Love One Another | Rev. Brooke Hartman

Jesus commands us to love one another as He loves us. The key to following this commandment is recognizing the difference between the way Jesus loves us and the way the world teaches us to love. Jesus loves us unconditionally. Usually, the world loves us so long as we have something to offer. Jesus loves us when we fail. The world loves us when we succeed. Jesus loves us when it means defying social expectations. The world loves us when we follow social expectations. We see the depth of Jesus’ love in his Resurrection interaction (in John 21) with Peter following Peter’s denial. Jesus asks Peter if Peter loves (agape) him. Peter responds by saying loves (philio) Jesus. Agape is sacrificial love. Philio is the love of a friend. Peter knowing his recent denial is too ashamed to claim that he sacrificially loves Jesus because he knows his actions have not lived up to that standard. Yet, Jesus still restores and prophecies over Peter that Peter will indeed love him sacrificially – even to the point of Peter giving up his life. This is how Jesus loves us. By forgiving, redeeming, restoring, and guiding us through the power of the Holy Spirit to a life of courageous love which we could have never lived purely on our own power.

Scripture - John 13:34, John 21:15-19