Citizens of the Kingdom Value Living Like Their King 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.” John 13:34-35 “18 You shall not take vengeance or bear a grudge against the sons of your own people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself: I am the Lord.” - Leviticus 19:18 The newness comes from HOW we love, not THAT we love. Jesus loved through service 2 During supper, when the devil had already put it into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, to betray him, 3 Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he had come from God and was going back to God, 4 rose from supper. He laid aside his outer garments, and taking a towel, tied it around his waist. 5 Then he poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples’ feet and to wipe them with the towel that was wrapped around him. John 13:2-5 In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also. John 14:2-3 “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” John 14:6 Jesus loves us by Inviting Us In 15 “If you love me, you will keep my commandments. 16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, 17 even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you.” John 14:15-17 18 “I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you.” John 14:18 23 “If anyone loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him. 24 Whoever does not love me does not keep my words. And the word that you hear is not mine but the Father’s who sent me. 25 “These things I have spoken to you while I am still with you. 26 But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you. - John 14:23-26 7 Nevertheless, I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you. - John 16:7 God Within You is Better Than God Beside You Jesus Loves us by Not Leaving Us Alone “I have said these things to you, that in me, you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.” John 16:33 Jesus Loves Us By Entering Our World, Defeating Our World, And therefore Our Securing Peace. “When Jesus had spoken these words, he lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said,…” John 17:1a “...Father, the hour has come; glorify your Son that the Son may glorify you, 2 since you have given him authority over all flesh, to give eternal life to all whom you have given him. 3 And this is eternal life, that they know you, the only true God, and xJesus Christ whom you have sent. 4 I glorified you on earth, having accomplished the work that you gave me to do. 5 And now, Father, glorify me in your own presence with the glory that I had with you before the world existed.” John 17:1b-5 20 “I do not ask for these only, but also for those who will believe in me through their word, 21 that they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me. 22 The glory that you have given me yI have given to them, that they may be one even as we are one, 23 I in them and you in me, that they may become perfectly one, so that the world may know that you sent me and loved them even as you loved me.” John 17:20-23 O righteous Father, even though the world does not know you, I know you, and these know that you have sent me. 26 I made known to them your name, and I will continue to make it known, that the love with which you have loved me may be in them, and I in them.” John 20:25-26 Jesus Loved us by Knowing the Father Jesus loved us by knowing the Father; We Love Others By First Loving Jesus. Jesus Loved us by entering into our world, defeating our world, and securing our peace: We love others by living in Jesus’ peace, following Jesus’ commands, and entering into the world of others. Jesus loves us by not leaving us alone; We Love Others By striving to be a church where no one walks alone. Jesus loved us by inviting us in; we love others by inviting them in. Jesus loved us through serving us; we love by serving others.