Friendship with Jesus Calls Us to Love | Morning Routine Daily Devotional for March 10

“This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that…

“This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do what I command you. No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you. — John 15:12-15 ESV

The Gospel of John tells the story of Jesus’ ministry from the perspective of one of His disciples. As John writes chapter 15, Jesus is around a table with His followers a few days before His death. As they’re eating, Jesus tells many parables. 

Here, Jesus introduces one of the primary commandments He delivers to His followers – to love one another as He loved them. He says that the greatest love that one can express to another is to lay down His life for his friends. This is what Jesus will do in just a few short days. He then explicitly calls His disciple’s friends. And He calls them to this new commandment to love one another sacrificially. 

During His ministry, Jesus detailed the commandments that sum up the Old Testament law: love the Lord and love your neighbor. Such love is the mark of a disciple whom Jesus calls “friend.” The church has always sung about what a friend we have in Jesus! But are we Jesus’ friend? If we are to be Jesus’ friend, we are called to love others as He has loved us. May I ask you, are you loving others in accordance with Jesus’ love for you?  No matter what stage of life you’re in, there are people around you that need Jesus’ love, and often, they will find it through your actions toward them. Rely on His grace and remember Jesus’ example as you follow in His footsteps and love sacrificially.