In Matthew 22, the Sadducees had tried to trap Jesus with a question and failed. The Pharisees then decided to give it a try. They asked Him which one out of all the commandments was the greatest. In verses 37-40, Jesus replied, “‘You must love the LORD your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. A second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ The entire law and all the demands of the prophets are based on these two commandments” (NLT). They agreed with Him on that answer. If you love others the way you love yourself, you won’t break any of the other ones.
During the Last Supper, Jesus got up from the table, put on an apron and washed the disciples’ feet. Of course Peter objected and was then corrected. Afterwards, in John 13:34 Jesus said, “So I give you now a new commandment: Love each other just as much as I have loved you” (TPT). I find it interesting that He gave a new commandment that was slightly different than the first one. Instead of loving others the way we love ourselves, we should love others the way He loves us. Jesus was saying His love for us was greater than our own love for ourselves. He was also pointing out how He demonstrated that love. In all three commandments mentioned here, the love produces behaviors in the individual.
Think of His behavior that night. Knowing that Judas was about to betray Him, Peter was about to deny Him and the others were going to run away in His darkest hour, His love for them still reached for a towel. More than that, His love gave Him the strength to endure a night of torture and ultimately dying for each of their sins. Even after the resurrection, He went to all of them with the purpose of restoring the relationship. Loving others the way Jesus loved us is definitely more than we love ourselves. It’s a love that fulfills your end of the relationship, pushes through in even the hardest time and reaches out to restore others. It’s when we demonstrate this kind of love, the one greater than self love, that others will know that we are truly His disciples.
Photo by Emmanuel Phaeton on Unsplash
Devotions by Chris Hendrix 
“His love for them still reached for a towel.” Yes! Luckily, we don’t know what’s truly in the hearts of others, but Jesus did (and does) and, like you said, His priority is restoring relationships. Like when he reinstated Peter, Christ didn’t berate him for his failings, He simply said, “Do you love me more than these?” With God, it’s always about the relationship! Blessings, brother.
Amen! I was thinking about this post and began thinking how He would have restored Judas too having been given the opportunity. Love so amazing, so divine, it demands my soul, my life, my all. Thanks!
Agreed. It was Judas who chose not to be restored. Jesus would have forgiven and restored him also. Sadly, he could not live with what he had done.
Hello Chris
I believe Judas, as being termed “son of perdition” was never to be “restored” as he was never a child of God, but had been prepared for the task he completed as was profesised.
John 17:12 “While I was with them, I protected and preserved them by Your name, the name You gave Me. Not one of them has been lost, except the son of perdition, so that the Scripture would be fulfilled.”
Perdition: Original: ἀπώλεια
Transliteration: apōleia
Phonetic: ap-o’-li-a
Thayer Definition:
destroying, utter destruction of vessels a perishing, ruin, destructionof money the destruction which consists of eternal misery in hell
Romans 9: 21 Does not the potter have the right to make from the same lump of clay one vessel for special occasions and another for common use? 22 What if God, intending to show His wrath and make His power known, bore with great patience the vessels of His wrath, prepared for destruction?
But Praise God for granting us salvation through Christ Jesus!
Thank you for sharing all this. My thoughts were that none of us have sinned greater than His ability to forgive and restore. His desire has always been that none should be lost. Each of us have a choice to accept or reject that Grace. Clearly Judas would have rejected it, but I believe the offer for forgiveness would have been on the table. Thanks again for your insight and wisdom.
Hello Chris I appreciate there are generally two perceptions of soteriology, and it seems we hold different perspective on this matter, however I believe God’s perspective on this and many other matters may not be fully known by us until we are with Him. I did a study recently which you’re welcome to read at :
https://rememberthebereans.wordpress.com/2020/03/29/all-men-to-be-saved-1timothy-24-2-peter-39/
Although I hold strongly to my perception of soteriology being fully the choice of God… (takes more than a page of text to cover the full persoective.) I continue to appreciate and fellowship with numerous fellow saints who hold to the other perception.
Kind regards
Your brother
Andy
Hello Chris
Thanks for sharing your study, I especially appreciated “Knowing that Judas was about to betray Him, Peter was about to deny Him and the others were going to run away in His darkest hour, His love for them still reached for a towel.”
Love has to have practical application and that’s likely to be a humiliating action. What an amazing act to be accomplished by our Lord, the same One spoken of in Revelation 19 ” 15 And from His mouth proceeds a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations, and He will rule them with an iron scepter. He treads the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God the Almighty. 16 And He has a name written on His robe and on His thigh: KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS.
This is our saviour Lord of Lords who came in humility to save us and teach us the will of the Father! May He grant us daily to be conformed to His image.
Thank you. Love definitely has practical application. I like to think of James 2:15-16 as an example for us. “For example, if a brother or sister in the faith is poorly clothed and hungry and you leave them saying, “Good-bye. I hope you stay warm and have plenty to eat,” but you don’t provide them with a coat or even a cup of soup, what good is your faith?”
Thanks Chris,
That’s worth thinking on and applying!
If I have faith that God will supply my needs, then I’ll be generous in giving of my possessions just as He is generous to me!
Not waiting till He gives me a “reasonable margin” above perceived comfort level before sharing of what I have that’s only above that level.
Wow I’ve opened my mouth now… now to apply it.
That’s always the hardest part. I’m with you in this endeavor.