Today’s reading ends with one of those passages that looks like part of an idea that John just wanted to slide in there...Jesus has told the disciples that where he is going they cannot go, and then we see Peter press Him on this a little, saying that he wants to go too.  John writes that Jesus tells Peter, in verse 38, “Truly, truly, I say to you, the rooster will not crow until you have denied me three times.”

Of course, we know what happens, after Jesus’ death, Peter and the disciples are scrambling and trying to make sense of the situation, and Peter is pointed out on several instances and people are asking if this is the same guy that was seen with Jesus routinely, and of course Peter denies it...3 times, at which point a rooster immediately crows.  It is the parlor trick Jesus...a small little sign that Jesus set up as another point of proof as to His identity, and John didn’t miss a chance to capture it here.

But what really stands out to me is the section immediately preceding that, verses 34-35...I am going to read them, as these are 2 of the most important verses in all of the New Testament in my opinion.

Now, remember the context, Jesus has JUST washed the disciples’ feet, which we know from yesterday is something really only a slave would do in this time.   He has now called out Judas as being the betrayer, and Judas has now fled the scene...with freshly cleaned feet.  Jesus is about to be carried off for His torturous death.  AND, we have already studied another of the key passes from John, back in chapter 8, verses 31-32: “...If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free” - meaning, we know Jesus values following over believing, and that in following, believing can happen.  So, with that context, Jesus drops these two verses on them:

“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.  By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”

This is a HUGE command from Jesus.  The take away is this...living as a Christian, living as a Jesus follower in today’s culture, in all cultures, for all time, is about one primary thing...love.  If I were judged ONLY on that metric by God, right here and now, is that an assessment that would put me in a favorable light?  Hmmm...that’s rough.  And notice what Jesus didn’t say, He didn’t say, “Love the people that are easy to love”, and He didn’t say, “Love the people who haven’t yet offended you”, and He didn’t say, “Love the people who love you back”...what He did say is, “Love as I have loved”, which is really convicting because He loved Judas who handed Him over to be strung up on a cross until He died...that’s way worse than my friend who won’t call me back, or won’t respond to my text messages, or that ticked me off with what he did and so I wrote him off...Jesus tells us to love as He loved.  AND, from yesterday, we get a key piece of wisdom to help with this, or at least it helps me sometimes; it is this idea that loving that friend is really an act of worship.

Today, I am going to love...I am not exactly sure what that will look like, but I am going to try for that.  I am going to TELL people that I love them explicitly, for one thing...beyond that, hopefully God will move me and guide me.  And, as I do that, I will lob up little prayers to remind myself that this is my worship, that I loving THEM because God loved ME first.