1 John 2:1-17
For those of you who’ve been around long enough, you may remember New Coke. In 1985 the Coca-Cola Company came up with what to this day is considered the biggest marketing blunder in American consumer product history. At the time, Coke was the undisputed champ in the raging cola wars between them and Pepsi. For some unknown reason, despite riding that wave, the powers that be at Coke decided to shelve their market winning formula and change to a “new” “improved” Coke flavor. Most people, upon trying the New Coke found it to taste more like a poor copy of Pepsi and in no time the bosses at Coke were forced to eat crow and humbly restore the original formula.
Like Coca Cola, in the Old Testament, God establishes a formula for love, His most important product. From the time of Adam and Eve God instructs His creation to love one another as He loves. Sadly, that love is many times limited by manmade divisions, political, religious and cultural. Then of course Jesus comes along and although He doesn’t make a “new” love, He does change the standard. Love now has a new formula.
In 1 John 2:7-8, John writes this.
Dear friends, I am not writing a new commandment for you; rather it is an old one you have had from the very beginning. This old commandment—to love one another—is the same message you heard before. Yet it is also new. Jesus lived the truth of this commandment, and you also are living it. For the darkness is disappearing, and the true light is already shining.
That light of course is Jesus and in John’s Gospel, 13:34 Jesus rolls out this new standard relating to the establishment of love. He says this, “So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, love each other.”
What’s new here is Jesus’ directive that love should no longer be impeded by people’s prejudices – political, racial, or social. Everyone is meant to embrace the truth that we are all created in God’s image, meaning that we are all worthy of love. Jesus took the concept of loving one another and kicked it up a notch. And it’s worth noting that Jesus isn’t making a suggestion here, it’s a command. Meaning that He intends for it to be obeyed. And John warns us in his letter that if we claim to love Jesus, but harbor hatred towards someone else, we’re liars. We aren’t really living in the light of Christ. Instead, we’re blinded by darkness and Jesus will not dwell where hate has control.
Listen…Jesus loved His betrayer Judas as much as He loved John. He loved Pilate, He loved the chief priests, the scribes and Pharisees who beat Him and hung Him on a cross. He loves you and me. In spite of our ongoing proclivity to reject Him.
We are living in a time and place where hatred seems to permeate every corner of our lives and that’s disappointing, disillusioning and discouraging. But as believers in Jesus Christ, it’s incumbent upon all of us to remind this broken world that the only thing that can overcome consuming hate is the Precious Blood. And if we as believers aren’t taking hold of that calling, who will?
as a people we incite hatred. We create deep divisions among ourselves based on everything from skin color to social standing to who we think God loves most. But…Jesus isn’t present in any of that. No matter how good it feels to beat whatever drum we’re beating. Again, Jesus’ command is succinct, to the point and clear. Love each other. Just as I have loved you (and continue to love you, by the way) you love each other.”
You want to know the key to revival and a new, worldwide spiritual awakening, there it is. As John goes on to state, “…this world is fading away and along with everything that people crave. But anyone who does what pleases God will live forever.” Amen!