By Daniel Darling

John 13:31-38

What does a good Christian look like?

Does he have a nice haircut?

Does he have the right Bible version?

Does he do all the things he’s supposed to do and not do the things he’s not supposed to do?

What is the one thing that will cause the world to stand up and say, “That person knows Jesus.”?

Maybe we should ask Jesus Himself? He said this to his disciples: “They will know you are my disciples by your love for one another.”

Love is the calling card of the Christian. And by love, Jesus didn’t mean warm and fuzzy, Hollywood romantic love. Not that romantic love is bad.

Jesus didn’t even mean really good friendships among people who have a lot in common. Not that this is bad either.

Jesus meant something entirely different. It’s not hard to be romantically interested in someone. It’s also not hard to maintain a friendship with someone who genuinely loves you back.

But Jesus’ love, supernatural love, is a different kind of love all together. Jesus demonstrated this love by leaving the throne of Heaven and going to the cross.

This love is sacrificial. This love is personal. This love is forgiving. This love takes the first step. This love is not a natural, easy love. This love is hard.

It’s also rare. Even among Christians, you rarely see this kind of authentic, humble, selfless behavior. That’s because it’s not something that can be generated based on personality or experience. It can only come from Christ.

In Galatians we read that this is not a work we do on our own, it’s a work of the Spirit. So how do we get and show Christ-like love?

By sitting at the feet of Jesus. By basking in His love for us. By letting go of ourselves and letting the Spirit have His way.

Jesus said this kind of love is so powerful; it causes the world to sit up and take notice. So the question is this.

Do you have Jesus’ love in you? Do you treat other believers with this agape love? IF not, maybe you need to spend more time with Jesus, so His love can move through you to others.

John 13:31-38 (New International Version)

31When he was gone, Jesus said, "Now is the Son of Man glorified and God is glorified in him. 32If God is glorified in him,[a] 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. 35By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another."

36Simon Peter asked him, "Lord, where are you going?"

Jesus replied, "Where I am going, you cannot follow now, but you will follow later."

37Peter asked, "Lord, why can't I follow you now? I will lay down my life for you."

38Then Jesus answered, "Will you really lay down your life for me? I tell you the truth, before the rooster crows, you will disown me three times!