ICS Daily Devotions
Love Nourishes the Body
John 13:34-35 A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.”
Jesus loved us unconditionally, and commanded us to love one another as He loves us. He came with an attitude of creating and developing relationships, making reconciliations and restorations and graciously embracing and loving us unconditionally, even though He knew we are sinners. He came to build trust and covenantal relationships with us. Therefore, we should aim to do the same with our fellow believers in the church.
John 15:13-15 Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends. You are My friends if you do whatever I command you. I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you.
The use of the word “friend” in this context is not referring to a platonic friend, but instead someone who truly loves the person like a covenantal partner. A covenantal partner is a person closer than a sibling, and would never think of doing something that will bring harm to the other person in the covenant. This relationship can be through a marriage covenant between a couple or a brotherly covenant between two friends, such as the one between David and Jonathan, where one always wants the best for the covenantal partner.
According to the Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology, the highest level of friendship contains the components of association and loyalty along with affection, such as the friendship between David and Jonathan. This kind of friendship refers to a covenantal relationship, where each person is willing to lay down his life for one another. It is a kind of friendship that’s build on trust through a period of time.
Proverbs 18:24 A man who has friends must himself be friendly, But there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.
Jesus laid down His life for us on the cross of Calvary. He took our filthy rags of sin and self-righteousness and gave us the gift of righteousness through His death. We can trust Him because He showed us love, and gave His life in exchange to establish friendship and sonship for us. We are in a covenantal relationship with God through the blood of Jesus Christ. We are God’s friends.
We should do the same with the friendships we have created and developed in church. The genuine love and concern we have for one another while taking the time to journey together and minister to one another will attract more people and grow the Body of Christ. Let us use love and nourish the Body.
Sermon Series: CG Campaign – Spiritual Gifts Can Help Your Church Grow
