New Series: "Living the 11th Commandment"

Discover how we can "love one another."

The night before Jesus died, He gave to His disciples some important truth about their future lives and ministries. One of the first concepts of truth was what Jesus called "a new commandment." So profound was this commandment that it appears 14 times in 10 different passages in the New Testament, For the next weeks we will be exploring how to live out this new commandment, "love one another." - Pastor Larry

The disciples had celebrated Passover with their Master several times before, but something was definitely different about this time. First, Jesus announced that one of them would betray Him (John 13:21). Then, He announced that He was going to a place where they could not come (John 13:31-33). Was Jesus abandoning them? What do they do now? These thoughts would cloud the disciple's minds to prevent receiving the important truth Hesus wanted to impart to them. How could He reel in their thinking to receive what He needed to teach? Jesus issued a "new commandment." By this, He communicated to the disciples to take the focus off themselves and fix it upon others.

There are three reasons in this passage why "love one another" is a new commandment:

1. It is new because its sense is so much deeper.

2. It is new because its standard is so much higher.

3. It is new because its significance is so much greater.

Scripture:

John 13:34-35

John 3:16

Matthew 22:37-39

John 13:1

Romans 8:35-37

Matthew 14:31

Matthew 16:23

The designer label of a Christians is "love one another."