What is the greatest need of the church? Some may say that we need better music. Some may say that we need better preaching. Some may say that we need to be more relevant. Some may say that we need to be more outward focused and missional. Others may say that we need to return to the old ways of doing things. Still others may say that we need to establish more regulations to keep things in check. What do you think? What would you say is the greatest need of the church? A better question to ask is, what would Jesus say is the greatest need of the church?
In John 13:31-38 we find Jesus celebrating the Passover with His disciples. He just finished washing the disciples’ feet and revealing that Judas would be the one to betray Him. Now, Jesus gives three basic clarifications. The first clarification that Jesus gives is the glory that He receives. In verses 31-33, Jesus once again alludes to the fact that His time on earth was coming to an end. He will soon die on the cross, rise again, and ascend into Heaven to sit at the right hand of the Father. Jesus looks forward to the glory that He once knew being restored. Jesus also clarifies a new command. In verses 34-35, we learn that this new command is that we love one another. The final clarification is the denial that He experiences. In verses 36-38, Jesus reveals to Peter that he would deny Him three times. One of the pains that Jesus must endure is the disciples who turn their back on Him at the time when He needs them the most.
Of the three clarifications that Jesus gives His disciples, one is most applicable to the church today. The new command that Jesus gives reveals the greatest need of the church, that we love one another. We can debate what we think the greatest need of the church may be. There are many different opinions as to what the church should be doing and the areas the church needs to improve on. There are many admirable projects and goals that we may engage in to meet what we think are the greatest needs. However, the greatest need of the hour is that we love one another. Everything that the church is and everything that the church does hinges on our love for one another. As we examine this great need of the church, there are several things that we should consider.
The Command to Love. There is both an old command to love and a new command to love. The old commandment is reiterated by Jesus in Matthew 22:37-40. “Jesus said to him, You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.”[1] Jesus tells us that if you get the love thing right, then everything else will fall into place. Loving God with everything that is about you and loving your neighbor as you love yourself fulfills all the other commands. In John 13:34, Jesus tells His disciples that He is giving them a new command. This new command to love takes the greatest command of loving God and loving your neighbor to another level. It is a command for the disciples to love one another the same way Jesus loves them. This is the greatest need of the church. That we would love one another the way Jesus loves us. How does Jesus love us? He loves us unconditionally. His love was demonstrated in His death on the cross. He gave Himself for us. His love is also demonstrated in His forgiveness of sin. He forgives us of all our sin and He forgives us completely. To love one another the way Jesus loves us is to give of ourselves for one another. It is also to forgive one another the way Jesus forgives us. Are we obeying the command to love one another the way Jesus loves us? We may say that we do, but does it show by the way we relate to one another?
The Character of Love. What does love look like? How is love practiced? To answer these questions, let us examine 1 Corinthians 13:4-8. “Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails….” [2] The first thing we see concerning the character of love is that love is patient. It is easy for us to get impatient with one another. It is important to understand that we are all at different places in our spiritual journey. Within the church, there are new believers and seasoned believers. There are immature believers and there are mature believers. We also have different backgrounds and experiences that has shaped us to be who we are. Therefore, patience is key in relation to one another. We are all growing and developing at a different pace. None of us ever get to a point where we arrive. Our sanctification process will not be complete until we are with Jesus. Much patience is needed in the life of the church. Such patience with one another is a demonstration of our love for one another.
Secondly, love is kind. It is simply appalling to see Christians treat each other with disrespect. The kindest people on the planet should be Christians. Performing simple acts of kindness toward one another should be commonplace in the house of God. Treating each other kindly should be normal practice among believers.
A third characteristic of love is that love does not envy. To envy is to desire what someone else has rather than being content with God has given you. This goes beyond just possessions. One could envy another’s talents. One could envy another’s position. If you really love someone, you will be happy for them. You will rejoice that God has given them certain gifts that He has not given to you. When you really love someone, you will be proud of them, rather than having envy toward them.
Fourth, love does not parade itself and is not puffed up. This has to do with being prideful and boastful and conceited. Someone who possess a great love for other believers will not seek praise from others. When you have the love of Christ in you and that love is flowing through you; your desire above all else is that God is glorified. When you truly love, you do not need to get any credit. All the credit goes to Jesus. When you have the love of Christ in you and you love other believers, you will seek to elevate others rather than elevate yourself.
Number five, love does not behave rudely. The Holman Christian Bible says that “love does not behave improperly”. When we are living according to the command to love one another, we will behave rightly toward one another. Instead of tearing each other down, we will build each other up. Instead of behaving in a way that frustrates and discourages others, we will behave in a way that encourages one another. Behaving improperly or rudely has no place in the house of God.
A sixth characteristic of love is that love does not seek its own. When the love of Christ is in us and we love one another as Christ loves us, we will not selfishly seek what is best for us. Rather, our desire should be that which is best for the church as a whole. One of the most difficult things in the life of the church is learning that it’s not about us. Everything is not going to be exactly the way you want it to be. For a church to keep its eyes on Jesus and stay true to its mission, it is imperative that there is some give and take. There should be no personal agendas in the church. There should be no secret agendas in the church. We are one family with one mission and one purpose. Therefore, we must not live for own pleasure or for our own agendas. We live to glorify God and advance His Kingdom.
Seventh, love is not provoked and thinks no evil. The NIV says that love is not “easily angered and keeps no record of wrongs.” Have you ever met someone with a short temper and consistently lashes out in anger when they don’t get their way or when something comes against them? My friend, such anger should never be present in the church. Have you met someone who not only is prone to anger, but also keeps a record of wrongs? They struggle to forgive others. They are the type of person that you do not want to get on their bad side, because if you do, they will make life miserable for you. If we are truly living in the love of Christ, we will not treat each other in such a way. Instead, we will treat each other with grace and mercy.
Love also does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth. Those who have the love of Christ in them, find no joy in unrighteous behavior. Rather, they rejoice in the truth of God’s Word. When a church is filled with a love for one another, there is an indescribable joy experienced in living together in obedience to God’s Word.
Ninth, love bears all things. To bear all things is to ‘put up with.’ We all have family members that we have to put up with. As much as they frustrate us, we cannot just disown them. As a church, we are a family. Therefore, we have to bear with one another. We cannot just abandon each other. We cannot just ignore each other. We are all different. We all have different personalities. We all have different ways of looking at things. Such differences may cause frustrations from time to time. However, if we truly love one another, we will look past those things that frustrate us and bear with one another.
A tenth characteristic of love is that love believes and hopes all things. Those who have the love of Christ in them and has love for one another, will be positive. They see the good in all things and they firmly believe that God is working all things for the good. When we are filled with the love of Christ, there is a confident expectation and faith that is firm in the promises of God. In a church where love abounds, the best is always yet to come. The future is bright in a church filled with the love of Christ.
A final characteristic of love is that love never fails. A family of believers that truly loves one another will never give up. Love for one another will stand the test of time. A church where the love of Christ abounds, will stand strong and will never falter.
The Conclusion of Love. Now that we understand the character of love and the command of love, we should also address the conclusion of love. Jesus said in John 13:35, “By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.”[3] Our witness to the world hinges on our love for one another. We must love one another, because a lost and dying world are watching our every move. The manner by which we treat one another will either make or break our witness. The reputation of the church and the furtherance of the Kingdom is a stake. Therefore, we must love one another.
The greatest need of the church is not more money or additional staff or new ministries. The greatest need of the church is love. If we can learn to love one another the way Jesus loves us and if we behave in relation to one another according to the character of love; absolutely nothing can stop the church from fulfilling its mission. It starts and ends with love.
[1] The New King James Version (Mt 22:37–40). (1982). Thomas Nelson.
[2] The New King James Version (1 Co 13:4–8). (1982). Thomas Nelson.
[3] The New King James Version (Jn 13:35). (1982). Thomas Nelson.
Pastor Chris Noland 