New Commandment/New Life

John 13;13-35, Revelation 21: 1-6

 Our passage in John 13 comes after the last supper and it is some of the last words of Christ to his disciples. He tells them of his upcoming glorification of God which will come from his crucifixion. Glory here means “to honor” and also to “magnify.”  Christ is to magnify God’s love for us by making a way for us to receive salvation by showing the ultimate love of dying for us. How apropos that his last commandment, one he calls new, is that they will love one another. They will follow Christ’s example in “as I have loved you, love one another.” By doing so everyone will know that we are his disciples – true followers of Christ.

Jesus also says, “where I am going, you cannot come.” I believe he is talking about heaven which the disciples will not enter until their earthly deaths.

In Revelations 21: 1-6 John sees a vision of this new heaven. God will live with us. There will be no more tears, mourning, and pain will be gone. God says I am making all things new. God will give us water from the springs of life. Christ the living water will give us eternal life where we will live with God with no pain, sadness, or sin.

As we await this new life ahead, Jesus grants us new life in him and has given us the gift of the Holy Spirit to help us – honor – glorify God, showing everyone that we are truly disciples of Christ, by loving one another. Let us honor God by following this new commandment. Amen.

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