A New Old Command

(Text for the bulletin reflection is below the video.)

Today's texts: Acts 11:1-18; Psalm 148; Revelation 21:1-6; John 13:31-35.



In this week’s Gospel reading, Jesus says to his disciples, “A new command I give you: love one another.” What seems strange is that this is not the first time the Bible commands God’s people to love. The command to love is in the Old Testament, and Jesus reaffirms love as the basis or summary of all the law and the prophets. So in what way is this command new?

One new thing is the qualification Jesus makes on this love: “As I have loved you, so you must love one another.” Jesus has just washed his disciples’ feet and later Jesus’ love would bring him to death on a cross. The love Jesus commands is not just an elevated kindness or benevolence, but a love that is willing to give up everything for someone else.

And part of the newness of this command is probably that it refocusses the disciples’ love in preparation for Jesus’ departure. Soon Jesus will no longer be with them in body. The disciples are together now because of their love for Jesus, but will they love each other once the object of their love is no longer physically present with them?

It’s a curious fact that it’s sometimes easier for us to love the strangers in our communities than it is to love our own friends and families and community members. Jesus commands his disciples to love each other as he loved us because our love for Jesus is made real in our love for each other! Our mission in the world starts with our own
people!

This week's readings: Acts 16:9-15; Psalm 67; Revelation 21:10,22 - 22:5; John 14:23-29