at how God created Eve, it is not enough for man to have a beautiful and peaceful environment. With the remarkable development of science and technology over the past century, the world has become closer like a global village. Seoul-Busan is much closer than before because of the high-speed rail. Mobile phones have become so common that phone calls can be made anytime, anywhere. But human beings are farther apart than ever before, and reaching out to share love and concern is drying up.
In this reality, we must remember the words Jesus gave to His disciples just before He died on the cross. “I give you a new commandment! love each other! Love one another as I have loved you! By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another!” These words are a valuable lesson for us today.
First, before his death on the cross, Jesus said to his disciples, “First of all, you must love one another!”
Jesus also said that only when his disciples reached out and loved each other first, they could reach out and love others as well. In fact, there was a sense of competition among the disciples as to who came first. There was so much anger that they wanted to put down a fire where they did not welcome them. He had little interest in the poor and the weak. Isn't this the case in today's modern church, we Christians?
To these very disciples, Jesus did not say anything great just before his death. I didn't even give you any special ideas. What Jesus gave was clear. 1) First of all, the disciples should love each other. 2) And love one another as I have loved you. 3) Then the world will know that you are God's children and will be moved.
The only thing we say about Christ's great command is that in Acts 1:8, “You will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” But Jesus also told his disciples that loving one another is more important than the Great Commission. That's right! If we do not love each other, and the church fights and hates each other, the people around us will not be moved, but will despise, ignore, and curse the church and the members. No matter who you go to church or meet today, I hope you reach out and love everyone.
Second, I want to love, but why can't I love?
God and Adam were one. Adam and Eve were one. Man and nature were one. However, after sinning, the unity was broken. God and Adam, Adam and Eve, man and nature were broken. So Jesus came to this earth and died on the cross to make us one again. And he made a broken relationship into one.
1 John 1:9 says, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”
Let us all realize our sins and repent. Then the love of Jesus forgives us and makes us clean. And fill us with the love of Jesus Christ so that we can reach out and share that love with our neighbors.
Dear members, I hope that we will reach out to become members who love each other and the church that loves each other.