A New Commandment

And a very good morning to you! It is Thursday morning, the last day of March - 31st March, the year 2022. And this is your friend, Angus Buchan with a thought for today.

If we start off in John 13 and I am reading from verse 34:

“A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all will know that you are My disciples if you have love for one another.”

And then that other beautiful verse in John 15:13:

“Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends.”

And that is what Jesus did for you and me at this Easter time. It is the hallmark of the Christian - love. Not power or effort, not even success but love, unconditional love. Not just loving those that love us but loving our enemies. Now, that is not easy, is it? In fact, sometimes we say, “Lord, it is not even fair. How can you expect me to love one who is lying, being unfaithful or who is cheating?”

And you can hear Jesus saying to you and to me this morning, “But I loved you when you were still very much an unbeliever. In fact, not only did I love you but I even died for you.” We must remember that, especially at this Easter time. You see, there is no force on earth greater than love.

The old disciple, John, the last one to be alive out of the disciples - when he was very old, he would be brought into the meetings on a stretcher and he would say to the people in the room, “Little children, love one another.” And they would always say to him, “But John, you always say that, why do you always say that?” And then with tears in his eyes, the oldest disciple would say, “Because that is what The Master always said.”

That’s right - a new commandment... Remember that old song?

And a new commandment
I give unto you
That you love one another
As I have loved you
That you love one another
As I have loved you
By this shall all men know
That you are My disciples
If you have love one for another
And by this shall all men know
That you are My disciples
If you have love one for another.
Go out today and love somebody.

Jesus bless you, goodbye.