The Love that Defines Us - Video

Sermon Date - 1/19/25 Pastor: Brian Crawford John 13:33-36 . Check us out at: https://citylightvicksburg.org/ Or check us out here: https://www.facebook.com/citylightvicksburg . Ask yourself 3 questions: What is the American church (The Church) known for today? And What is your own church known for today? And finally, What are you known for today? These are dangerous questions to ask. But in the verses before us this morning, is a challenge and a description. Jesus is preparing His disciples for His departure. His disciples should be known for their Christ-like love. So we must pursue and proclaim an unusual, and otherworldly type of love. Now ask yourself, is that what you are known for? Martin Luther King’s letters from the Birmingham jail call the church to seek to be known as disciples of Jesus through love, rather than following the winds of society. If the church doesn’t love deeply across all divides and distinctions, we lose the identity of what makes us followers of Christ. In this passage, Jesus gives us a commandment that is new - love one another as Jesus has loved us. The standard has been raised in this command. Jesus is telling His disciples, “you have walked with Me, and suffered with Me, and you know how I have loved you. Now go, and give that love to others!” Jesus’ love moves beyond attraction and emotion and condition. And that’s what he calls us to do! So: 1)what should we do? 2)how will this happen? How to love like Jesus - With Service, Without selectiveness, and With Sacrifice. Through His examples in this chapter, shows us that Love is humbling as Jesus washes His disciples' feet. Is your love only demonstrated from your position of convenience? Even Judas’s feet were washed - love with unconditional service. Even Peter’s feet, when he would soon deny him. Acting like Christ means to pray and love and have compassion and humility even of those who would betray. The kind of love Jesus is disciplining us in, is loving your enemies, even when you mean you harm and hate. So, how does Jesus expect us to do it? Where does the provision come from to do this? 1)Recognizing the source - When Jesus died sacrificially, he fuels us with the capacity to love. Because he first loved us. In our resurrection, having died with Christ, we have received the ability to do so. 2)we have clear pictures of who were were before Christ. We were like Judas. How can I withhold love from those who betray me? When I - a perpetual denier and betrayer - have been loved so much by Jesus. 3)the Spirit within us, will allow us to boldly, courageously love with sacrifice and without condition. The Spirit which Jesus gives us the provision of, empowers us to be able to do so!