Jesus said, "A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.” (John 13:35-36)
When Jesus said this, it was hours before He was to give His life on the Cross for our sins. He knew His life was going to be coming to an end ... that was why He washed His disciples feet to show His love for them (and then commanded them to wash one another's feet - to love on another!) ... that was why Jesus changed the very elements of Passover and their meaning, to give us the Lord's Supper and the sacraments that lead us to a place of now receiving Jesus' love, life and healing through His work on the Cross in a tangible act of worship...
Jesus wanted to leave His disciples with symbols and teaching that would forever mark their lives and ministry - making it even more effective and accessible for others to touch the Kingdom of God both in, around and through their very lives.
When I hear of people sharing the "love of Jesus" ... a lot of what people are actually doing is "loving someone else for Jesus" ... but that is not the degree of love that Jesus was pointing His disciples to live.
He actually wants you and I to be His love and presence to others ... to let Jesus' love and presence flow into us, and be released through us for the person in front of us... to bring healing and life from Heaven and the Heavenly Father's heart for that person, in that moment.
We are actually called to be Jesus' disciples on the earth today. To actually let Jesus live and love in and around and through us, to the world around us, in this moment ... even as Jesus was one with the Heavenly Father and let His love flow through and bring healing and life to the world. (This is precisely what Jesus was praying would happen in you and me, in John 17!)
This is how the Resurrection life of Jesus can become real through us to others on a daily basis.
This Easter Season, celebrate how Jesus made it possible through the Cross - and through His Resurrected presence - for you to let God love through you, in power, to bring healing to the world around you ... and then, go and be that! "Christ the Lord is risen ... He is risen indeed!"
When Jesus said this, it was hours before He was to give His life on the Cross for our sins. He knew His life was going to be coming to an end ... that was why He washed His disciples feet to show His love for them (and then commanded them to wash one another's feet - to love on another!) ... that was why Jesus changed the very elements of Passover and their meaning, to give us the Lord's Supper and the sacraments that lead us to a place of now receiving Jesus' love, life and healing through His work on the Cross in a tangible act of worship...
Jesus wanted to leave His disciples with symbols and teaching that would forever mark their lives and ministry - making it even more effective and accessible for others to touch the Kingdom of God both in, around and through their very lives.
When I hear of people sharing the "love of Jesus" ... a lot of what people are actually doing is "loving someone else for Jesus" ... but that is not the degree of love that Jesus was pointing His disciples to live.
He actually wants you and I to be His love and presence to others ... to let Jesus' love and presence flow into us, and be released through us for the person in front of us... to bring healing and life from Heaven and the Heavenly Father's heart for that person, in that moment.
We are actually called to be Jesus' disciples on the earth today. To actually let Jesus live and love in and around and through us, to the world around us, in this moment ... even as Jesus was one with the Heavenly Father and let His love flow through and bring healing and life to the world. (This is precisely what Jesus was praying would happen in you and me, in John 17!)
This is how the Resurrection life of Jesus can become real through us to others on a daily basis.
This Easter Season, celebrate how Jesus made it possible through the Cross - and through His Resurrected presence - for you to let God love through you, in power, to bring healing to the world around you ... and then, go and be that! "Christ the Lord is risen ... He is risen indeed!"
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