John 13:31-38
31 When he had gone out, Jesus said, “Now is the Son of Man glorified, and God is glorified in him. 32 If God is glorified in him, God will also glorify him in himself, and glorify him at once. 33 Little children, yet a little while I am with you. You will seek me, and just as I said to the Jews, so now I also say to you, ‘Where I am going you cannot come.’ 34 A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. 35 By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”
36 Simon Peter said to him, “Lord, where are you going?” Jesus answered him, “Where I am going you cannot follow me now, but you will follow afterward.” 37 Peter said to him, “Lord, why can I not follow you now? I will lay down my life for you.” 38 Jesus answered, “Will you lay down your life for me? Truly, truly, I say to you, the rooster will not crow till you have denied me three times.
Reflection
The new commandment (John 13:34) can be understood only in light of the finished work of Jesus. God has always called his people to a life of love for their neighbors (Lev. 19:18; Matt. 22:36–40), but the new commandment requires us to first set our attention on Jesus. The greatness of Jesus’ love for us is now the motivation for our love for others. Because we have experienced the merciful love of Christ for us, our hearts are learning to show the same love to others, including the unlovely, the oppressed, those very different from us, and those whose actions have damaged us.
Hebrews 13:1-6
13: Let brotherly love continue. 2 Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for thereby some have entertained angels unawares. 3 Remember those who are in prison, as though in prison with them, and those who are mistreated, since you also are in the body. 4 Let marriage be held in honor among all, and let the marriage bed be undefiled, for God will judge the sexually immoral and adulterous. 5 Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” 6 So we can confidently say,“The Lord is my helper; I will not fear; what can man do to me?”
Reflection
After ending the previous section with a strong call for Christians to live before God with “reverence and awe” (Heb. 12:28), the author now provides specific instructions for how Christians should carry out their faith in everyday life. Believers who take God seriously should be loving (13:1), hospitable (v. 2), mindful of other Christians who have been imprisoned for their faith (v. 3; cf. Heb. 10:32–34), sexually pure by strictly reserving sex for biblical marriage (v. 4); and free from the love of money (v. 5).
As we keep our focus on Jesus, reminding ourselves of the good news of God’s grace purchased for us at the cross (cf. 12:22–24), he will give us the power to persevere in faith and obedience (cf. 8:10).
Psalm 112:6
6 For the righteous will never be moved; he will be remembered forever.
Obedience does not earn a right standing with God, but it is nevertheless an essential component of the life of faith. Pray that your trust in Christ would bear good fruit, and that he would empower you for worshipful and uncompromising obedience.