1 00:00:02,730 --> 00:00:06,730 Speaker 1: Life Audio. For more resources to help you in your 2 00:00:06,790 --> 00:00:13,600 Speaker 1: walk with Christ, please visit us at BibleStudyHeadquarters.com. You're listening 3 00:00:13,650 --> 00:00:18,380 Speaker 1: to Daily Devotions with Pastor John. I'm John Stonge, and 4 00:00:18,420 --> 00:00:23,200 Speaker 1: today's devotion is inspired by John chapter 13, verses 34 5 00:00:23,200 --> 00:00:27,760 Speaker 1: and 35, which says, A new commandment I give to you, 6 00:00:28,240 --> 00:00:31,460 Speaker 1: that you love one another, just as I have loved you. 7 00:00:31,960 --> 00:00:33,599 Speaker 1: Love is a word that we use with regularity, but 8 00:00:33,659 --> 00:00:36,570 Speaker 1: we often mean several different things by it. Sometimes we 9 00:00:36,590 --> 00:00:39,350 Speaker 1: use that word to describe something we really enjoy. Other 10 00:00:39,370 --> 00:00:44,769 Speaker 1: times we use that word when we're describing something that 11 00:00:44,790 --> 00:01:02,690 Speaker 1: brings us comfort. But Jesus is using the word love 12 00:01:03,010 --> 00:01:05,970 Speaker 1: in a much deeper way than it is commonly used 13 00:01:06,030 --> 00:01:10,310 Speaker 1: in the English language. Jesus is speaking about a kind 14 00:01:10,350 --> 00:01:14,179 Speaker 1: of love that reflects his heart toward humanity. When he 15 00:01:14,340 --> 00:01:17,880 Speaker 1: uses the term love in this passage, he's speaking about 16 00:01:18,060 --> 00:01:22,940 Speaker 1: an action, not merely a feeling. He's encouraging his disciples 17 00:01:23,060 --> 00:01:27,860 Speaker 1: to practice love. Specifically, he's commanding us to seek what 18 00:01:27,920 --> 00:01:31,660 Speaker 1: is best for one another... even at great personal cost 19 00:01:31,720 --> 00:01:37,760 Speaker 1: to ourselves. Jesus describes his teaching here as a new commandment. 20 00:01:38,680 --> 00:01:42,199 Speaker 1: The commandments of Scripture have always been about loving God 21 00:01:42,660 --> 00:01:46,210 Speaker 1: and loving people. But there's something new about what Jesus 22 00:01:46,270 --> 00:01:50,090 Speaker 1: was teaching his disciples that we would be wise to observe. 23 00:01:51,320 --> 00:01:55,320 Speaker 1: Jesus was teaching his followers to love one another just 24 00:01:55,520 --> 00:01:58,900 Speaker 1: as he has loved us, and that in doing so, 25 00:01:59,420 --> 00:02:04,300 Speaker 1: the world would know that we are his disciples. Christ 26 00:02:04,360 --> 00:02:08,680 Speaker 1: desires that our lives point others toward him, because people 27 00:02:08,740 --> 00:02:11,180 Speaker 1: are going to believe what they see in your life, 28 00:02:11,400 --> 00:02:15,579 Speaker 1: particularly when you're under stress or opposition, before they're going 29 00:02:15,620 --> 00:02:24,060 Speaker 1: to consider your words credible. Let's pray. Lord, we thank 30 00:02:24,070 --> 00:02:26,180 Speaker 1: you for your word, and we thank you for the 31 00:02:26,200 --> 00:02:27,839 Speaker 1: privilege that it is to be able to read this 32 00:02:27,900 --> 00:02:31,060 Speaker 1: portion of Scripture together today from the Gospel of John. 33 00:02:32,180 --> 00:02:34,320 Speaker 1: And Lord, as we see what you've commanded us here, 34 00:02:34,760 --> 00:02:37,639 Speaker 1: we recognize that you have called us to love one 35 00:02:37,680 --> 00:02:40,040 Speaker 1: another with the same kind of love that we have 36 00:02:40,139 --> 00:02:43,609 Speaker 1: received from you. And Lord, we live in a day 37 00:02:43,650 --> 00:02:46,850 Speaker 1: and age that's so confused about love. We use the 38 00:02:46,870 --> 00:02:50,490 Speaker 1: term love as if it's a synonym for the word infatuation. 39 00:02:51,180 --> 00:02:53,280 Speaker 1: And we think about it as if it's something we 40 00:02:53,320 --> 00:02:56,120 Speaker 1: might really like or something we may merely have an 41 00:02:56,160 --> 00:03:00,519 Speaker 1: emotional response to. But your word reveals to us that 42 00:03:00,660 --> 00:03:05,370 Speaker 1: your love goes much deeper than that. You sacrificially seek 43 00:03:05,430 --> 00:03:09,790 Speaker 1: what's best to us, even at great personal cost to yourself. 44 00:03:10,790 --> 00:03:13,309 Speaker 1: And that's the kind of love that you challenge us 45 00:03:13,850 --> 00:03:17,170 Speaker 1: to have toward one another. You want us to display 46 00:03:17,210 --> 00:03:20,330 Speaker 1: that love. You want us to live it out. And 47 00:03:20,350 --> 00:03:24,480 Speaker 1: you also make it clear that this world will believe 48 00:03:24,520 --> 00:03:28,660 Speaker 1: the message we proclaim if it's accompanied with genuine love. 49 00:03:29,880 --> 00:03:32,540 Speaker 1: That's what people need to see if they're going to 50 00:03:32,600 --> 00:03:37,410 Speaker 1: be truly convinced that we are your disciples. So thank you, Lord, 51 00:03:37,430 --> 00:03:40,610 Speaker 1: for this challenge. And thank you for your help to 52 00:03:40,730 --> 00:03:43,550 Speaker 1: show love to one another and to honor you in 53 00:03:43,590 --> 00:03:46,890 Speaker 1: the process. We love you, Lord, and we thank you 54 00:03:46,940 --> 00:03:49,480 Speaker 1: for loving us first. And we commit this day to 55 00:03:49,520 --> 00:03:54,360 Speaker 1: your care. And pray this all in Jesus' name. Amen.