1. Would people describe you as someone who loves others?

2. How can you tell when someone loves others?

3. Do you struggle with loving others? Why?

This week we are going to talk about a command from Jesus. See this command in John chapter 13. To set the context, this is just after Jesus has done the unthinkable and washed His disciples’ feet. The disciples were changed by this act of care from Jesus as He served them instead of them serving Him. Jesus then goes on to say that one of His disciples will betray Him. This was foreshadowing the betrayal of Judas to ultimately hand Jesus over to the Pharisees which would lead Him to the cross.

After these things, Jesus gives His disciples a new commandment. Read John 13:31-35.

4. What is Jesus talking about in the first couple of verses before He gives the new commandment?

5. What is the new commandment that Jesus gives?

6. What does this new commandment mean for our lives?

7. How are we to love like Christ?

Jesus is calling His disciples and His followers to a new commandment. It is that we are to love others just as Christ loves us and has shown us. By our love for others, people will see the love of Christ. By our actions, people will see Him. That is the call that Jesus has given to us. We are to love as Christ loves.

8. Why is it hard to love like Christ?

9. How can we be better at this command?

10. What is the difference between a command and a suggestion? What does that change for us?

In Scripture, we can see other verses that back up this command from Jesus. This is not a one-time thing. Read John 14:23-24.

11. What does it mean to keep Jesus’ words?

12. How do you do at this?

How we live and how we listen to Jesus (or not) reveals the things that we truly love. If we listen to the commands of Jesus, we know that we love Him. If we are choosing other things over Jesus, it reveals that we love other things more than Jesus. That is a tough truth and reality to face.

13. What are things in your life that you love more than Jesus?

Continue reading John 15:12-17.

14. Break down verse 13, what does it mean?

15. What is the significance of Jesus calling us friends over servants?

16. If Jesus has repeated this commandment of love multiple times, we would think that it is important. Why do we continue to forget to love others like Christ?

17. Do we have an excuse for when we face opposition or hatred back?

Jesus is calling us to a love that is above any other. He is calling us to love like Him. It is a love that does not have any boundaries or stipulations. Jesus loved everyone so much that He willingly died for all. Jesus did not deserve death, yet He willingly laid His life down. He did this to save us from our sins. He took our place on that cross. We deserve the punishment for our sins, yet Jesus took our place. He loves us. He loves all. It does not matter what you have done, Jesus loves you. He wants you to be saved.

All people are His creation. Everyone is loved by Him. Jesus loved the very ones that nailed Him to the cross. That is a crazy concept to understand in itself. Jesus has called us to this same love. We are to love others like Him. We are to show love and grace to all. When people see you, they should see a love that is different from this world. It is a love that is from their Creator. Even in the hatred or opposition, Jesus still loved the very ones attacking Him.

18. How can you love more like Christ in your life?

19. How can the church be better at this?

In 1 John 4:19, we read, “We love because he first loved us.”