Love as Jesus loved

“This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.”

Reflection:
In this verse, Jesus calls His followers to a radical kind of love—one that mirrors His own sacrificial and unconditional love. For Lutherans, this commandment is not a burden we bear alone but flows from the grace and love we have first received in Christ.

Luther often taught that faith in Christ naturally produces love for our neighbor. Just as the vine nourishes its branches, Jesus nourishes us so that His love might flow through us. His love is the perfect example: He laid down His life for sinners, forgiving us, serving us, and restoring us to the Father. As recipients of this boundless love, we are empowered by the Holy Spirit to love one another, not to earn God’s favor, but as a response to His grace.

This love is not abstract; it is practical and self-giving. It means forgiving those who wrong us, serving those in need, and putting the interests of others before our own. As we abide in Christ, we are transformed to reflect His love in our words and deeds.

Application:

• Reflect on how Christ has loved you—sacrificially, unconditionally, and faithfully—and let this inspire your love for others.
• Consider ways you can show love to someone in your life today, especially someone who may be difficult to love.
• Pray for the Holy Spirit to strengthen you in fulfilling this commandment, recognizing that it is God’s love working through you.

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, You have shown me perfect love through Your life, death, and resurrection. Help me to abide in that love and share it with others as You have commanded. By Your Spirit, teach me to love selflessly and sacrificially, forgiving as You have forgiven me. May my life reflect Your grace and bring glory to the Father. In Your name, Amen.