“I give you a new commandment—to love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. Everyone will know by this that you are my disciples—if you have love for one another.”
Into the Text
The night before His death, Jesus shared a meal with His disciples. He had longed to celebrate this Passover with His disciples, and they prepared the room and the meal and gathered together.
But there was more to this Passover meal than the disciples expected. This was the final meal they would share with Jesus before He was crucified and resurrected. Many of the things Jesus did and said during that evening were strange to the disciples at the time, but later they understood. Jesus washed their feet, showing them how they were to serve and love one another. He sent Judas out of the house, knowing what he was about to do. He predicted Peter’s denial, and He offered them a new covenant, a new commandment based on His blood.
Jesus was about to establish a new covenant with His people, but this covenant was different. It was not dependent on both parties holding up their ends of the agreement, but fully on Jesus. Jesus gave everything so we could have life with Him. Because of what He has done for us, our hearts are eager to follow His commands and honor Him with our lives.
The new commandment Jesus gave the night before His death was to love one another. We display the love of Christ through the way we love others. As we approach Easter, reflect on the ways you love others. Would it be obvious to someone you just met that you are a follower of Jesus based solely on how you love others? Let’s ask God to fill our hearts with His love so we can be true followers of Jesus and show His love to the world.