A NEW COMMANDMENT!

A NEW COMMANDMENT!

John 13:33-35

33 Little children, yet a little while I am with you. Ye shall seek me: and as I said unto the Jews, Whither I go, ye cannot come; so now I say to you.

34 A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.

35 By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.

Gal 5:13

13 For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another.

          Today is Maundy Thursday in the church year. The name is taken from the Latin mandatum novum which literally means “new commandment.” It marks the washing of the disciples feet by Jesus and also celebrated by the observance of The Lord’s Supper. The underlying point of this day is loving service one to another.

          As indicated by our Scriptures, the defining characteristic of our faith is that we will love one another. This love is expressed in practical ways and seen by the unloving as a proof of true faith. Paul told the Galatians that our liberty, our freedom to do what we please, ends when it is confronted by the needs of others. We are not to use this liberty as an opportunity to please ourselves but we must serve one another from a heart of love.

          Little children, it is Holy Week and perhaps nothing is quite so holy as the loving service that you may provide to another believer. It is not a suggestion! It was Jesus’ new commandment.

Dear Lord, let me be obedient to your new commandment today and lovingly serve my brothers and sisters. AMEN