A New Commandment

01 May 2013

Opening/Worship

Hymn: They’ll Know We Are Christians by Our Love

Theme: The Resurrection

Topic: A New Commandment

Introduction:

At the centre of the point of view of the Bible is the idea that “God is love.” This means that everything God does is motivation by God’s loving nature. God has simply chosen not to act in any other way. That’s not to say that there aren’t consequences to our occasional sinful choices, but that even while we were sinners God’s choice – God’s chosen predisposition – is to love us. The Book of Genesis says (1:31), “God saw everything that he had made, and indeed, it was very good.” The Psalmist new that God is love when he wrote (13:5), “But I trusted in your steadfast love; my heart shall rejoice in your salvation.” In John’s Gospel it says (3:16), “For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life.” The “new commandment” to love one another is of paramount importance in the Christian journey. Love defines the One we worship and love defines the worshipper (or at least should).

Reading: John 13:31-35

When he had gone out, Jesus said, ‘Now the Son of Man has been glorified, and God has been glorified in him. ³²If God has been glorified in him, God will also glorify him in himself and will glorify him at once. ³³Little children, I am with you only a little longer. You will look for me; and as I said to the Jews so now I say to you, “Where I am going, you cannot come.” ³⁴I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another.³⁵By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.’

Questions/Discussion

1. Is the “new commandment” Jesus gives us really new?

Exodus 20:1-17

Then God spoke all these words: ² I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery; ³you shall have no other gods before me. ⁴ You shall not make for yourself an idol, whether in the form of anything that is in heaven above, or that is on the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. ⁵You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I the Lord your God am a jealous God, punishing children for the iniquity of parents, to the third and the fourth generation of those who reject me, ⁶but showing steadfast love to the thousandth generation of those who love me and keep my commandments. ⁷ You shall not make wrongful use of the name of the Lord your God, for the Lord will not acquit anyone who misuses his name. ⁸ Remember the sabbath day, and keep it holy. ⁹For six days you shall labour and do all your work. ¹⁰But the seventh day is a sabbath to theLord your God; you shall not do any work—you, your son or your daughter, your male or female slave, your livestock, or the alien resident in your towns. ¹¹For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but rested the seventh day; therefore the Lord blessed the sabbath day and consecrated it. ¹² Honour your father and your mother, so that your days may be long in the land that the Lord your God is giving you. ¹³ You shall not murder. ¹⁴ You shall not commit adultery. ¹⁵ You shall not steal. ¹⁶ You shall not bear false witness against your neighbour. ¹⁷ You shall not covet your neighbour’s house; you shall not covet your neighbour’s wife, or male or female slave, or ox, or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbour.

Mark 12:28-34

One of the scribes came near and heard them disputing with one another, and seeing that he answered them well, he asked him, ‘Which commandment is the first of all?’ ²⁹Jesus answered, ‘The first is, “Hear, O Israel: the Lord our God, the Lord is one; ³⁰you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength.” ³¹The second is this, “You shall love your neighbour as yourself.” There is no other commandment greater than these.’ ³²Then the scribe said to him, ‘You are right, Teacher; you have truly said that “he is one, and besides him there is no other”;³³and “to love him with all the heart, and with all the understanding, and with all the strength”, and “to love one’s neighbour as oneself”,—this is much more important than all whole burnt-offerings and sacrifices.’ ³⁴When Jesus saw that he answered wisely, he said to him, ‘You are not far from the kingdom of God.’ After that no one dared to ask him any question.

2. What might be the implications for us to be as loving as Jesus calls us to be?

Titus 2.14-3.9

He it is who gave himself for us that he might redeem us from all iniquity and purify for himself a people of his own who are zealous for good deeds. ¹⁵ Declare these things; exhort and reprove with all authority. Let no one look down on you. ^3:1-9 Remind them to be subject to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready for every good work, ²to speak evil of no one, to avoid quarrelling, to be gentle, and to show every courtesy to everyone. ³For we ourselves were once foolish, disobedient, led astray, slaves to various passions and pleasures, passing our days in malice and envy, despicable, hating one another. ⁴But when the goodness and loving-kindness of God our Saviour appeared, ⁵he saved us, not because of any works of righteousness that we had done, but according to his mercy, through the water^* of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit. ⁶This Spirit he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Saviour, ⁷so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life. ⁸The saying is sure. I desire that you insist on these things, so that those who have come to believe in God may be careful to devote themselves to good works; these things are excellent and profitable to everyone. ⁹But avoid stupid controversies, genealogies, dissensions, and quarrels about the law, for they are unprofitable and worthless.

1 John 4.11-21

Beloved, since God loved us so much, we also ought to love one another. ¹²No one has ever seen God; if we love one another, God lives in us, and his love is perfected in us. ¹³ By this we know that we abide in him and he in us, because he has given us of his Spirit. ¹⁴And we have seen and do testify that the Father has sent his Son as the Saviour of the world. ¹⁵God abides in those who confess that Jesus is the Son of God, and they abide in God. ¹⁶So we have known and believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and those who abide in love abide in God, and God abides in them. ¹⁷Love has been perfected among us in this: that we may have boldness on the day of judgement, because as he is, so are we in this world. ¹⁸There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear; for fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not reached perfection in love. ¹⁹We love because he first loved us. ²⁰Those who say, ‘I love God’, and hate their brothers or sisters, are liars; for those who do not love a brother or sister whom they have seen, cannot love God whom they have not seen. ²¹The commandment we have from him is this: those who love God must love their brothers and sisters also.

3. “See, I am making all things new…” is a wonderful promise. How might we help make the new thing God is doing in our generation real?

Revelation 21:1-6

Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more.²And I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. ³And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, ‘See, the home of God is among mortals. He will dwell with them; they will be is peoples, and God himself will be with them; ⁴ he will wipe every tear from their eyes. Death will be no more; mourning and crying and pain will be no more, for the first things have passed away.’ ⁵ And the one who was seated on the throne said, ‘See, I am making all things new.’ Also he said, ‘Write this, for these words are trustworthy and true.’ ⁶Then he said to me, ‘It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. To the thirsty I will give water as a gift from the spring of the water of life.

Psalm 148

¹ Praise the Lord!
Praise the Lord from the heavens;
   praise him in the heights! 
² Praise him, all his angels;
   praise him, all his host! 

³ Praise him, sun and moon;
   praise him, all you shining stars! 
⁴ Praise him, you highest heavens,
   and you waters above the heavens! 

⁵ Let them praise the name of the Lord,
   for he commanded and they were created. 
⁶ He established them for ever and ever;
   he fixed their bounds, which cannot be passed. 

⁷ Praise the Lord from the earth,
   you sea monsters and all deeps, 
⁸ fire and hail, snow and frost,
   stormy wind fulfilling his command! 

⁹ Mountains and all hills,
   fruit trees and all cedars! 
¹⁰ Wild animals and all cattle,
   creeping things and flying birds! 

¹¹ Kings of the earth and all peoples,
   princes and all rulers of the earth! 
¹² Young men and women alike,
   old and young together! 

¹³ Let them praise the name of the Lord,
   for his name alone is exalted;
   his glory is above earth and heaven. 
¹⁴ He has raised up a horn for his people,
   praise for all his faithful,
   for the people of Israel who are close to him. Praise the Lord!

Intercession/Worship

Conclusion

“So we have known and believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and those who abide in love abide in God, and God abides in them.” _{1 John 4.16}

Collect

Almighty God,

your Son Jesus Christ is the way, the truth, and the life.

Give us grace to love one another

and walk in the way of his commandments,

who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,

one God, now and for ever. Amen.