EPISODE 510 – JESUS OUR PATTERN
Apostle Benjamin Nana Amissah AnsahCHRIST COMMONWEALTH-COMMUNITY
The Love-Life Agency
Sunday 16th June, 2024
JESUS OUR PATTERN
“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.”
John 13:34-35
About 13 times in the New Testament, we see the phrase “love one another”.
And that reveals the importance of this commandment. How we love one another makes others know we are disciples of Jesus. (John 13:35)
The newness of this commandment of Jesus is Himself. Jesus didn’t just give us His command to love one another. He made Himself the pattern and supply of that commandment.
We are not to love one another by how we love ourselves. We love one another according to the portrait of Jesus.
“This is my commandment: that you love one another as I have loved you” John 15:12 (ISV)
What is the extent of Jesus’s love for us? How has he loved us?
Love is not just an utterance, love is a walk.
“Dear children, let’s not merely say that we love each other; let us show the truth by our actions.” 1 John 3:18 (NLT)
Love is a life lived or an action. Love is not suppositious or conjectured. Love is demonstrated and experienced.
Understand that love is more than a feeling. To love is to serve.
Today let us begin to look at some practical ways Jesus demonstrated His love of service for us:
Before Jesus gave the new commandment in John 13:34, look at what happened in the earlier verses:
“Now before the feast of the passover, when Jesus knew that his hour was come that he should depart out of this world unto the Father, having loved his own which were in the world, he loved them unto the end… Jesus knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he was come from God, and went to God;
He riseth from supper, and laid aside his garments; and took a towel, and girded himself.
After that he poureth water into a bason, and began to wash the disciples’ feet, and to wipe them with the towel wherewith he was girded…
So after he had washed their feet, and had taken his garments, and was set down again, he said unto them, Know ye what I have done to you?
Ye call me Master and Lord: and ye say well; for so I am.
If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet; ye also ought to wash one another’s feet.
For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you.
Verily, verily, I say unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord; neither he that is sent greater than he that sent him. If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them.”
(John 13:1,3-5;12-17)
From these verses, we realize, there is no room to guess what Jesus meant by “as I have loved you” in John 13:34.
He has shown us a clear example of what we should do in verse 15;
For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you.
What did Jesus really do?
He served His disciples by washing their feet.
Feet washing is an art of hospitality among the Israelites.
Most oriental people, including the Israelites, wore sandals instead of shoes in the past, and as they usually went barefoot in the house, frequent washing of the feet was a necessity. Hence among the Israelites, it was the first duty of the host to give his guest water to wash his feet. To omit this was a mark of unfriendliness. This was done either by the wife or the servants.
Mostly, it’s done before meals.
(See Genesis 18:4; Genesis 19:2, Genesis 24:32; Genesis 43:24).
This is a symbol of honour, service and humility for one another.
We love one another by serving one another with that which God has given us. And that was what Jesus showed His disciples.
“Just as each one of you has received a special gift [a spiritual talent, an ability graciously given by God], employ it in serving one another as [is appropriate for] good stewards of God’s multi-faceted grace [faithfully using the diverse, varied gifts and abilities granted to Christians by God’s unmerited favor]” 1 Peter 4:10 (Amplified Bible).
Beloved, are you in pursuit of your own interest?
Or are you in pursuit of serving the brethren?
As Christ has loved you, serve one another.
Shalom!
DIG DEEPER
(1 John 4:20; 1 Peter 4:10-11; Romans 12:10; Philippians 2:1-11)
WE PRAY
That we enjoy the abundance of grace to relentlessly love the saints by serving them in humility and honour.
BIBLE READING IN THE YEAR 2024
Psalms 111 – 113
DECLARE THESE WORDS:
– I serve the saints in love.
– I am an example of the love of Christ to others.
– I love with ease because Christ is the supply of my love.
– I refuse to be selfish.
– I am committed to serving others in humility.
Hallelujah!!!
Thank you very much Apostle I’m really really blessed by this Episode
”All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness,“
II Timothy 3:16 NKJV
Jesus Christ did not only come for Salvation he also came to teach us demonstrate who God is and we are also to do as believers.
Thank you Lord Jesus.
Everything the Lord has told us to do he has already taught us how to go about it and has also given us the ability to do.
Thank you Lord Jesus!!!!!
Exactly!
Wow,this is true love,in serving the brethren with true humility just like Christ’s dud. Love isn’t in the saying but in the doing, I show true love.
Glory to God
Thank you sweet Jesus.
I use the talent God has given me to serve others
Love must be a demonstration and an experience.
Love is not a talk but a walk.
Love is more than a feeling; it is practical. It must be an experience for the one who is loved, and a demonstration for the one showing the love.
Jesus showed us the practical way to love one another, which is to serve one another. Jesus said, I did not come to be served but to serve. This is true love, to serve.
I love one another as Christ has loved me.
I serve one another as Christ has served me.
I share what I have with one another as Christ shared His life with me.
Thank you Lord Jesus.
Thank you so much Apostle.
You’re a great blessing sir.
Thank you sweet Jesus,
I learnt from the Bible reading as well that the fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom
I follow the footsteps of Jesus Christ. I avail myself to the service of other brethren, just as Christ portrayed and commands. Thank you Apostle Bennie
I refuse to be selfish.
I love as the Lord did ????
Thank you Lord Jesus for your word
Thank you for bestowing your gift and love in me. So as i could love others just as you loved me .
I serve the saint with the true humanity from above.
So help me God.
Love is more than a feeling….
To Love is to serve
Many experience the Love of God through me
I am the image of the loving God
You cannot Claim Humility and love without service
Service to humanity is not feeding bellies nor charity alone nor philanthropical work
It transcends that. It entails making the Gospel burn in the hearts of men and ring in the ears of many
I demonstrate love as Jesus did not according to mans standards
This is a habit I must be intentional about cultivating because of the revelation of Jesus
Love is not just an utterance but a walk.
Romans 12:10 Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love;in honour preferring one another.
I love the brethren as the Lord has love me, thank you Jesus
I am an example of the love of Christ to others.
I am not selfish!! I love as Jesus loved me on the cross ooo Jesus thank you
Thank you so much Apostle, I am so much blessed by today’s Machaira. Thank you the Lord bless you
The virtue of love in the kingdom is what differentiate us from the world…but not just in service also in motives.To just serve does not fully express the virtue of love(godly love) because others serve in spite,Even in the scriptures(Philippians) we see people share the gospel in envy and strife hence the motive of our service is important.
Shalom.
I love and serve in humility.
Ooohhh bless be God almighty for his love towards us. By this we will be intentional in loving and serving one another
To love is to serve.
Wow!
I have the grace to serve the brethren.
I serve the saints with that which God has given me.
I enjoy the abundance of grace to relentlessly love the saints by serving them in humility and honour.
I am an example of the love of Christ to others.