Love For God's People

Loving God's People is the second part of CCC's Mission Statement (Love God's Glory, Love God's People, and Love God's World), and this week we will look at John 13:31–35 to have a better understanding of Jesus' expectation for his people to love one another. Though this command to "love one another" had already been given to the people of God (Lev. 19:17–18), in this passage, Jesus adds a new clause to the old teaching, "as I have loved you." In context, the immediate example of Jesus' love is demonstrated in his washing the disciples feet, but his ultimate love will soon be fulfilled at the cross. Christ's love for us at the cross is at the very center of Christian community. His sacrifice demonstrates perfectly what it is to live for another. And when the Christian community loves each other, just as Christ has loved us, the watching world takes note and recognizes us to be those who belong to Jesus.