Live for Jesus
Opening Prayer
Loving Jesus, help me consider my relationships with others today. Enable me to share Your love with those I know and love.
Read John 13:31-38
[31] When he was gone, Jesus said, “Now the Son of Man is glorified and God is glorified in him. [32] If God is glorified in him, God will glorify the Son in himself, and will glorify him at once. [33] “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 tell you now: Where I am going, you cannot come. [34] “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. [35] By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” [36] Simon Peter asked him, “Lord, where are you going?” Jesus replied, “Where I am going, you cannot follow now, but you will follow later.” [37] Peter asked, “Lord, why can’t I follow you now? I will lay down my life for you.” [38] Then Jesus answered, “Will you really lay down your life for me? Very truly I tell you, before the rooster crows, you will disown me three times! Scripture taken from the THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION, NIV Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Reflect
How does Jesus set the bar higher for Kingdom living?Lovers often declare, “I would die for you!” yet too many marriages are in trouble today because such ardent professions of love are not backed up by a readiness to live for the other in self-giving, self-sacrificial love. Jesus tells his disciples, “A new command I give you…” (34). The command to love was nothing new, dating back to Old Testament times where God had commanded, “Love your neighbor as yourself” (Lev. 19:18). What’s new was the way Jesus wanted them to love: “As I have loved you…” (34b); and this new way of loving was modeled by Jesus when he clothed himself in the garment of a slave and bent low over his disciples’ feet. “Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends” (15:13). It was not only by his death that Jesus laid down his life for his friends, but also by a life of loving service. Jesus lived for them before he died for them. Peter promptly professed his readiness to die for Jesus (37) yet failed to back up his brave words with bold action. As Jesus predicted (38), Peter would soon deny even knowing Jesus. Are you willing to die for Jesus? Will you begin by living for him?
Apply
What does living for Jesus mean in your home and in your workplace, your neighborhood, your church, and your circle of friends?
Closing prayer
Lord, give me a willing spirit to share Your teaching with others. Give me words that clearly tell them what You mean to me.
Click here to sign up to receive the EXTRAs via email each quarter.
© 2024 Scripture Union U.S.A. All rights reserved. Reproduction of the whole or any part of the contents without written permission is prohibited.
Discovery is published in the USA under license from Scripture Union England and Wales, Trinity House, Opal Court, Opal Drive, Fox Milne, Milton Keynes, MK15 0DF.