Loving Like He Loves – Love Has Come
Love Has Come That We Might Love Like He Loved
Together Church | Pastor Jerry Wells
January 4, 2026 | Series: Love Has Come
Introduction
This morning, I want us to take a fresh look at this commandment.
John 13:34-35
34 A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another.
35 By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.”
NKJV
Body
First of all, let’s take a fresh look at the Greek word that is translated love in this commandment.
- The meaning of the word love.
John 13:34-35
34 A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another.
35 By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.” NKJV
The English word love in verse 34 and verse 35 comes from the Greek word agape. To the Greek philosophers, agape just meant to have affection for someone or to show regard for someone.
But Jesus and His apostles gave new meaning to the word.
They defined agape as a decision to sacrifice yourself to serve the wellbeing of others despite how you feel or what you desire.
They defined Agape as a selfless, sacrificial, and unconditional kind of love; a love that persists even when it is undeserved and unreturned.
Agape means…
- Choice, not impulse.
- Action, not sentiment.
- Sacrifice, not self-interest.
Rooted in character and not human emotion.
Jesus and the apostles used this Greek word agape to describe God’s love for humanity.
John 3:16-17
16 For God so loved(agape) the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.
17 For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.
NKJV
1 John 4:9
9 In this the love(agape) of God was manifested toward us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him.
NKJV
God decided to sacrifice Himself to serve our wellbeing.
- His decision was selfless-He had nothing to gain that He needed.
- His decision was sacrificial-He sacrificed Himself in ways that we cannot fully comprehend.
- His decision was unconditional-His decision was not based on our performance.
He decided to give us what we do not deserve, His love, to save us from what we do deserve, His wrath!
The apostle John also used agape to describe God’s nature.
I John 4:16 And we have known and believed the love(agape) that God has for us. God is love(agape)….
NKJV
John was saying…
Agape is God’s character!
God’s decision to love comes from who He is!
And finally, Jesus and the apostles used agape to describe the kind of love He wants us to have for one another.
John 13:34-35
34 A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another.
35 By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.”
NKJV
The story of the good Samaritan perfectly illustrates what it means to love others like this.
Luke 10:25-37
25 And behold, a certain lawyer stood up and tested Him, saying, “Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?” 26 He said to him, “What is written in the law? What is your reading of it?” 27 So he answered and said, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind,’ and ‘your neighbor as yourself.'” 28 And He said to him, “You have answered rightly; do this and you will live.” 29 But he, wanting to justify himself, said to Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?” 30 Then Jesus answered and said: “A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves, who stripped him of his clothing, wounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead. 31 Now by chance a certain priest came down that road. And when he saw him, he passed by on the other side. 32 Likewise a Levite, when he arrived at the place, came and looked, and passed by on the other side. 33 But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was. And when he saw him, he had compassion. 34 So he went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine; and he set him on his own animal, brought him to an inn, and took care of him. 35 On the next day, when he departed, he took out two denarii, gave them to the innkeeper, and said to him, ‘Take care of him; and whatever more you spend, when I come again, I will repay you.’ 36 So which of these three do you think was neighbor to him who fell among the thieves?” 37 And he said, “He who showed mercy on him.” Then Jesus said to him, “Go and do likewise.”
NKJV
And that brings us to the next aspect of our fresh look at this commandment, and that is the object of our love.
- The object of our love is one another.
John 13:34-35
34 A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another.
35 By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.” NKJV
Jesus said love one another 3 times in verses 34 and 35. When Jesus gave this commandment, it was less than 24 hours before His death. He and His 12 disciples had eaten the Passover meal together. During that meal, Jesus introduced them to what we call the Lord’s supper. And then after the meal, He washed their feet.
He then told them one of them would betray him and shortly thereafter, Judas left to carry out his mission. Jesus gave this commandment to the 11 remaining disciples. They knew that this one another was their fellow disciples who were sitting around that table. They were each other’s one another.
And ever since that moment in that room, the church of Jesus understood that this kind of love is the way that Jesus wanted the people in His church to relate to one another.
And that brings us to the third aspect of our fresh look at this commandment, and it is the example of love for one another that Jesus left us to follow.
- The example of love for one another that Jesus left us to follow.
John 13:34-35
34 A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another.
35 By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.” NKJV
The example is JESUS! Enough said!
- Jesus demonstrated this kind of love by emptying Himself and entering our world.
He called His disciples to empty themselves and enter each other’s world.
- Jesus demonstrated this kind of love by the way He responded to those who disagreed with Him.
He called His disciples to respond in the same way when they had disagreements.
- Jesus demonstrated this kind of love by the way He cared for the poor, the broken, and the outcast.
He called His disciples to care for one another when life went sideways for one of them.
- Jesus demonstrated this kind of love to His unfaithful and disloyal disciples.
He called His disciples to have this kind of love when one of them went off the rails.
- Jesus demonstrated this kind of love by dying for His enemies and all undeserving sinners.
He called His disciples to have this kind of love by working together to love the lost that were not members of their number.
If we want to know what this kind of love looks like in Christ’s church, Jesus said, I am your example!
Conclusion
Observations
- After 95 years, Together Church, aka Western Hills Baptist church still exists in this community because there has always been a core group of members who have had this kind of love for one another.
It is difficult for a church to grow that has limited resources. This kind of love is our greatest resource.
- God appoints leaders to facilitate acts of love in His church.
- It is the power of the Holy Spirit that produces this kind of love in the church.
Applications
- To love this way, you must be born again of the Spirit of God.
If there is a single command of Jesus that should bring us to the end ourselves, it is this command.
This is why Jesus said to Nicodemus, unless one is born again, He cannot see the Kingdom of God.
John 3:3
3 Jesus answered and said to him, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” NKJV
The power to love like Jesus commanded us to love is only in this new birth!
When the disciples of Jesus received the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost, they experienced this new birth. The result in them was they loved one another as Christ had loved them.
Here is what this kind of love looked like in the early church.
Acts 2:44-47
44 Now all who believed were together, and had all things in common,
45 and sold their possessions and goods, and divided them among all, as anyone had need.
46 So continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they ate their food with gladness and simplicity of heart,
47 praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved.
NKJV
Becoming a disciple of Jesus is much more than being saved from the wrath of God.
Becoming a disciple of Jesus is receiving the Holy Spirit and experiencing a new birth that gives you the divine ability to love as Christ has loved you.
- We need more members who are committed to having this kind of love for one another in our church.
The larger the core group grows, the stronger our church becomes.
- We need more leaders who will help facilitate this love in our church.
Invitation
In this room there are only two kinds of people.
There are those who have not received the Holy Spirit and have not been born again.
There are those who have received the Holy Spirit and have been born again.
There are those who are of the seed of Adam.
There are those who are of the seed of Jesus Christ.
There are those who are not children of God.
There are those who are children of God.
There are those who do not have the divine ability to love others as Christ has loved you.
There are those who are born again of the Spirit of God and have that power.
Paul was very clear about the fruit of the Holy Spirit if He is in us.
Galatians 5:22-24
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
23 gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.
24 And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.
NKJV
He was also very clear about what this kind of love looks like in a disciple of Jesus.
1 Corinthians 13:4-8
4 Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant
5 or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful;
6 it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth.
7 Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.
8 Love never ends.
ESV
Have you been born again of the Spirit of God?
If you have not been born again of the Spirit of God, what is the problem?
- Is it intellectual questions you have about Jesus?
Please go talk to someone who can help you with your questions.
- Is it your belief that you are a good person who does not deserve the judgment of God for your sin?
Is it your belief that your good works will justify your sins to a Holy God?
Use the Word of God as your mirror and take a good look at yourself. Don’t let your pride deceive you and keep you from being born again of God’s Spirit.
- Is it something you love that you do not want to give up?
Is it a sin that you enjoy? Is it a sinful relationship?
Are you going to sacrifice knowing the love of God for something you enjoy or something that only can bring you temporary pleasure? Please do not make that foolish choice to trade the pleasures of this world for the Kingdom of God.
- Is it your desire to be your own Lord?
How is that working out for you?
- Is it your belief that when you die, you will cease to exist?
Is that a risk worth taking?
If you are going to love like Jesus loved, you must be born again. Why wait? Repent of your sin and ask Jesus to save you from your sins and be your Lord. He always does what He promises to do.
If you know you have been born again of the Spirit of God, are you willing to join the core group of this church that has made this commitment to obey this commandment and love one another?
If you know you have been born again of the Spirit of God, is God calling you to be a leader in this church who helps lead our members to love one another?