The Apostle of Love (John) – Luke 6:14

John 13:34 – I am giving you a new commandment, that you love one another; just as I have loved you, that you also love one another.

In today’s text, we explore the person and faith of the Apostle John. Apart from the Apostle Paul, who wrote 13 books in the New Testament, John wrote the second most books in the Bible: the dominant theme being God’s love. Three major loves of John were for Jesus, the truth, and the church.

The Apostle John’s love for Jesus Christ
John’s love and affection for Jesus was clear and it is no wonder that he was known as the disciple whom Jesus loved (Jn. 13:23). The scene played out for us in Luke 6 describes the intimacy between John and Jesus. The context demonstrated the contrast between John and Judas who would betray Jesus. Another example of John’s love for Jesus is shown at the news of Jesus disappearing from his tomb (Jn. 20:4). John and Peter were the first to run towards the tomb, John outrunning Peter, which implies his passion and interest in the Lord. Further, even though the risen Lord looked different in his outer appearance, John is the first disciple to realize it is Jesus when He appears before the disciples by the sea (Jn. 21:7). John’s love for Jesus was superior to his love for anyone else because he believed in his heart that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God (Jn. 20:31).

Do we love Jesus in the same way John demonstrated? Do we personally recognize Jesus is God and love him with a supreme love having believed (Phil. 3:7-8)? In other words, do we have value and treasure Christ above all else? Love for Christ is following and obeying Him as a result of treasuring the Lord in our hearts.

The Apostle John’s love for truth
John emphasized love and truth in his writings. John learned truth from Jesus as He was full of grace and truth (Jn. 1:14b). The best way Jesus showed grace and truth was showing who God the Father was, the law, and His atonement (i.e., Jesus’ death on the cross – propitiation of our sins). Jesus, being God, is the truth and clearly stated, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father except through Me” (Jn. 14:6). As John loved Jesus, he loved truth. We, too, must love God and love truth. Truth is the difference between salvation and perishing. Therefore, Christians must stand up for the truth at all costs for the glory of God and the gospel of Christ.

The Apostle John’s love for the church
The third major love that is evident in John’s life and his writings is his love for the church. John loved the church as he showed his love to the church by commanding them to love Christ above all. John instructed the church to love God, not love the world or the things in the world, and to demonstrate their love for God in a life of ongoing obedience and sanctification.

Biblical love is not sentimental, but it is rather willingness. Therefore, the church should grow in love for the Lord and one another. Of the many ‘one another’ commands Jesus gave to the church; love is supreme as the church was built on love. The way church members love each other is the way Christ loved. Jesus’ love was ongoing, practical and unconditional. Christians are able to love the way Jesus loved because the Spirit enables us to do so.

What drove John to love Christ, truth and the church? “We love because He first loved us (1 Jn. 4:19)”. Without Jesus no one knows what love is.  God did not spare His own Son but delivered Him for us all (Rom. 8:32). What we can take away from John’s life revealed in the pages of Scripture is that he kept on loving until the very end.