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A New Commandment

Text: John 13
9 April 2009

(I) CONTENT OF THE NEW COMMANDMENT

“A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another…By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.” John 13:34-35

1. A Commandment

2. A Commitment to love one another as a mark of His disciples

(II) CONTOURS OF THE NEW COMMANDMENT

1. A Statement of Love for those truly “His Own”

“…having loved His own who were in the world, He loved them to the end.” John 13:1

a) A Love that Distinguishes

“…having loved His own…” John 13:1

b) A Love that is Distinctive

“…He loved them to the end.” John 13:1

c) A Love that Discerns

And supper being ended, the devil having already put it into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, to betray Him” John 13:2

“For He knew who would betray Him; therefore He said, ‘You are not all clean.’ ” John 13:11

“I do not speak concerning all of you, for I know whom I have chosen; but that the Scripture may be fulfilled, ‘He who eats bread with Me has lifted up his heel against Me.’ ” John 13:18

2. A Sadness that accompanies Love

“When Jesus had said all these things, He was troubled in spirit, and testified and said, ‘Most assuredly, I say to you, one of you will betray Me.” John 13:21

a) Troubled in spirit

b) Teaching faithfully to the end

c) Tenderness of heart that will experience sorrow

3. A Separation of ways that is inevitable

a) Love that is taken for granted

“Jesus answered, ‘It is he to whom I shall give a piece of bread when I have dipped it.’And having dipped the bread, He gave it to Judas Iscariot, the son of Simon.Now after the piece of bread, Satan entered him.” John 13:26-27

i) Friendship given

ii) Fellowship afforded

b) Love that is dishonoured

“Having received the piece of bread, he then went out immediately. And it was night” John 13:30

i) Receiving but not reciprocating appropriately

ii) Fulfilling a personal and hidden agenda

c) Love that is replaced with evil

i) Evil thoughts

ii) Evil words

iii) Evil deeds

(III) CONTEMPLATION OF THE STATE OF OUR HEART

1. What is the true state of our heart?

2. An assessment of our heart’s love for the Lord Jesus

a) Do we appreciate His deep and enduring love?

b) Do we appreciate His friendship and fellowship?

c) Do our hearts grieve at the merest thought of betraying the Lord Jesus?

d) Do we have a heart of love that is discerning?

3. A Renewal of our heart of love for Jesus

a) In grateful reciprocation (We love Him because He first loved us)

b) In obedience (To love one another with great discernment)