David Bahn – Reflections

John 15:9-11

“This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do what I command you. No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you. You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you. These things I command you, so that you will love one another.”

There can be little doubt that Jesus desires his followers to love one another. This short paragraph begins and ends with his command that we love one another. And just so we’re sure of it, Jesus also stipulates this as a command. It’s not an option. It’s not a suggestion. It’s not just a nice idea. It is a command.
That being the case, however, it is important also to understand the huge difference between Jesus’ command and the commandments and laws that the people of his day were used to. The rabbis and scribes had come up with some 600 plus laws that were intended to help(!) prevent the people from breaking the 10 Commandments. Laws abound about Sabbath keeping, the use (or in most cases non-use) of God’s name, the temple rituals and sacrifices and such. The idea was – to use but one example – that if you didn’t walk more than 1500 paces on a Sabbath, you weren’t going to dishonor the sabbath law. In one manner or another Jesus set aside all of these laws in favor of the law of love. Jesus’ commands were and are not about certain religious observances and rituals, but about treating your brother or sister in Christ with respect and kindness. Rather than telling the disciples how many pieces of wood they may carry legally on the sabbath, he told them to go with a brother two miles if he asked for a one-mile escort, and to give him your cloak and jacket if he asked for only one.
On the one hand this is even more challenging than the ritual laws about sabbath keeping and temple worship. But on the other hand, while the calling is more challenging, it is a higher calling. It brings out a higher response that flows from a heart that has experienced God’s love. From such a heart the call to love one another is beautifully realized. We offer the gifts of love from the cross rather than toward it. Because we have been loved by God, redeemed and forgiven, we will love one another. That is our calling. If we could just keep that in mind each day our interactions with each other would be more graceful and loving. That is at the heart of Jesus’ command.