The Challenge of Jesus’ Radical Love

I wonder if you have ever had a moment where loving someone feels like climbing a mountain in jandals, it’s possible, but it’s not exactly easy. Sometimes we feel like this with that friend who is always just needing that one-more favour, or the family member who feels like it’s ok to treat you less courteously because you’re family because ‘family is forever.’ There’s so many other examples of relationships or engagements that we all could bring up that can be difficult for us. It’s funny because there’s probably a perspective of the church that we (the church) profess to have all of our ducks in line, that we’re this love-filled, grace-filled group of do-gooders, where there is no conflict or hostilities. We know that’s not true, that even in the church, relationships are not perfect, there are people that we don’t easily click with, there are people who tend to push our buttons.

Now obviously as your minister, I’m not talking about any of you! But seriously, no one is perfect, and as much as I try to convince my wife and children to the contrary, I’m not perfect either. And so as we read and explore our lectionary passage this Sunday, I think we’ll realise that Jesus didn’t just suggest we love each other through the messy, tough stuff that we find in each other, He commanded it. You see, His was not just any love, His kind of love was one that washes feet, forgives betrayals, a love that was willing to sacrifice all on the cross.

At the heart of our lectionary passage this week from John 13:31-35, Jesus reveals something quite extraordinary, a new commandment, He says, “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another.” This isn’t just Jesus saying, “you know it’d be nice if you were a bit nicer to each other, maybe every now and then, why don’t you take a deep breath and count to ten before saying anything.” No, Jesus isn’t just giving us a couple of tips for making our relationships better, Jesus is calling us to love each other the way that He loves us, selflessly, sacrificially, extravagantly. We’re actually to love each other in a way that is so different to how the world loves, so much so that people outside the church will be able to recognise us as His followers. No pressure!

To be fair, we kind of operate with the posture that, “I’ll love you if you’re lovable,” or “I’ll help… if I’m not too busy,” or “I’ll give, but only out of my excess.” But really, Jesus’ standard is actually one that really raises the bar for us. Think about an expression of love that might make us feel uncomfortable, like washing someone’s feet, like forgiving after deep betrayal, like giving to the point where it might hurt! That’s not to say that we might do any of those things, but we should expect it to sometimes be gritty, to require real humility, to be a little intimidating. An openness to love as Jesus loves us should not be just a nice thought, it’s actually the heartbeat of what makes us His followers. This type of love doesn’t just change us, it should flip everything about how we love, and who we love, upside down in the best way possible.

May God bless us as we consider His love for us, and our love for each other.

Blessings

Josh