Christianity Oasis Forum

[cimi]

August 29
Thursday


OVERWHElMING
CONCERN

READ:
-John 13:31-35
_____________________________________________________________________________
A new commandment
I give to you, that you
love one another.
__John 13:31-35
_____________________________________________________________________________

A while ago, I wrote an article about my wife, Marlene, and her struggles with vertigo. When the article appeared, I was unprepared for the tidal wave of response from readers offering encouragement, help, suggestions and, mostly, concern for her well-being. These messages came from all over the world, from people in all walks of life. Expressions of loving concern from my wife poured in to the point where we could not even begin to answer them all. It was over-whelming in teh best kind of way to see the body of Christ respond to Marlene's struggle. We were, and remain, deeply grateful.

At its core, this is how the body is supposed to work. Loving concern for our brothers and sisters in Christ becomes the evidence that we have experienced His love. While addressing teh disciples at the Last Supper, Jesus said, "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" (John 13:34-35).

Marlene and I experienced a sampling of Christlike love and concern in those letters we received. With the help of our Savior and as a way of praising Him, may we show others that kind of love as well. __Bill Crowder

```````````````Bearing people's heavy burdens,``````````````````
```````````````Shouldering their pain and grief,````````````````
`````````````Shows the love of Christ to others,````````````````
````````````Bringing them His sure relief. __Anon```````````````
___________________________________________________________________________
The height of our love for God is indicated by the
depth of our love for one another. __Morley

****************Today's Bible Study __ John 13:31-35********************

31 So, when he had gone
out, Jesus said, "Now the
Son of Man is glorified, and
God is glorified in Him.

32 If God is glorified in
Him, God will also glorify
Him in Himself, and glorify
Him immediately.

33 "Little children, I shall
be with you a little while
longer. you will seek Me;
and as I said to the Jews,
'Where I am going, you
cannot come,' so now I say
to you.

34 "A new commandment I
give to you, that you love
one another; as I have loved
you, that you also love one
another. 35 By this all will
know that you are My
disciples, if you have love
for one another."

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>INSIGHT<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
Hours before He went to the cross, Jesus gave us a "new"
commandment (v34). Yet the command to love others is not really
new. In the Mosaic law, God's people were commanded to love their
"neighbor" and teh "stranger...as yourself" (Lev. 19:18,34). But
Jesus introduced a new manner and standard of loving: "As I have
loved you, that you also love one another," or "Love each other just
as much as I love you" (The Living Bible, v.34)__love that seeks the
best for the other. Jesus loved us with the same intensity that the
Father loved Him (John 15:9). He "loved [us] to the end" (13:1),
laying down His life for us (15:13). And we are to love our enemies
as well! (Matt. 5:43-48).