“A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another.

John 13:34 NASB

35 By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.”

In case you missed it

Christ Jesus, the Messiah of Israel who has said, I AND THE FATHER ARE ONE, commanded HIS FOLLOWERS to LOVE ONE ANOTHER as the JESUS has loved them.

In While we wait… DEATH and Resurrection we examined this love of Jesus from the Good News of John at length. However, friend, our 21st century ‘christian’ attention span seems to stretch only about 30 seconds.

I ask (not command) you, friend, to love me enough to follow me, because I love you as our Lord Jesus has loved us. (You can do it now before my 30 seconds is up or whenever you finish reading my talk of Jesus, even without your much desired comment.)

What’s the point?

The Gospel of Jesus Christ may have more to say to you than just a few seconds of scrolling will allow if your heart has not become like that of Judas. For the Lord gave us a new command to “love one another, just as I have loved you.”

Roger Harned – talkofJesus.com

And before you hastily dismiss the Lord’s command, who does Jesus command here?

Is He talking to the CHURCH?

Now you may not be a Judas in the room where the Lord gave this new command, but we are at least like Peter, Thomas and other Disciples with frequent failures to pay attention to the Word.

So one of us is bound to ask a “Who is my neighbor” question of the Lord’s new command:

Who does Jesus command?

And thinking that it may be just the Eleven faithful Apostles in the room you dismiss this NEW COMMANDMENT in one of two ways:

1. Since the Lord was speaking to those who had followed already for three years, ‘love one another as I have loved you,’ applied ONLY to the Disciples. OR
2. Jesus new command, “that you also love one another,” is no different than His general command to “love your neighbor” or “love your enemy.”

Whether Jesus new command was just to the Apostles or a broad example I’m not going to be the one to ask, ‘And who should I love like You, Jesus?’ I’m really not up to that.

AND besides, who is the church? Who are ‘christians‘ that we should somehow be in the middle of this ‘new commandment?’

Whether for first century followers or a 21st century world of neighbors and enemies, Jesus command just applies to YOU and ME generally… RIGHT?

Ah, dear friend and saint, WHAT IF JESUS IS COMMANDING you and also commanding ME directly?

You are My friends if you do what I command you. 

John 15:14

What must we do, my fellow CHRISTIAN?

To be continued, God-willing...
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What does Jesus' command, 'LOVE ONE ANOTHER' mean to the CHURCH?