O God, our trustworthy teacher of truth, by your Spirit, reveal your will for us in the reading of your Word. Stir in our hearts and minds and strengthen us to respond in faithfulness. Amen
Gospel Reading: John 13:31-35
Summer is a season that naturally draws us into community—barbeques, vacations, time at the beach, gatherings with friends and family. But even in the warmth of summer, many of us still feel distant, disconnected, or simply unsure how to build deeper, healthier relationships. It seems like it would be a good time to look at a series of messages based on some of the “one another” commands which can be found throughout the New Testament. Some of them are, “love one another”, “encourage one another, “forgive one another” and “serve one another”.
These aren’t just suggestions for nice behavior—they are the blueprint for how we’re called to live as followers of Jesus. They shape our homes, our friendships, our church, and even how we relate to strangers. In this series, we’ll explore how God calls us to show up in one another’s lives—not just on Sundays, but every day. Whether your relationships feel strong or strained, this is a chance to reset, reconnect, and rediscover what it means to be part of the body of Christ.
Studying these “one another” commands in the New Testament can help us to build stronger church and family connections. So, let’s commit to making this a *Summer of Relationships*—and let the words of Jesus reshape the way we love one another.
In our Gospel reading this morning from John, we find ourselves in that upper room on the night of the Last Supper, just before Jesus was betrayed. The shadow of the cross is looming large, and time is short. These are Jesus’ final hours with his disciples before his crucifixion, and his words carry immense weight.
Our reading began with this, “When he had gone out, Jesus said, ‘Now the Son of Man has been glorified, and God has been glorified in him.”, which leaves us with a lot more questions than answers. So, to better try and understand what Jesus is saying, we need to look back at the previous verses and see what had taken place.
It was the night of the Passover supper, Jesus and his disciples were sharing their final meal together prior to his crucifixion and death the following day. At one point during the evening John tells us, “…Jesus was troubled in spirit, and declared, ‘Very truly, I tell you, one of you will betray me.’” (John 13:21) Of course the disciples were all upset over this news, wondering which one of them it was, and so John asked Jesus, “‘Lord, who is it?’” This was Jesus’ reply, “‘It is the one to whom I give this piece of bread when I have dipped it in the dish.’ So, when he had dipped the piece of bread, he gave it to Judas son of Simon Iscariot. After he received the piece of bread, Satan entered into him. Jesus said to him, ‘Do quickly what you are going to do.’” (John 13:26-27)
It’s at this point that Judas leaves the room and Jesus makes what seems to be a strange comment, “‘Now the Son of Man has been glorified, and God has been glorified in him.’” Jesus speaks of his glorification, which is directly tied to his suffering and death. The cross, though a place of agony, is also the place where God’s love and justice meet. Through his sacrifice, Jesus reveals the depth of God’s love for humanity.
Now the disciples at this point don’t know what is going to happen the next day, but Jesus does. He knows that his death on the cross is only hours away. Yet, for Jesus, the cross is not a defeat—it is the moment of triumph. It is the climax of his mission. In his self-giving sacrifice, we see the full weight of God’s love, justice, mercy, and holiness. And while it’s hard to see any glory in the cross, it is the way which Jesus glorifies his Father by obeying him unto death, and the Father glorifies Jesus by raising him and exalting him.
And after telling his disciples that he has been glorified, Jesus makes an even stranger and more somber statement: “‘Little children, I am with you only a little longer. You will look for me; and as I said to the Jews so now, I say to you, ‘Where I am going, you cannot come.’” This phrase, “little children,” is striking. It’s the only time in all four Gospels that Jesus uses this term with his disciples. It’s a word full of compassion, intimacy, and fatherly care. Jesus is preparing them not just for his physical departure, but for the emotional and spiritual shock that will follow.
There is sorrow in his words, but there is also deep assurance. He is not leaving them to despair. Rather, he is going ahead of them—for their sake. He is going to the cross, through death, and into resurrection glory. His departure is not abandonment; it is a divine mission to prepare a place for them in the eternal presence of God. Yet, the road he is about to walk—the suffering, the crucifixion, the bearing of the world’s sin—is one only he can travel. “Where I am going, you cannot come,” at least not yet.
The disciples, who had just days earlier basked in the glory of Jesus’ triumphant entry into Jerusalem, are now plunged into confusion and fear. The mood has dramatically shifted. Jesus has revealed that one of them will betray him—a shocking declaration that already begins to unravel their confidence. And now, he speaks of his imminent departure, of going somewhere they cannot follow. They are bewildered. They don’t fully grasp what Jesus is saying, but what little they do understand fills them with dread. Their Master, their hope, the one in whom they had placed their faith, is talking like a man preparing to leave them forever.
Jesus’ words challenge their expectations and confronts their assumptions. They had hoped for a political Messiah, a leader who would establish an earthly kingdom. But Jesus is offering something deeper, something eternal—though it comes through loss and sacrifice. In the meantime, something essential must remain, and that is love.
What follows in his next breath is the command that will define their identity and witness in his absence. Jesus says, “‘I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another.’”: As the light of his physical presence begins to fade, the light of his love must burn brighter among them. This is how they will carry him with them. This love is not based on emotions or convenience but on sacrificial service. It is a love that forgives, bears burdens, and seeks the good of others. This is how the world will know they are his disciples.
The command to love each other is not new in and of itself. In the Old Testament Book of Leviticus, God said to Moses, “‘You shall not take vengeance or bear a grudge against any of your people, but you shall love your neighbour as yourself’” (Leviticus 19:18) What makes it new is the way we are to love, Jesus commanded them, “‘Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another.’”. That’s the new standard.
This command to love one another is “new” not because the idea of love is novel, but because of the nature of the love Jesus calls for. It is not a self-centered love that demands, “This is what I want, prove your love by giving it to me.” That kind of love was common then, and it remains all too familiar today. But the love Jesus speaks of is profoundly different—it is self-sacrificial. It’s the kind of love Jesus demonstrated throughout his public and private ministry as he patiently taught, served, and shaped his disciples into a community grounded in grace and truth. And it’s the kind of love he most powerfully displayed in his Passion—suffering and dying not only for his followers, but for the entire world.
This is the love Jesus commands us to show one another. It’s not based on any conditions; it’s not fueled by ego or driven by personal gain. It is a love that gives rather than takes—a love marked by deep commitment, humility, and the willingness to put others before ourselves. This is the love that reflects Jesus most clearly to the world.
Earlier, during the Passover Supper, Jesus had shown this love by washing the feet of the disciples, including Judas. He would soon show his love for all mankind by dying on the cross. This love is: self-giving, humble, sacrificial and persistent, even in the face of betrayal and denial. This is not love based on feelings or convenience. This is the deliberate choice to serve, forgive, and seek the good of the other, no matter the cost.
Jesus declares that love will be the distinguishing mark of his followers. The world will recognize his disciples, not by their knowledge, power, or status, but by their love for one another. This love is radical, countercultural, and transformative. The early church exploded across the Roman Empire because people saw a radical community of love in a culture of division. Enemies became brothers. The rich served the poor. The weak were valued. Widows and orphans were cared for. And the world asked, “Who are these people?”
It’s the kind of love which the Apostle Paul describes in his letter to the church in Philippi, when he said this about Jesus, “Let each of you look not to your own interests, but to the interests of others. Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not regard equality with God as something to be exploited, but emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, being born in human likeness. And being found in human form, he humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death— even death on a cross.” (Philippians 2:5-8)
What we need to ask ourselves are these questions. Is our love for fellow believers patterned after Jesus’ love? Are we willing to serve when it’s inconvenient, forgive when it hurts, and stay when it’s easier to leave? Jesus washed Judas’ feet. He loved even those who would hurt him. Can we love those who are difficult, who disagree with us, who have failed us? What if our churches were known, not for division or bickering, but for endless love? What if the world looked at our lives and said, “Only Jesus could produce that kind of love”?
In a world marked by anger, division, and selfishness, the most radical thing we can do is love like Jesus. The love Jesus calls us to is not ordinary—it is divine, selfless, and sacrificial. As his disciples, we are called to show this love in our relationships, in our communities, and in our daily lives. May we strive to love as Christ loved, so that the world may see him through us. Let’s go and obey this new commandment—not in our own strength, but in the power of the Spirit who enables us to love as we have been loved. “By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”
Let us Pray:
Gracious and Loving God,
We thank you for the word we have received today—your command to love one another as you have loved us. Thank you for the perfect example of love you showed through Jesus, a love that serves, sacrifices, and seeks the good of others. As we leave this place, may your Spirit empower us to live out this command. Let our hearts be softened, our hands be willing, and our words be filled with grace. May the love we show reflect your light in a world in desperate need of it. Unite us in purpose, strengthen our bonds as a community, and let all we do be rooted in your love. All this we pray in the name of Jesus Christ, who first loved us. Amen.