By Rev. Debra Jene Collum
Chatfield United Methodist
On May 18 the texts that were read in many churches were from John chapter 13 and Revelation chapter 21. Both passages spoke to a new thing. In Revelation God says: “Look, I am making everything new.” In John, Jesus says, “I give you a new commandment, love each other as I have loved you.”
As I read these verses in context and contrast, I was struck by the powerful words of promise and by what was happening as Jesus gave a new commandment.
Jesus gives this new commandment after Judas left the room.
As I prepared to preach on these passages, my breath was taken away. Jesus gives his commandment to love as he loves us in the midst of the terror of knowing that his life is in danger. In the horror of knowing that one who followed him for three years is going to betray him. Judas was on his way to sell Jesus’ life to the authorities.
That does not sound like a worldly wise leadership model to me. In our current way of modeling leadership, what Jesus should have said would be along the lines of: “My advise to you all? Watch your backs.” “Trust no one.” “You may think they are friends, but they probably aren’t.”
Yet, as Judas walks out the door, Jesus says, God is going to be glorified. And here is how it will happen: You all love each other in the same way I love you.
I truly believe that if Judas had waited three more days he would have been in the upper room with the disciples and heard the same words the others heard, “Peace be with you.” It grieves me to know that Judas took his life before he experienced the deep, deep love of Jesus.
That doesn’t have to be our fate, however.
We can live into the new commandment that Jesus spoke because we can be those who know that God loves us. Completely, freely, gracefully, even when we are tempted to walk out the door into the darkness of betrayal.
So what does this have to do with the new life promised in Revelation? Well, what if, that new life is directly tied into the new commandment that Jesus speaks? What if this new thing that God is making isn’t going to come with a great triumphant cataclysmic moment? What if it is happening every time one person loves someone in the same way Jesus loves us?
What if the new heaven and new earth is within the reach of all of us as we take seriously the love Jesus models? What if the words we pray, “Your kingdom come on earth as it is in heaven” isn’t an idle wish?
It isn’t easy to get over a betrayal. I am having to do this over and over again in this chaotic time. People I thought were friends aren’t, people who used to talk to me don’t, people who I thought were reasonable are hurtful. I must remember the image of Jesus watching his betrayer go into the darkness while he speaks the new commandment, “Love as I have loved you.”
That seems to me to be the only way we will get through this time. Finding those moments when love can win out. We are not Jesus. But we are called to be like him. We need to give ourselves as much grace as Jesus gives us. And we need to give ourselves as much courage as Jesus showed for others. Then maybe God will be able to “make all things new.” Then maybe there will be a future for this tired old world. I can’t imagine it could be otherwise. I really do think it is up to Love and our willingness to Love beyond what we think is possible.
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