Day 1118: The mark of discipleship - John 13 vs 31 - 37

31 When he had gone out, Jesus said, “Now is the Son of Man glorified, and God is glorified in him. If God is glorified in him, God will also glorify him in himself, and glorify him at once. 33 Little children, yet a little while I am with you. You will seek me, and just as I said to the Jews, so now I also say to you, ‘Where I am going you cannot come.’ 34 A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. 35 By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”

36 Simon Peter said to him, “Lord, where are you going?” Jesus answered him, “Where I am going you cannot follow me now, but you will follow afterwards.” 37 Peter said to him, “Lord, why can I not follow you now? I will lay down my life for you.”Jesus answered, “Will you lay down your life for me? Truly, truly, I say to you, the cock will not crow till you have denied me three times. John 13 vs 31-37 English standard Version

With Judas having left to carry out his deed, the die was cast. Christ was on the last stretch of the journey to Calvary. But what does He say of it? “Now is the Son of Man glorified - and God is glorified in Him.“ It seems that He knew that it was necessary that He should suffer the experience of the cross, and enter into His glory?” (Luke 24:26)

We see this earlier in His life, and at a time when the disciples were beginning to realize who He was. Having asked who the people said He was, He then asked them. Peter answered: “You are the Christ.” And He strictly charged them to tell no one about Him. And then we read “He began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things - and be rejected by the elders and the chief priests and the scribes and be killed - and after three days rise again.” (Mark 8:31)

We see Christ's tender compassion in calling His disciples 'little children', and He repeats what He'd said to the Jews, that they could not follow Him where He was going. But Peter was vehement in assuring Jesus that he would die for Him. In the incident from Mark's gospel, Peter took Jesus aside and began to rebuke Him for saying He must ‘suffer many things’. But turning, and seeing His disciples, Jesus rebuked Peter and said,“Get behind me, Satan! For you are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of man.” (Mark 8:33) So too now, Jesus tells Peter how He would shortly deny Him three times. Truly, as Proverbs 27:1 says, we should not boast about tomorrow, for we don't know what a day might bring.

Peter had interrupted the Lord who’d just given them a most important truth. What was this truth? (vs 34)

It was the commandment that they were to love one another. These disciples who'd quarrelled as to who would be the greatest, and who would all shortly flee when He was arrested . . . were to love one another. And this love was to be the same sort of love Jesus had just shown them by washing their feet. And very soon, He would demonstrate how great His love was by going to the cross for their sins.

Paul puts this love like this. “While we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. For one will scarcely die for a righteous person - though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die - but God shows His love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:6-8) What does Jesus say would be the outcome if we begin to love one another with this sort of love? (vs 35)

Everyone would see and know that we are disciples of Jesus. This is the distinguishing mark which Jesus gave. It's not miracles or mighty works, for even false professors might do those. But it's a genuine love for Christ's flock. A love that tells the truth even to a friend, such as Christ did to Peter. A love that humbly puts the needs of others ahead of our own. “By this we know love, that He laid down His life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers. But if anyone has the world's goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God's love abide in him? Little children, let us not love in word or talk - but in deed and in truth.” (1 John 3:16-18)