A New Commandment

Part 2 of a conference address

Our reading (Luke 10.25-37) records how a lawyer had tried to trap Jesus by asking Him, "What shall I do to inherit eternal life?" But Our Lord turned the question back on the Lawyer by asking him; "What is written in the law? How readest thou? And he answering said. Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbour as thyself." Jesus' reply to this answer was: "That's right, now go and do it and you'll live." When he heard our Lord's reply, we can imagine this man saying, "That's all very well. I believe these two things are the most important of the commandments, but, if I'm to obey and keep them, just who is my neighbour?"

Jesus, as He usually did, gave His answer in the form of a story so that the man - and we - could work out the answer for ourselves and so more fully understand what He meant as He told the parable of the Good Samaritan. This parable is a lovely explanation of the law of loving our neighbour as ourselves, without regard to nation, party, colour or any other distinction: and it is also very practical, in that it asks us to say who is our neighbour? It forces us to come to a conclusion about something which, up to that moment, we have probably not thought about. It opens our minds to some portion of God's truth to which, until then we had been blind. In fact you may have noticed that Jesus talks quite a lot about blindness and deafness. But while, in His love and compassion for those who were suffering, He healed the ones who were physically affected in this way, it was with the mental and spiritual blindness and deafness of the people that He was primarily concerned.

Having made us think about the implications of the story it then gives us the answer that our neighbour is anyone who needs our help. However, Jesus doesn't stop there. Now that He's established in our minds just whom we should think of as our neighbour He goes on to ask us "What then is our duty towards him?" The answer to this question is 'concern' but it must be concern which results in help. Concern which remains only as an abstract thought and doesn't result in practical help, is only an emotion and isn't true concern. The parable tells us that practical help must take precedence and tells us that we must help even if the needy one is the author of his own troubles: even if there's a possibility that by helping there might be risk to ourselves.

Neither should we, in helping, consider the cost. When the Samaritan helped the injured man, he put oil on his wounds and left two pence with the innkeeper to pay for his treatment. But, as it has been said, there are many who are willing to play the Samaritan, as long as they do not have to provide the oil and the two pence.

It's amazing how much selfishness and self-interest is instilled in people - and we all can all be guilty of this at times. It's incredible how many excuses they will make to avoid trouble or expense in relieving the difficulties of others. But the true Christian has the law of love written in his heart. The Spirit of Christ dwells in him. With that spirit within us, we won't act like the Priest and the Levite and "pass by on the other side" rather than get involved because it could involve us in some trouble or cause us some inconvenience.

We must always show compassion and to do so is to demonstrate that the Spirit of Christ dwells in us; that the true Christian law of love has been written in our hearts. As Paul wrote to the Colossian church (3. 12-15)"As the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender feelings of mercy, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, long-suffering, forbearing one another and forgiving yourselves, if anyone has a complaint against any. As Christ forgave you, so also you do. And above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfectness. And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which you also are called in one body, and be thankful."

Those who are the elect of God ought to be lowly and compassionate towards all. While we're in this world, where there is so much corruption, quarrels will sometimes arise. But it is our duty to forgive one another: imitating the forgiveness through which we are saved and letting the peace of God rule in our hearts. Frequently throughout our Lord's teaching we find commands, like the one in this parable, or invitations, to which He expected a response: and He expects the same response from us today. He knew that we could be much better than we are, and to Jesus it's a sin to fail to be all that we can be.

He condemns the man who doesn't use his talents. Not that He ever suggests that we all have the same capabilities. What He does say is that we can all make the same efforts to use, to the maximum, whatever ability we do have. It's the failure to make our best efforts that He condemns.

He speaks very strongly against those who fail to show pity. He said, in Matthew 18.23-35, that the unforgiving servant who had received help and pity from his master, to whom he owed a debt that could never be repaid in his lifetime, and then failed to show the same kindness to a fellow servant, who owed him a very small amount, would be condemned.

In another story in Luke 14.16-24 - which tells of a great man who invited people to a supper and when they each made excuses for not accepting his invitation, sent his servants into the highways and byways to invite the poor instead - Jesus shows how, by refusing an invitation, we can lose our invitation to take part in the Great Banquet of the Marriage Supper of the Lamb. Taking this statement by our Lord one step further we must ask ourselves whether this could mean that if we refuse to do something that He's prompting us to do - such as helping someone in need - that we are refusing His invitation? By ignoring His prompting are we turning His invitation down just as much as if we said to Him, "No thank you I don't want to come?"

Peter gave us another reason why we should show love to one another and why we must always be ready, when, in 4.7-8 of his first letter, he gave us the warning that "The end of everything is near; so be sensible and clear-headed for the sake of your prayers. Above all, continue to love each other deeply, because love covers a multitude of sins."

 Peter was writing about the end of the age but our own approaching end is a powerful argument for making us think seriously about everything that we do. There are so many things wrong in each one of us, that unless our love covers, excuses, and forgives in others, the mistakes and faults for which every one needs the forbearance of their fellows, Satan will succeed in his attempts to stir up divisions and discords among us. The adversary wants to cause divisions and disagreements among those who are running for the prize of the High Calling of God in Christ Jesus and no one, or for that matter no group, can be exclusive or separatist. Paul in Romans 12.18 says: "If it is possible, as far as is in you, live in peace with all men." Those who, whether an individual or a group, refuse to live in complete unity with their fellows are, in effect, refusing to live in unity with their King. When we destroy fellowship with one another we've moved, if we follow the simile of the Sheep and the Goats, from Christ's right hand to His left (Matt.25.31-48).

Peter's warning makes the words of our Lord even more urgent because Jesus makes it quite clear that He intends that we should take Him very seriously. There will come a day that brings sad disillusionment for many who only make a profession of doing what He taught, but in reality are doing very little, if they're doing anything at all. It will be doing the things that Jesus taught: practising them in our daily lives, whatever the difficulties, that will count in the final analysis. And in the parable of the wise and foolish builders, found in Matthew 7.24-27, Jesus makes it very plain that it's not one bit of use calling ourselves Christians, unless we practice the things He taught. He says that, if we build our faith on the firm foundation of His words, then nothing can shake or disturb us. On the other hand, when we try to build without the strength of His teaching, then we'll find that, when trouble strikes us, everything in which we've trusted will fall down around our ears and be destroyed.

When He was talking to His disciples, at the Last Supper, John records in 13.34-35 that Jesus said: "I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. As I have loved you, you should also love one another. By this all shall know that you are My disciples, if you have love toward one another." As in Leviticus 19.18, the law said that we're to love our neighbours as ourselves, which means those around us, whether we know them or not, so why should Jesus say it was a new commandment? The first part of verse 35 explains this apparent oddity. Our Lord said, "By this all shall know that you are My disciples." This commandment that He gave them shortly before he was to leave them was to be what we might call 'a badge of discipleship', by which they could be seen and known to be His followers and friends. It was called new, because love for one another had never before been the symbol by which any body of people had been known and distinguished. It was new because, by showing God's love, in the life of Jesus, love had been revised to a completely new standard. He had widened the boundaries of love until there were none who would be left outside. It is in the way that Jesus loves everyone that we must love each other. This commandment was also new in regard to the extent to which this love was to be carried; because he immediately adds, "As I have loved you, that you also love one another." His love for them was strong, continuous and tireless. He was, in a few hours, going to show just how strong was His love for us, His friends, by dying for us so that, as we are told in John 3.16, "all who believe in Him might have eternal life."

We say that we're Christians, therefore we must always be very careful about anything we do, because all that we do is done in the Lord's name. Before we do anything we should ask ourselves whether what we're doing will bring honour or dishonour to His name. We must bear in mind the fact that everyone on earth is an example of something to someone. We all follow examples, and we all set an example for others and whatever we do will be regarded by 'the world' as if it were Jesus Himself doing it. Our personal conduct not only influences others in matters of daily living, but it also incites them towards good or evil behaviour - for Christ or Satan. In the eyes of the world, we represent Him and everything we do or say can either draw people to Jesus or drive them away from Him.

A missionary in India was shown the truth of this when he was speaking to a group of Hindu women. One of them seemed to be very interested in what he was saying and he thought that, in her at least, his message was bearing fruit when, suddenly, he was very surprised and rather disappointed to see her get up and walk away. Some time went by then she returned, sat down, and listened even more intently than before to what he had to say. After he had finished his message the Missionary approached the woman and asked her. "Why did you leave in the middle of what I was talking about?"

"I was so interested in the wonderful things you were saying that they seemed almost too good to be true," she said, "so I went to ask your servant if you live like you teach. He said that you do. So 1 came back to hear more about Jesus."

Jesus is the light of the world, dispelling the darkness of ignorance, superstition and fear. The light shines into our hearts to show us His glory and grace: and through us to bring comfort and hope to a sin-sick world. With this in mind perhaps we should ask ourselves what kind of example we've been exhibiting to others lately? Are we reflecting the light that our Saviour brought into the world or are we hiding it under a bushel? Can people see that we have been with Jesus or should we be trying harder to be the kind of example that will make people want to follow Christ?

Jesus said that those who believe in Him are the "salt of the earth" and as we know salt can make one thirsty. Are we, by our behaviour, causing those around us to thirst for righteousness; for the water of life that has so obviously quenched our thirst; for the streams of Living Water that well up in those who truly believe in Him? Call on Him; ask for His help and His blessing. because if we do, we shall first of all be more likely to avoid doing anything of which we should be ashamed for Him to see and secondly, we will know that we're not alone but have His help and support in our actions.

He died for us, so that all that believe on Him, will have the opportunity of everlasting life. What greater love could be shown to us than that? Isaiah tells us that "God will keep in perfect peace all those who trust in Him and whose thoughts are fixed on Him." (26.3)

So remember the words of Our Lord in our reading from John 13.34. "A new commandment I give unto you, that you love one another; even as I have loved you, that you also love one another." Amen

RJH