We are continuing to talk about the purpose of the church, which is to love one another. Jesus said to His disciples, “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” (John 13:34-35). We need to understand how Jesus loved His disciples if we are going to fulfil this purpose and love as Jesus loves.

Last week, we talked about how much Jesus loved us because of what He was willing to give up for us. He gave up heaven and being with the Father (John 1:1,14). He gave up the reputation of being equal with the Father and “emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant” (Phil 2:7). He gave up the fact that He could not be tempted as God (James 1:13). He gave up independence to learn obedience (Heb. 5:8-9). He gave up His very life to die for sinners (Rom. 5:7-9). Why was He willing to give up all these immeasurable characteristics of God to become human? Because He loves us, and without His sacrifices, we could not be saved from our sin, which separates us from Him (Isa. 59:1-2).

Today, we are going to continue talking about the love Jesus has for us! He loves us so much that not only was He willing to give up immensurable characteristics of being God to become human, He sought out the lost and made it His purpose to save them. “For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost” (Luke 19:10). Jesus did not just wait for the lost to find Him; His love for them caused Him to seek them.

If we want to follow His command to “love one another, as I have loved you,” we must seek out the lost as Jesus has commanded us. “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you” (Matt. 28:19-20). If we want to demonstrate the love that Jesus had for His disciples, we cannot wait for the lost to come to us; we must go to them, because love recognizes the urgency of the tremendous need mankind has of the gospel (1 Cor. 15:1-11).

Jesus understood the urgency of teaching the message of God to lost souls because of the brevity of life. “For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away” (James 4:14b).

Jesus understood the urgency of teaching the message of God to lost souls, because it is the only message that could save them. “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes” (Rom. 1:16).

Jesus understood the urgency of teaching the message of God because it is the only message that tells of Him. “Philip found Nathanael and said to him ‘We have found Him of who Moses in the law, and also the prophets, wrote—Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph’ (John 1:45).

Jesus understood the urgency of teaching the message, because He understood that He is the only way to the Father. “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me” (John 14:6).

Jesus understood the urgency of teaching the message, because He knows the only way through Him to the Father is by faith in Him (Heb. 11:6), which comes by hearing His Word (Rom. 10:17). So, His love for humanity caused Him to seek out the lost to bring them to God.

If we are to love one another as Jesus loves us, we must seek out the lost and take them the message of God. If we are not willing to do this, we cannot love as Jesus loved nor fulfill the purpose of the church.

Just something to consider.