Love as You Have Been Loved : John 13:33-34 : What Jesus Did! : HEARTLIGHT®

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Love as You Have Been Loved - John 13:33-34

Jesus said, "My children, I will be with you only a short time more. You will look for me. And what I told the Jewish leaders, I tell you now: Where I am going you cannot come. I give you a new command: Love each other. You must love each other like I loved you." (ERV) Full Text

Key Thought

The standard of love has been set for us. We are to love each other as Jesus has loved us—he served us and he sacrificed for us. Jesus shows us that love is both extravagant and practical. He now wants us to demonstrate these two qualities with our love!

Today's Prayer

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Father, I confess that my love is often shallow and selfish. I know that your Spirit has worked on me to help broaden and deepen my understanding of true love. Now bless me as I seek to live with Jesus' love with my family, my friends, and my co-workers. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

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Today's Verses in Context

"I am not talking about all of you. I know the people I have chosen. But what the Scripture said must happen: 'The man that shared my food has turned against me.' I am telling you this now before it happens. Then when it happens you will believe that I AM. I tell you the truth. The person that accepts anyone I send also accepts me. And the person that accepts me also accepts the One who sent me." After Jesus said these things, he felt very troubled. Jesus said openly, "I tell you the truth. One of you will be against me." Jesus' followers all looked at each other. They did not understand who the person was that Jesus was talking about. One of the followers was next to Jesus and was leaning close to him. This was the follower that Jesus loved. Simon Peter made signs to this follower to ask Jesus who the person was that he was talking about. That follower leaned closer to Jesus and asked, "Lord, who is it that will be against you?" Jesus answered, "I will dip this bread into the dish. The man I give it to is the man that will turn against me." So Jesus took a piece of bread. He dipped it and gave it to Judas Iscariot, the son of Simon. When Judas took the bread, Satan (the devil) entered him. Jesus said to Judas. "The thing that you will do—do it quickly!" None of the men at the table understood why Jesus said this to Judas. Judas was the one that kept the money box {for the group}. So some of the followers thought that Jesus meant for Judas to go and buy some things they needed for the feast. Or they thought that Jesus wanted Judas to go give something to the poor people. Judas accepted the bread Jesus gave him. Then Judas went out. It was night. When Judas was gone, Jesus said, "Now the Son of Man receives his glory. And God receives glory through the Son of Man. If God receives glory through him, then God will give glory to the Son through himself. God will give him glory quickly." Jesus said, "My children, I will be with you only a short time more. You will lookfor me. And what I told the Jewish leaders, I tell you now: Where I am going you cannot come. "I give you a new command: Love each other. You must love each other like I loved you. All people will know that you are my followers if you love each other." Simon Peter asked Jesus, "Lord, where are you going?" Jesus answered, "Where I am going you cannot follow now. But you will follow later." Peter asked, "Lord, why can't I follow you now? I am ready to die for you!" Jesus answered, "Will you really give your life for me? I tell you the truth. Before the rooster crows, you will say three times that you don't know me."

— John 13:18-38 (ERV)

Comments on "Love as You Have Been Loved":

This is how we know what real love is: Jesus gave his life for us. So we should give our lives for our brothers and sisters {in Christ}. Suppose a believer is rich enough to have all the things he needs. He sees his brother {in Christ} who is poor and does not have the things he needs. What if the believer who has things does not help the poor brother? Then the believer who has the things he needs does not have God's love in his heart. My children, our love should not be only words and talk. No! Our love must be true love. We should show our love by the things we do. —1 John 3:16-18 (ERV)

This is how God showed his love to us: God sent his only Son into the world to give us life through him. True love is God's love for us, not our love for God. God sent his Son to be the way that God takes away our sins. That is how much God loved us, dear friends! So we also must love each other. No person has ever seen God. But if we love each other, then God lives in us. If we love each other, then God's love has reached its goal—it is made perfect in us. —1 John 4:9-12 (ERV)

Yes, God loved the world so much that he gave his only Son. God gave his Son so that every person that believes in him would not be lost, but have life forever. God sent his Son into the world. God did not send his Son to judge the world guilty. God sent his Son so that the world could be saved through his Son. —John 3:16-17 (ERV)