Today's Reading:
John 13:1-17
"It was just before the Passover festival; Jesus knew that the hour had come for Him to leave this world and go to the Father. Having loved His own who were in the world, He loved them to the end". (v. 1, NIV)
The love of God for humanity is unfathomable. Aside from his love in creating us in his image and likeness, His love was again immediately thereafter, exhibited when Adam and Eve fell in the Garden of Eden. Rather than abandoning them, He put in place the "Salvation plan", by cursing the serpent and letting him know that the "seed of the woman" - Jesus Christ, would bruise his head and, therefore, win victory for mankind.
Jesus Christ is the love of God for mankind. Scripture says in John 3:16, that God so loved the world that He gave his only begotten son to die for the sins of the world. Jesus, the incarnate of God, came to the world to show the love of God at its highest level to mankind. Jesus Christ, the epitome of love was slain even from the foundation of the world (Rev. 13:8), in anticipation of the fall of man (Adam and Eve) in Eden. When the time came for him to appear on earth in the flesh, to fulfil the Salvation plan, He put his glory on one side in heaven and came to show the “agape” (unconditional) love of the Trinity to mankind in the world. The Scripture in John 15:13 says Greater love has no man than this, that He laid down His life for His friends - you and me. His kind of love is called "agape", that is, unconditional, non-discriminatory (for all), and timeless (forever). The love of Jesus surpasses the love we are called by Apostle Paul to have, as recorded in ICor.13:4-8. Jesus’s kind of love was manifested in His humility, when He washed the feet of his disciples, as recorded in our today's reading in verses 4-5. Throughout his journey on earth, Jesus never once flung His divinity, power or authority, He lived among men in total humility and submission to His Father and His will, showing us a good example (Phil 2:6-11).
Today’s reading focuses on Jesus loving His "own". Even though He came to the world for all mankind, yet He has His "own". Though not discriminating, Scriptures tells us in John 1:12, that as many as received/accepted Him, He gave the power to become sons and daughters of God. All who believe in His name. Apostle John says in John 3:16 “.......that whosoever believes in him (God's Son) should not perish but have eternal life.” Therefore, Jesus' "own in the world" are those that believe in Him. Also, it is confirmed in John 17:20 by Jesus himself, when He was praying for his disciples. Aside from the general love that Jesus displayed to all people when He was on earth, which includes miracles of healing, deliverance, His death, and resurrection and so on, He did much more for his "own". The manifestation of His surpassing love for His own starts right from the point of Salvation, when we believe and confess Him as Lord and Savior (Rom 10:9-10), as the person receives the gift of eternal life (John 6:40, 47; John 3:16). Coupled with this, is the gift of the Holy Spirit, who seals and begins to live in the person (2Cor. 1:22). The manifestation of the activities of the Holy Spirit (John 14 and 16), such as - comfort, abiding, teaching all things, convicting of sins, bringing all things to remembrance, become evident in that life. The love of Jesus is further evident from His prayer to his Father (John 17:6-26), first for his disciples, to all believers, and those who will yet believe in him. Through his love, Jesus became poor on earth so that His "own" will be rich (1Cor. 8:9).
Aside from loving his own in the world, today's reading says He loves them to the end. The evidence of this is seen in John 14:1-2, which says that Jesus has gone back to heaven to his Father (v. 12) to prepare a place for us who believe in him. In verses 3-4, Jesus wants us to be with him wherever He is, and reign with Him. He is presently and forever, seated at the right hand of the Father in glory (Mk 16:19). He wants us to ask anything in His name and He will do it (v.14).
CHRISTIE KUPOLUYI
Prayer:
Father, thank You for Your agape love for mankind, in Jesus name.
Father, thank You for the gift of Your only Son Jesus Christ.
Father create in me a pure heart, renew a right, humble, and teachable spirit in me, in Jesus name.
Father uproot anything you have not planted in Your Church, and revive Your work, in Jesus name.
We command the eaters of flesh, and drinkers of blood assigned against our nation, die, in Jesus name.
תגובות