Radical Love

Lewis Zamperini's amazing story is told in the book by Laura Hillenbrand, Unbroken, recently released as a major motion picture by the same title. Zamperini was an Olympic athlete who ran the 5,000 meter race in the 1936 Olympics. He did not finish first in that race, but he did set a record for the last lap of the race and impressed Adolf Hitler, who was in the stands, so much that Hitler asked to meet with him. And when he saw him, he said, ah, you're the guy who finishes fast. He went on to become a track star at University of Southern California and when the United States entered the war in 1941, he joined the Army Air Corps. Sometime after that, his plane went down in the Pacific. And the amazing story of his survival, along with two other men, one of whom died, for 47 days, he was on a life raft in the Pacific Ocean. Surrounded by sharks at times, getting whatever rainwater they could to drink, catching fish the best way they could to stay alive, strafed by German fighter planes from time to time, an amazing story of endurance and survival. When they finally washed up on a beach of an island that was occupied by the Japanese, they were taken prisoner of war. And what happened the next two years is almost indescribable, the torture that Zamparini endured, especially at the hands of one of his captors who singled him out, called him prisoner number one, and singled him out for amazing incredible torture. When the US troops liberated those men from that POW camp, Zamparini came back to the States and this part of the story doesn't get a lot of time in the movie just the end of the credits. But he came back to the States and was so depressed and overcome with what he had been through that he began drinking heavily and having nightmares of strangling his captors. In 1949, his wife attended the Billy Graham Crusade in Los Angeles. That great crusade that went on for weeks where many people came to know Christ and really put Billy Graham on the map as far as being a national evangelist. Cynthia, his wife, actually trusted Christ as her savior that evening in that Billy Graham Crusade. She went back home and persuaded Louis to go with her a couple nights later. He reluctantly went, but as he heard Billy Graham preach, he was reminded in his own spirit of the prayers he had prayed on that life raft. In that Japanese POW camp, and he cried out to the Lord that night to save his soul. He went home and changed man, drinking, began to follow the Lord and soon realized that in order for his spirit to be cleaned he must forgive those who had mistreated him so poorly. In 1950, he went to the Segamo prison in Tokyo where many of the Japanese war criminals were imprisoned. He was by now an evangelist, Billy Graham, had helped him to get started into that kind of motivational speaking and ministry. And he challenged prisoners who were there, any who recognized him to step forward and sure enough a number of his captors stepped forward. He walked up to each of them individually, embraced them and personally told them he forgave them. In 1998, four months shy of his 81st birthday, he ran one leg of the torch relay at the Winter Olympics in Japan, not far from the prison where he had been held in Japan. At that time, he asked to speak to the man who had done the most damage to him, whom he had never seen since that time. Matsuhama Watanabe called the bird, but the bird refused to meet with him. The very fact that he would go back to Japan, embrace and forgive those who had tortured him mercilessly, is an amazing story. His time in the Pacific is an amazing story of endurance, his time in the POW camp and what happened afterwards is an amazing story of radical love. In the upper room, the night before the cross, Christ demonstrated radical love to an enemy of all people. Now, I choose that word radical very carefully. I believe this is maybe the best biblical example of what I would call radical love. By radical, I mean way beyond what is expected. And in this case, maybe even beyond what many people would think appropriate. But this is radical love. And I want us to see this morning in John chapter 13. Today, we look at how radical love was demonstrated by Christ. And the challenge that becomes to us as his followers, Jesus demonstrated radical love to two people in the upper room that night. And he used that opportunity to teach us what he wanted us to do to love one another. Let's take a look. Follow me. Please join me in John 13 at this amazing story of radical love. The first expression of that love on the part of Jesus in the upper room is love for an enemy. Love for an enemy. The enemy is Judas. Now, lest you think that's too strong a word for Judas, lest you think that he was really not an enemy of Christ. Was he? I want to see what the text actually says about him. The text of Scripture describes him in such a way that yes, he chose to be an enemy of Jesus Christ. And we see that in at least four or five different ways. Notice the description of the enemy beginning in verse 18. Jesus says, I am not referring to all of you. I know those I've chosen. Let me pause right there and remind you of the scene and set the scene. They're in the upper room. And when Jesus says, I'm not referring to all of you. He's referring something that back to something that we saw two weeks ago, but it had just been uttered a couple of minutes before when Jesus is in the upper room back to verse 10. When Jesus washes Simon Peter's feet and Peter says, Lord, wash me all over Jesus answered in verse 10. Those who have had a bath need only to wash their feet. Their whole body is clean. And you are clean speaking of the disciples. You are clean, though not every one of you. And John adds in verse 11, for he knew who was going to betray him. And that was why he said not everyone was clean. Now Jesus says it himself in verse 18. He says, I'm not referring to all of you. When I've said what I've said in the previous verse, I'm not referring to all of you. I know the hearts of those that I've chosen to be disciples. I know who is true. I know who's not. I know that one of you is not clean. And so Jesus refers to Judas in ways here that refer to him as a traitor. Judas is a traitor. He is not clean. His heart is not with the Lord. And then Jesus goes on in verse 18 to quote from the book of Psalms. This is to fulfill that passage of scripture. He who shared my bread has turned against me. He quotes Psalm 41 and verse 9. Now in Psalm 41, the one who is referred to is a hithophel. A hithophel was David's counselor. His closest confidant, his right hand man in his kingdom. One who was a close friend and who gave him wise counsel on what he should do. But when David's son Absalom led a rebellion and actually took over the kingdom, a hithophel turned traitor. And he turned against David and went with Absalom and became Absalom's chief counselor. And so a hithophel becomes an Old Testament picture of Judas interestingly enough when Absalom was finally overthrown by David's armies, a hithophel hung himself just like Judas would end up doing. And so Jesus quotes from the Old Testament about a hithophel but clearly referring it to the one among them who is not clean, clearly referring to Judas, but the expression of Psalm 41, 9 is a perfect description of a traitor because he is one who shared my bread to share one's bread in Bible times was to indicate the closest of friendships. To sit at your table, to eat your food, to share that fellowship with you was the sign of close friendship, but the one who has shared his bread has turned against me. The original language literally has, has lifted up his heel against me. Now that's a very graphic expression of a traitor. To lift up one's heel or to kick up one's heel was used in two ways in Bible times. Sometimes it was used of the kicking of a horse. You get too close if you come at him the wrong way to kick back at you or sometimes it was used of a person who shook the dust off their feet. That's an expression that Jesus used with his disciples. Remember when he sent them out two by two and he said if you go to a village and they repeatedly reject what you're giving, there comes a time when you to shake the dust of that village off your feet and move on. It's an expression which means I'm done with you. So you get the picture of the traitor here, a very graphic picture. One who has been so close to me as to sit at my table and share my bread and to express the closest fellowship. Now kicks it in me and says I'm done with you. That's a traitor. And Judas was a traitor in the worst sense of the word. But this text also describes him not only as a traitor but as a betrayer. Look at what Jesus says next, verse 19. He goes on to say I'm telling you now before it happens so that when it does happen you will believe that I am who I am. Very truly I tell you whoever believes or whoever accepts anyone I send except me and whoever accepts me accepts the one who sent me. Now look at verse 21. After he had said this Jesus was troubled in spirit and testified very truly I tell you one of you is going to betray me. Now Judas is a traitor at heart. He is a betrayer in his actions. The betrayal of Jesus. The handing him over to the Pharisees is the act which shows the traitor spirit and heart that he had. It was the way that he would be a traitor. He would actually hand Jesus over to the Pharisees. He had already made an arrangement with the chief priests to betray Jesus at the first opportunity. And so he has a traitor at heart. He is a betrayer in actions but he is also an enemy in a third way. He is a deceiver. Look at verse 22. His disciples stared at one another at a loss to know which of them he meant. Jesus says one of you is going to betray me and the twelve at the table are looking at each other like what did he just say? They are a loss to know who he meant. And so what happens next is one of them asks and they start asking questions. Verse 23. One of them the disciple whom Jesus loved was reclining next to him Simon Peter motioned to this disciple who was in all likelihood John, the one who wrote this book. He refers to himself in his own gospel as the one whom Jesus loved not by name. So Simon Peter mentions to John and motions to John and says ask him which one he means. Leaning back against Jesus he asked him, Lord who is it? Now please remember the setting again. If you have the setting in mind it will help you to understand not only this but what's going to happen a little bit later on in the meal. Remember that they are not sitting at a table in chairs looking at each other across the table. They are reclining at a low table on their left elbow, propping their head up reaching to get their food with the right hand eating. So they're kind of you know the person next to you his back is next to you and your back is next to the person who's kind of behind you. Well it's obvious that John is on Jesus right because he leans back against Jesus to ask him this question and in order to speak to one another that's how you would have to do it. You kind of have to lean back over your shoulder and and Peter's too far away to get Jesus attention so he motions to John. Who is it you know asking who it is and so John leans back and ask him now if you understand that setting this conversation could probably only be heard by John and Jesus. Nobody else because of the setting and the way it was done would overhear what was being said and that will be important later when we try to figure out how could they not know what's being talked about here. He's a deceiver the amazing thing is that Matthew 26 verse 25 says that Judas himself chimed in and said who is it lord. You talk about a hypocrite you talk about a deceiver. You know sometimes when you watch movies about Jesus life Judas is kind of pictured as this dark figure with a furrowed brow kind of stand off from the other disciples and I mean you could pick him out of a crowd sure he's the betrayer he's the trader. I mean before you've been introduced any of them you can pick Judas out I don't think it was like that at all. Up to the very end they had no clue it was Judas. I think Judas was very clever very slick I think he fit in very well he was an accomplished actor a refined hypocrite. I don't think he was some dark figure that was distanced from the others I think he was probably a real gentleman I think he had real class. One commentator I was looking at this week said he probably would be the kind of guy that would wear a Brooks brother suit and a Madison Avenue smile. He was probably a guy who was warm and inviting him and he had the trust of all the other disciples they put him in charge of the treasury. And up until the last minute they have no clue it could be him that would betray Jesus I think Judas was a very warm personable guy we know he's the only disciple from Judea. Which is the lower province of the Roman province all the others from Galilee consider kind of the backwater the rough area he's refined cultured maybe more educated than the others we don't know but I think he was he knew just the right things to say at just the right time I think up until the end the text bears out nobody had a clue it could be Judas. He was a deceiver he was a hypocrite but he was an enemy of Christ in a fourth way he was a resistor and by that I mean he resisted every attempt by Jesus to reach out to him look now at verse 26. Jesus answered when when John leans back says who is it Lord Jesus answered it is the one to whom I will give this piece of bread when I've dipped it in the dish. Now remember only John would hear that see Peter wouldn't hear it nobody else would hear only John would hear that. Then dipping the piece of bread he gave it to Judas the son of Simon is carried. As soon as Judas took the bread Satan entered into him I don't misunderstand that my friend there are others who paint a picture of Judas as being a victim that he was satanically possessed somehow so he was out of control wasn't responsible for his own actions. When it says satan entered him that's an expression that was used quite often in the in the first century of having absolute control over. Satan is a spirit being he doesn't have to crawl inside your left arm that's not the point here he has complete control over but consistent with the other New Testament references of demon possession demons don't just capriciously come on people demon possession is invited over a period of time. By once continued behavior in sin and when you get to where your heart is hardened and your callus because of a pattern of sin you're inviting Satan in you're opening the door wide for him to have a greater control over your life that's what demon influence and even possession is all about in the New Testament. So what I think we see here by the way Judas is always held responsible for his own actions he's not seen as a victim or as someone who had no control he's a puppet of Satan no that's not the picture you have in the Gospels he is always responsible and held responsible for his own actions what I think it happened it seems quite clear from the story of Judas Judas over a period of months maybe even a couple of years has been in bestling in bestling funds. From the treasury of the disciples we know from John 12 he was a thief and you regularly took money from the bag it says. I think over a period of time he'd become hardened because of his own sin he slick he knows how to make people look like he's a good disciple but he's got a he's got an inner life he's got a private world that nobody knows about and when you live like that when you live with that disconnect you learn how to compartmentalize the world. You learn how to compartmentalize your life you learn how to live in one way in private but you can you can cultivate and tweak that public persona to where you look great that that was Judas that was Judas he resisted every attempt by the Lord to reach out to him because of the own hardness of his heart at the point where he has decided he is going his own way is going to do his own thing his heart is hardened over years. Of this compartmentalizing his life living the secret life on the side now Satan ceases the opportunity to gain control and push him further over the edge to do what he's already decided in his heart to do. And so notice what happens next middle of verse 27 so Jesus told him what you're about to do do quickly. It's time to go time to go ahead your mind is made up your heart is hardened go on. But no one at the meal understood why Jesus had said this to him since Judas had charged the money and again many people probably did not hear it they just saw Judas get up and leave since Judas had charged the money some thought Jesus was telling him to buy what was needed for the festival or to give something to the poor as soon as Judas had taken the bread and he went out and then John adds this chilling statement and it was night it was dark outside and it was dark and Judas is so he walks out into the dark I wonder what the walk down the steps would have been like. I wonder when he got to the bottom of the steps on street level if you look back up at the light in the window I wonder if he paused for a moment and considered whether or not he ought to turn back and go up and throw his arms around Jesus and beg for his forgiveness I wonder. There's no indication that he ever did. He walked into the night into the dark recesses of a dark and heart how alone how utterly corrupt his heart had become. He was a traitor he was a betrayer he was a deceiver he was a resistor of every attempt by Jesus to reach out to him. That's the man Jesus loved. Now I want us to go back through the story that we've already looked at but from a different perspective we've looked at the description of the enemy I want us to see now the love for an enemy I want us to see how Jesus did reach out to him I've mentioned that he reached out to him and Judas resisted it. In this meal alone Jesus reached out to Judas with love with the desire to bring him back five different ways he will reach out to him and show him love the first one is that Christ seated him purposefully at the feast. You see it's obvious from the way they're reclining and John leans back against Jesus that John is on Jesus right. It's obvious from the giving of the the bread to the one whose next in Judas is on his left. Jesus back is toward Judas and Jesus leans back to speak to him. At a feast like this those were the two places of honor sitting on the right and on the left were the two places of honor that's what James and John had asked for in Jesus kingdom. They were on the left one and on the right. Those are the seats of honor and it is as though when Jesus walks into the upper room he turns to Judas and says friend I want to talk with you this evening. You sit here on the place of honor. He's reaching out to him. He's reaching for his heart and Judas resists that secondly Jesus showed him love because Christ washed his feet. He washed his feet. Judas is not left the room yet and Jesus has already washed the feet of the disciples and remember what he said back in verse 10 to Peter those who have only or those who have had a bath need only to wash their feet. Their whole body is clean and you are clean though not every one of you. Now Jesus is not reclining at the table when he says that he's got the basin. He's approaching the disciples. He's washing Peter's feet. Others can hear this. Jesus is now facing them. I wonder what Judas thought when he heard that. Can you imagine when Jesus comes to Judas' feet and he looks up at him. It is as though he's saying did you hear what I said Judas? You and I both know you're not clean. You're not clean. Your heart is far from me. I just imagine their eyes meeting the piercing love of Jesus, tenderly reaching out to Judas but meeting the hollow eyes of a hypocrite and I'm confident Judas probably dropped his head and would not look him in the eyes. But Jesus washed his feet. Thirdly he showed him love by offering fellowship to him. Again, verse 18. He quotes, he who shared my bread has turned against me and he will offer him bread in a moment. Again that is a sign of close fellowship and by Jesus sharing bread with him at the table and by offering him that bread later. He's reaching out to him. He's showing he wants him to be in close fellowship with him. He wants his heart. Fourthly he shows love by being troubled at Judas' sin. You see verse 21 again. After he had said this Jesus was troubled in spirit and testified very truly. I tell you one of you is going to betray me. Jesus is deeply troubled. Same word used in John 1133 when Jesus is at the tomb of Lazarus and sees Mary and those who have come with her out of Bethany weeping and wailing and mourning and the Bible says he was deeply troubled in spirit. It's the same word used in John 1227 where the Greeks have come and asked to meet with Jesus and it reminds him of his impending death and he is deeply troubled the Bible says in spirit. Even so much that he's tempted to pray father deliver me from this. But he doesn't and he prays father glorify yourself. But he's deeply troubled but I would remind you just a few hours before he will suffer on the cross. He's deeply troubled but not for himself. Not for what he will go through. He's deeply troubled for the cold heart heart of Judas. The one who will betray him. He's deeply troubled at Judas' sin. His heart goes out to him as he appeals to him. And then lastly he graciously appealed to Judas to the very end again verse 26 where Jesus answered it's the one to whom I will give this piece of bread when I've dipped it in the dish. Dipping it he gives it to Judas. At a meal like this the dipping of bread together in a little bowl that would hold some kind of broth typically made out of a base of fruit. The Passover meal. To dip to dip bread and then give it to someone else is a special overture of friendship. It's a special appeal to one. Several times in the Old Testament you see this notably this one I want to point out to you Ruth chapter 2 verse 14. Remember when Boaz has just really met Ruth she's come out to work in his field and he's impressed with her and at meal time Ruth 2 14 says Boaz said to her come over here have some bread and dip it in the wine vinegar. In other words let's dip bread together. When she sat down with the harvesters he offered her some roasted grain she ate all she wanted had some leftover she goes on to say later on I don't understand why you're showing me such kindness. You see his invitation for her to come and actually share bread with him and dip it in the same sauce was basically a special offer of kindness and friendship a special act of love. And it was where God begins to knit them together. That's what Jesus is doing with Judas here he's offering him a special act of kindness and love and grace. He's saying to Judas Judas I'm offering you my friendship I'm offering my heart friend will you receive it. One last appeal to the very end but Judas's heart is too hard his mind is made up and Satan ceases the opportunity to drive him on a way and he goes out into the night. That's how Jesus showed an enemy love. Now before we move on I have to pause because this applies directly to us. It really does. If we are to love others as Jesus has loved we need to ask ourselves the question do I love people who have betrayed me. Do we love people who have kicked back at us when we have loved them. Do we love people who have deceived others into thinking they were the ones in the right and all the while truth is you're the one that's been hurt. Do you love those people. Do you love people who have resisted every attempt to reach out to them lovingly and graciously to restore. Do you still love. Please don't misunderstand what I'm saying I'm not talking about enabling someone to continue in their sin. I'm not talking about situations of abuse and enabling someone to continue to abuse and commit sin. There is a time like Jesus did to say go on and do what you're going to do not here get out. There's a time for that too. The question really is where is my heart. Where is my heart. Do I keep a tender heart. Do I love others in word and indeed even when they may have betrayed when they become a traitor when they deceived others when they resisted every attempt to reach out to them. Do I still love them. And I was thinking about that this week and my own heart was exercised about this. We all recognize we're in a state in our country where we're in a culture war. And there are people who are banging at the door to tear down everything that the Bible and Christ stand for and that we believe in hold dear. And sometimes we fire back with anger and resentment and bitterness. And while we must always take a biblical stand we must also do it in love. And I wonder if we would not have a greater impact on our culture if we loved those who don't love us. If we loved those who don't love Christ. I wonder if our testimony would be greater rather than fighting back in kind, getting just as loud and angry as they are. I wonder if it would not be better to do like Jesus did to love even those who we might consider our enemies. Isn't that what Jesus taught us in the sermon on the Mount? Love your enemies. Pray for those who have despitefully used you. Pray for them. Pray for them. Love them. Love for an enemy. That is radical love my friend. Radical love. Goes way beyond the norm. Way beyond what's expected. Way beyond what some people think appropriate. So love Jesus modeled for us. But there was not only love for an enemy. There's a second person in the room that Jesus has opportunity to demonstrate love to specifically. This is love for the weak. And guess who the weak one in the room is that night. It's Peter. Yeah, good old Peter. Jesus goes on in verses 31 to 33 to speak after when he was gone when Judas was gone. Jesus said now the Son of Man is glorified and God is glorified in him. If God is glorified in him, God will glorify the Son in himself and will glorify him at once. My children, I will be with you only a little longer. You will look for me and just as I told the Jews so I will tell you now where I'm going. You cannot come. There's almost a sense of relief as you read these words of Jesus when Judas has left the room. It's all my Jesus is almost speaking with a sense of relief. And he turns his attention back to the cross and what he was sent here to do. And he speaks of it not in terms of agony and suffering. He speaks of it in terms of God being glorified and God being glorified in him. And he will glorify the Father and he's leaving to go back home. It's almost like a great burden has been taken off of him when Judas leaves the room. And then he gives us this model for love that will come back to later, but let's skip to verse 36. What Jesus said at the end of verse 33 raises a question in Peter's mind. Peter didn't hear verses 34 and 35 either. So let's move on to 36 Simon Peter asking, Lord, where are you going? Jesus replied, where I'm going, you cannot follow now, but you will follow later. Peter asked, Lord, why can't I follow you now? I will lay down my life for you. Then Jesus answered, will you really lay down your life? Very truly, I tell you before the rooster crows, you will disown me three times. Simon Peter, broad shouldered, loud, extroverted, assertive, headstrong, unbridled, passionate, honest to a thought with boyish enthusiasm just spilling out of him. You got to love Peter. You just got to love the guy. He's one of us. He's like us. And yet with all the bravado, he's so weak. He's so weak and he doesn't know it. Just like us. Look quickly at three signs of Peter's weakness. You see it here clearly in this story. Three signs that Peter really is weaker than he knows. First of all, there's the sign of spiritual dullness in verse 36. Simon Peter asked him, Lord, where are you going? Jesus just said in verse 33, where I'm going, you cannot come. And Simon Peter's response is, where are you going? Come on, Peter. God Christ has been telling you for months now where he's going. For months he's been making clear that he's going to Jerusalem. He will be arrested. He will be put to death. He will be raised from the dead. And he's going back to the father in heaven. He's told them that plainly time after time after time. Mary got it. Back in chapter 12, remember she had no idea for burial. She knew what was happening. Peter doesn't get it yet. And I admit the other disciples hadn't either. They're too concerned about who's going to be the most important in the kingdom to really listen to what Jesus is saying. Just like us. Spiritually dull. Not really listening to Christ. Not really in his word. Not really grasping what he's telling us. And so we move through life, always figuring out the Lord. What are you doing? What's going on here? Because we've not listened to him enough spiritual dullness. But there's a second mark of Peter's weakness. And that is self confidence. Look at it in verse 37. Peter asked, Lord, why can't I follow you now? I will lay down my life for you. Self confidence. Flashly confidence. Oh, again, you got to admire the guy. He's the first one out of the boat. No one else will do that. He's the first one to grab a sword in the garden. No one else did that. He's the second one at the tomb. Only because he wasn't quite as fast as John. But John lets him go in first. You got to admire the guy. You got to love the guy. But with all that bravado, with all that, I don't back down for anyone. I don't back down for anything. Oh, lay my life down for you. He doesn't realize that's not confidence in Christ. It's not confidence in God. It's just self confidence. It's fleshly and it will leave you weak. You'll make all kinds of boasts that you can't keep when you live in self confidence. He's weak, really. And then the last sign is literally a spiritual weakness. Verse 38, Jesus answered, would you really lay down your life for me? Very truly, I tell you before the rooster crows, you'll disown me three times. Christ calls His bluff. I'll lay down my life for you. Oh, really? Really? Before morning, you'll deny me three times. He showed him how spiritually weak he really was. You see, Peter underestimated how difficult it was to follow Christ. And he overestimated his own strength and ability. Oh, I would never back down for anyone. I would never back down from anything. Yes, you will, Peter. Within 12 hours. You will deny me three times. Interestingly, that silence is Peter. There's no indication he says anything else the rest of the evening. Thomas will ask a question in chapter 14. Philip will ask a question in chapter 14. The other Judas among the disciples will ask a question in chapter 14. Peter never says another word. I think he was stunned, shocked, ashamed, maybe already contemplating his own weakness. He would deny the Lord three times and then he would weep bitterly when he recognized how much all of his bravado came crashing down in the moment of truth. He's weak. He's weak. But I want you to notice Christ's love for the weak. Christ loved him and he loved him in two ways. First of all, he encourages him. You see it there in verse 36. He says, where I'm going, you cannot follow now, but you will follow later. Jesus is always speaking in terms of what we will become, not where we are now. You can't follow now, Peter. It's not possible if you could go to heaven, not possible if you could die with me now, but you will. You will. And what he's saying really by way of encouragement is Peter, you're still acting like Simon. You're still acting in self-confidence and fleshly boldness. But you'll grow Peter and there will come a day when you will lay down your life for me and Peter did. Peter does become that rock. Peter, rock that would stand for Christ. He would die for his Savior. Church tradition tells us that Peter was crucified by the Emperor Nero. He did die for his Lord. So Jesus speaks words of encouragement to him. You're weak right now, Peter, but I know what you're going to be. You know, I'm so thankful for that kind of encouragement. I'm glad God loves me in my weakness and sees me in terms of what he can make of me rather than what I am now. But he also challenged him. Obviously, verse 38, he showed Peter his weakness. All Peter, you're so brave, so confident within a few hours, you'll deny me three times. Challenge him. And I'm glad for that too. I'm glad sometimes when the Lord brings me up short, rebukes me. Says, that was the wrong thing to say. That was the wrong way to act. That was the wrong attitude, John. Aren't you glad he loves us weak as we are? Aren't you glad he still loves us? We all think we're stronger than we are, at least typically we do. Sometimes life, trials, moment of decision calls out our weakness. And I'm so glad that Jesus loves us in those times. I'm glad he encourages us to be who he wants us to be, not stay where we are now. And I'm glad he challenges us, calls our bluff, points out our weakness so that we can learn from it and grow from it. I'm glad that even when we don't live up to our boasts, oh Lord, I'll never do that again. Lord, I promise you this time, I will read my Bible every day. I will pray consistently. Lord, I'll witness to my neighbor, Lord, I'll quit this, I'll get over this, I'll put away this sin in all of our bravado and self-confidence that we're going to do great things for God. And then we fall miserably on our face. I'm glad he still loves us. My friend, he still loves you. No matter what you've done, no matter if you've made him a thousand promises and failed every one of them, he still loves you. And he's still open in his arms for you to come back. God would use Peter greatly out of his weakness. But that love that Jesus has demonstrated becomes a model for us quickly. I want you to see loves model for us in verses 34 and 35. Jesus says, a new command I give you. Love one another as I've loved you so you must love one another. By this, everyone will know that you're my disciples. If you love one another. Notice the command of love. Jesus says a new command I give you. It's not new in time. Leviticus 19, 18, the mosaic law said that you're to love your neighbor as yourself. The command is actually not new in time. It's new in measure. It's new in that now Christ is the example and where to love is he love. And it's new in its object. We're to love not only our neighbor, those close to us, those that may have a need that we can help where to love our enemies like Jesus did. It's new it's a new command in that way in its scope and its measure and in its object. This command of love. But notice the relationship of love. Jesus says three times in verses 34 and 35. Love one another. Love one another. Three times. That's one of those great one another of the New Testament where the focus is on fellow believers. Those who are with us in the body of Christ and Jesus meant this powerfully. You see the Jews had watered down to Leviticus command to where they could say, well, we're commanded to love our neighbor. And they debated about who their neighbor was. That's why Jesus told them the parable that time. The good Samaritan. That's not who they would expect to be a neighbor. They got to choose their neighbors. They got to choose who they loved and who they hated. And Jesus now says not going to be that way. In my body, in my church, which I promise to establish, they're going to be Jews and Gentiles. Whoa, you mean you got to love Gentiles? Yeah. They're going to be people from all social strata, educational backgrounds, financial backgrounds, people from all different walks of life and vocations. And you love one another. You don't get to choose. You don't have to like everybody in the church, but you do have to love everybody. Not everybody's going to be your best friend. Sometimes your personality just don't click. And not everybody's going to be your best friend, but you do. We do have to love one another, which means we will sacrifice for the good of another regardless of who it is, whether they're like me or not, whether they're in my little click or not. Doesn't matter. We love one another. That's the relationship of love. But notice the example of love. Jesus says in verse 34, as I have loved you. So much to your loved one another. He's the example. So it's not just our friends. It's those that are hard to love. It's the Judas of this world. It's the Simon Peters of this world. The people that sometimes you just like to shake your head and roll your eyes out. Not again. Peter, come on. Jesus, love them. Sacrificially giving himself for him for him. It's doing like Jesus said in the sermon on the Mount. Pray for your enemies. Pray for those who, despite fully use you. Love your enemies. And pray for those who, despite fully use you. But then there's the testimony of love also. Verse 35. You see it there by this. Everyone will know that you're my disciples. If you love one another. What is the distinguishing characteristic of a Christ follower? Is it a bumper sticker on the car? No. Is it a fish emblem on your car? No. Is it one of those cleverly marketed bracelets? No. What's the true sign of a believer? Is it the gold cross you wear? No. Is it the big black Bible you carry around in public? No. Nothing wrong with any of those things. But that's not how Jesus said people will see that you're my disciple. They'll see that you're my follower when you exercise this kind of love for others. When you love enemies, everybody knows how to give an enemy a dose of their own medicine, how to strike back at them, how to ratchet up the level just to their level. Everybody knows how to do that. The world does that. The people of the world will see a difference when you reach out in love. When you love the weak, rather than kick them off to the curb. They'll see that you're really my followers. Chuck Swindall tells this story that happened in earlier years of his ministry. He'll let him tell it. He says some time ago, a lady lost her husband and requested that I conduct his funeral. He was an exceptionally good man matched well with this woman. They were the rare sort of couple who constantly thought of ways to bring family, friends, and neighbors to faith in Jesus Christ. As she expressed her desires for the funeral service, she said, I know if my husband were sitting right here, he would agree I want his funeral service to honor Jesus Christ. I have one neighbor in mind especially. We have tried different ways to reach her. We've had her over for dinner. We've given her cassettes, booklets, and other little gifts, but we've never been able to get through to her. I said, okay, let's pray right now that she'll be reached in some way through this whole process so we did. The morning of the funeral, I stopped by to see how this new widow was doing. I was surprised to see her neighbor sitting with her and a steady stream of church members coming and going. Some brought food. Others helped clean the house and did chores that had been left by her husband. One couple offered to drive her anywhere she needed to go and even offered to loan her car. Most just stopped by to share her sorrow and to cry with her. A few days later my phone rang. It was the widow. Sorrow and joy mingled her with inner voice as she spoke. Do you remember the neighbor I told you about? Sure I said. She stayed until everybody else had gone and then she said to me, my what love were all those people members of your family? Her remark became a perfect opportunity for the widow to say, yes, in a different way than what you're thinking. We're all in the same family. What a powerful opportunity than it was an open door to share the gospel that bore fruit. Jesus said people will know that you're my disciples. Not by the Jesus welcome mat at your front door. They'll know you're my disciple if you love one another radical love loves an enemy like Christ did like Louis Sampharene did. Radical love loves the weak like Simon Peter. I question to us as this, do we love the weak? And the harder one do we love our enemies? Do people looking at us know that we're a Christ follower because our heart, our spirit, our attitude is so very different from this world. Let's pray together. Father, thank you that Jesus is our model that he does give us an example of how to love one another even to love our enemies. Father, we pray that we will be characterized by love. Forgive us. Forgive us when we don't love others. Forgive us, Lord Jesus. When we're angry, when we strike out with spiteful and hurtful spirits. Help us to love as you loved. Even when others may kick up their heel against us. Help us to do all we can to reach them, to love them Christ. And when we are weak, help us to love one another. Not to become irritated, frustrated, but to love one another. May we love as Jesus loved. Thank you, Father, for loving us that way. We would not be here this morning if you didn't. Thank you. In Jesus' name, amen.