John 13:34

"A new command I give you: Love one another.  As I have loved you, so you must love one another."

What are your initial thoughts when you read this verse? 

Let’s take a look now at the context. 

John 13:33-38 

Why the illustration of Peter’s willingness to lay down his life, and then Christ’s response in verse 38?  Does this fit with the one another? 

What does loving one another involve? What does it really mean? 

Is this an option or a suggested part of being a Christian?  What part does Jesus have in our fulfilling His commandment? 

What important element of the Christian life is presented in v.35? 

Is this the primary identifier of a true Christian?  Why or why not? 

What does this passage have to do with me?  How should it impact my life? 

Am I living up to it?  Why or why not? 

How can we accomplish this? 

Jesus as always is looking for a living faith, an active faith.  He has no interest in an empty shelled, hollow belief system.  If your Christianity is not impacting and changing your life, perhaps you should evaluate to see if you are for real.  (Please don’t take my words as unkind, but rather realize we are dealing here with matters of eternity and can’t afford to tread softly.) 

Christianity is much more than a creed.  It is life.  Creeds help us stay focused on Christ, but the way to growth and faithfulness is through experiencing the living, resurrected Christ. 

The Word guides us, so we don’t fall into false beliefs and practices, but then we must act upon the Word.  It is not real to us until we step out in faith and obey.  The kind of faith obedience God expects of us is usually the stuff that seems impossible.  Just take the first step in obedience and don’t stop.  You will be surprised at the end to see where He has brought you.