As I sit here and think on these verses, John 13:34-35, and how exactly all people, primarily those who aren’t Christians, would find my life distinctive from their own, simply by me loving fellow believers is truly convicting. Jesus tells us in these verses that if we love one another as He has loved us, then all people will know that we are His disciples if we have love for one another. I think, how has He loved me? He has loved me without fail, even with a full knowledge of all my failures.
Do nonbelievers that I live life with on a daily basis, know that I am Jesus’ disciple because of how I love others?
Do nonbelievers that visit Harvest know that I love the Lord because of how I love fellow Christians?
Do I love others without fail regardless of their failures?
Unfortunately a majority of people looking in on the church are fearful to come in to the church because they believe they will be judged for their life, or not accepted because of who they are. If we love each other when we’ve been caught in sin, if we love one another even when we’ve been wronged, if we love others especially when they feel unlovable, then nonbelievers looking in will see a love that is not offered by the world. They will see a love, that unlike the love of our culture, is unconditional and long-suffering. They will see a love that is so radically different than how the world tells them love should be, that they will know that we are different. They will know that we are His disciples because of the love that we have for one another.
My prayer for myself and for fellow believers, is that we would love others without fail regardless of their failures.
Listen to sermon – This Is What We Do: We Love Without Condition by Pastor Mike Willis
