ESOCS Devotional 27 December 2024 – Mark of Discipleship
MEMORY VERSE: “By this shall all [men] know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.”Matthew 18:4 KJV
TEXT: JOHN 13:21–35
he took Him up in his arms and blessed God and said: “Lord, now You are letting Your servant depart in peace, According to Your word; For my eyes have seen Your salvation Which You have prepared before the face of all peoples, A light to bring revelation to the Gentiles, And the glory of Your people Israel.”
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The love of Christ is a supernatural love, a divine love, a love that streams to us from the heart of God – for God is Love. He gave us a new commandment, a command that sums up the perfect Law of God in one simple act: “Love one another as I have loved You,” for in so doing, we perfectly fulfil the requirements of God’s law and the will of God’s heart for all His children.
This kind of love is the mark of discipleship. Love will be how all people will know we are Jesus’ disciples. Going to a church building on Sunday is not the mark. Trying to be a good person is not the mark. Love for others is to be the reflection of our new status as God’s children. This new community that exists because we have been redeemed through the blood of Jesus has a trait that all people can see. The trait is not merely love. The trait is loving one another just as Jesus loved us. This is not a warm feeling for other people. Love is giving ourselves as seen through Jesus in foot washing and on the cross.
Think about what one of the biggest criticism there is against Christianity in the world. Isn’t the criticism that Christians do not show love? Now, I recognize that there are false criticisms. It is love to tell people that if they continue living their lives the way that they are they are going to lose their souls and suffer eternal punishment. I am not loving you if I do not tell you that the wrath of God stands against us all if we do not come to Jesus.
But what I think we must consider is if we really look different from the world through the love we show toward one another. By showing self-sacrificing love and humility, we show the world that we are disciples of Jesus. Think about what this looks like in practice. In marriages, the love that spouses show for each other, humbly submitting and serving each other will show the world that both of you are disciples of Jesus. In family, the love that is shown for parents and children, humbly serving and doing what is in each other’s best interests will show the world that we are disciples of Jesus. In our assemblies and when Christians come together, humbly submitting and serving each other will show the world that we are disciples of Jesus.
Jesus says that the goal is to let all people know that we are His disciples. We do not let the world know this to draw attention to ourselves. We do not let all people know to boast about ourselves. We let all people know that we are disciples so that God is glorified through our loving other people. How do we get to this goal? We have to completely deny ourselves. We have to stop thinking about ourselves and acting for ourselves.
When we live our lives in spirit and truth, and in submission to the Holy Spirit, the life of Christ lives in us and the love of Christ streams from us – and God is glorified by this.
- In what ways does the love you show to people around you differ from the world?
- Lord, let my life be a true testimony to the world that I am your child, and your disciple, so that my life may bring honour to Your name.
Further Reading: Exodus 33:9–19; Isaiah 6:1–8; I John 5:1–12
ESOCS Devotional 27 December 2024
