We love others...Mark 12:31; John 13:34-35; 1 John 4:21.

Jesus' command to love raises a couple of questions that we need to answer.

  1. How does Jesus Love? He loves us...

...unconditionally, Romans 5:8;

...sacrificially, 2 Corinthians 5:21;

...forgivingly, Ephesians 4:32;

...eternally, Romans 8:38-39;

...with a pure love because He is holy, Hebrews 7:26.

The culmination of Christ's amazing love for us is His death, burial, and bodily resurrection, 1 John 4:9-10. Disciples are to love each other like that.

  1. How then, can a disciple love as Christ loved?

With the help of the Holy Spirit and a commitment to obedience.

God's love is different from the love of this world. The best description of what Jesus' love is like is found in the Love Chapter, 1 Corinthians 13. To love like this is not normal or natural, it is the love that flows out of a personal relationship with Jesus. It is a love that is developed as we journey with Jesus.

The DUTY mode: He commands it; it is His expectation of His disciples. We have to love.

The DETERMINATION mode: We begin to see through His eyes and seize the opportunity. We want to love.

The DEFAULT mode: Loving God and loving others is second nature. We do love.

By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another, John 13:34.