Loved Until the End

This morning while reading my Bible I came to this portion of scripture.

Jesus knew that his hour had come to leave this world and return to his Father. He had loved his disciples during his ministry on earth, and now he loved them to the very end.."

John 13:1

Last Sunday I preached on this topic. Love. Loving others and not just saying that you love others but showing them by your actions that you love them. When I look at the church today as a whole many times I see a church that is fractured due to divisions and small arguments. Jesus said that it wouldn't be our beliefs, standards, or doctrines that we should or would be known by. He said that, "All men will know you are my disciples by your love for one another."

In John 13 Jesus after we read of Jesus love for his disciples he then takes the place of a servant and washes the disciples feet. I can't imagine the sight of this, or the shock on the disciples faces when they see their master, teacher, and messiah; the Son of God bowing before them and washing their feet. One word comes to mind for me... Awkward. Peter even argues with Jesus but eventually gives in and lets his Lord and Master wash his feet. I imagine a lot of tears were shed in that upper room as this is one of the most humbling experiences I know of.

In verse 17 of John 13 Jesus concludes this teaching with these words;

"Now that you know these things, God will bless you for doing them."

Knowing to love and serve others is not enough. Acting and doing is the completion, the obedience to this command. This kind of love is not based of feeling, but on doing.

My question for myself and you is this, How can I act in Love and not just feel in love today with others? Who does God want me to show love to today?

Strange Question

Reading my Bible this morning I came across something that really stuck in my mind.

In John 5:5-6 it says, "One of the men lying there had been sick for thirty-eight years. When Jesus saw him and knew he had been ill for a long time, He asked him, 'Would you like to get well?'"

This man had been sick longer than I have been alive. He had suffered for most of his life. I think it is a strange question that Jesus asks. We think when we read this, well of course he wants to get well. I think the reason Jesus asked him this is because the man had probably given up all hope that he would ever get better. He had lost his hope for his miracle. He had gotten used to living with his sickness and it had become a part of his identity. The sickness defined his life. What he could and could not do. I think Jesus was trying to get him to think differently.

I think Jesus was trying to give him hope. Hope that life could be better, hope that his life could change. Hope that his life was more than just his sickness. He had to get him to think in his mind even for a half second that life could be different. That moment changed everything for Jesus then said to him, "Get up! Start Walking!"

It was in that instant moment faith being released and Jesus healing the sick man.

What situation in your life have you gotten used to living with? What area in your life do you need to release that moment of faith? Have you lost hope that things can get better? Stir up your faith and bring it to Jesus. Jesus is asking you, "Do you want to get better?"