终极之爱

就在耶稣被捕之前几个小时，祂对门徒们讲了这番话。第二天，也就是我们今天纪念的受难日，耶稣为我们舍了性命。祂甘心死在十字架上，为我们的罪付了代价。

为澄清终极之爱的定义，耶稣补充说：“你们若遵行我所吩咐的，就是我的朋友了。”而祂所吩咐的就是“彼此相爱，正如我爱了你们。”那天晚上一开始，当祂与门徒吃最后晚餐时，耶稣也说了同样的话，叫作新命令（约 13:34）。

我有时会想：“我有一点点这样的爱吗？它到底是什么样子？”

我们每个人都不会想通过为别人死来爱他们。然而，为别人付上时间、金钱，分享我们的恩赐和才干，是爱他们的一个开始。爱不仅仅是友善和有耐心，它还意味着凡事相信，凡事忍耐 (参林前13)。为了感谢耶稣为我们所作的一切，我们愿意尽可能地分享祂的福音。因为正如多特信经提醒我们的，神藉着差遣祂的独生爱子“显明了祂的爱”，好使“我们能靠祂而活”（约一 4:9）。

我们要以耶稣为榜样。祂甘心顺服神的旨意。祂为祂的朋友舍了性命。你视耶稣为朋友吗？

主耶稣，感谢你为了我们将你的生命献上为祭。愿我们的喜乐感恩向他人显明，我们是你的朋友。愿荣耀归给父神。阿们。

9“我爱你们，正如父爱我一样，你们要常在我的爱里。
10你们若遵守我的命令，就常在我的爱里，正如我遵守了我父的命令，常在他的爱里。
11这些事我已经对你们说了，是要叫我的喜乐存在你们心里，并叫你们的喜乐可以满足。
12你们要彼此相爱，像我爱你们一样，这就是我的命令。
13人为朋友舍命，人的爱心没有比这个大的。
14你们若遵行我所吩咐的，就是我的朋友了。
15以后我不再称你们为仆人，因仆人不知道主人所做的事。我乃称你们为朋友，因我从父所听见的，已经都告诉你们了。
16不是你们拣选了我，是我拣选了你们，并且分派你们去结果子，叫你们的果子常存，使你们奉我的名无论向父求什么，他就赐给你们。
17我这样吩咐你们，是要叫你们彼此相爱。

Ultimate Love

“Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.” —John 15:13

英语音频 English Audio

Jesus spoke these words to his disciples just a few hours before he was arrested. And the next day, which we celebrate today as Good Friday, he laid down his life for us all. He gave up his life willingly on the cross to pay the price for our sin.

Jesus clarifies his definition of ultimate love by adding, “You are my friends if you do what I command.” And that command is “Love each other as I have loved you.” Earlier that evening, as he ate his last supper with the disciples, Jesus had said the same thing, calling it a new command (John 13:34).

I sometimes wonder, “Do I have even a beginning of love like that? How does it show?”

Loving others by dying for them is not expected from each of us. But loving others by giving of our time and money and by sharing of our gifts and talents is a start. There’s more involved than being kind and patient. Love always trusts and always perseveres (see 1 Corinthians 13). In our gratitude for all that Jesus has done for us, we want to share his good news wherever we can. For as the Canons of Dort remind us, “God showed his love” by sending his only Son so “that we might live through him” (1 John 4:9).

We look to Jesus as our example. He went willingly and obediently. He laid down his life for his friends. Do you see Jesus as your friend?

Prayer

Lord Jesus, thank you for giving your own life as a sacrifice for ours. May our responses of joy and gratitude show and tell others how we are your friends, to the Father’s glory. Amen.