The 11th Commandment

THE ELEVENTH COMMANDMENT 

Setting

How many of you have given your children the ‘Grand Lecture’ before leaving them in the house alone, whether it’s just for an hour or two while you go shopping or for a longer period when you went on holiday? You know what I mean, don’t you? “Don’t have wild parties! Don’t wreck the house! Don’t forget to keep the house clean! Don’t upset the neighbours!” It’s probably one of the most important speeches you make as a parent, I reckon. And of course, the children always listen, don’t they? And they always obey every word of every instruction to the letter, don’t they? You leave them a set of instructions to follow and as soon as you are out of sight, the instructions are out of mind.

I reckon it’s not too different for us today, as Christians. We have heard just moments ago, what is probably one of the most important messages left by Jesus, if not the most important, and yet as soon as he is out of sight, we forget the instructions he left us. It is the last night before Jesus goes to Calvary. One of his disciples, Judas, has just left to put the wheels of betrayal in motion and Jesus remains with the other eleven. It will be his last night with them and he sets about leaving them a message, a mission if you like, a purpose and a reason as to why they must continue after He has gone.

So what is this great message or set of instructions that Jesus wants to leave with his disciples during these last few precious moments? First of all, he tells them that he has glorified God and is about to be glorified by God. He sets the background in verses 31-32: When Judas had left, Jesus said, “Now the Son of Man is glorified and God is glorified in him. If God is glorified in him, God will glorify the Son in himself, and will glorify him at once.

Secondly, he tells them in verse 33 that he must go on a journey and that they will not be able to go with him. He must make this journey alone. “My children, I will be with you only a little longer. You will look for me, and just as I told the Jews, so I tell you now: Where I am going, you cannot come.

Lastly, and most importantly, having set the background, and warned them that he is leaving, before he leaves them, he must give them something that will serve to guide them on their own subsequent journeys. In other words, he may have fulfilled his purpose and be heading on the last lap of his journey, but this is not the end for them. They have not yet come to the end of their journey; in fact, their real journey is just about to start if you like. In verses 34-35, Jesus gives his disciples a new commandment! 

“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”

That's right! Jesus, on the last night of his life, gave the disciples a new commandment to be honoured and kept. The giving of this commandment was made even more important by the fact that it is one of the last teachings Jesus gave them. And what is that new commandment? Three simple words: Love one another. Most of us, if not all, will have used or heard these words in our communion services – “On the night in which He was betrayed, Jesus, took bread, gave thanks, broke it and gave it to His disciples.” We may do well to remember this “On the night in which He was betrayed, Jesus, took bread – the word from God, gave thanks and gave it to His disciples.” When we remember what Jesus did for us, we need to remember also what He commanded us to do, for Him, for each other. 

The Significance of the New Commandment

What is the significance of Jesus giving a new commandment? Well the significance is found in Jewish history. It was at the very beginning of the Jewish nation that God gave Moses the Ten Commandments. These Ten Commandments were to serve as the foundation for all the other laws and regulations given to Israel. And Moses was given one of the highest places in Jewish history because he became known as "the lawgiver." When Jesus, then, proceeds to give a "new commandment," he is placing himself above Moses, as the new lawgiver. In effect, his new commandment becomes the Eleventh Commandment! If we compare the events surrounding the giving of the ten Commandments and the Eleventh Commandment, there’s a few interesting things we should notice. First of all, the Ten Commandments were given by God to Moses (Israel's leader). The Eleventh Commandment was given by Jesus (God in the flesh) to the disciples (the movement's soon-to-be leaders). Second, God's promise to the nation of Israel was that if they faithfully kept these commandments God would treasure them as his nation and they would become a kingdom  of priests and a holy nation (Exodus 19:5-6). Jesus' promise to the disciples was that if they faithfully kept this commandment, all people would know that they were his disciples (John 13:35). Third, the Israelites' response was to become impatient and frustrated and to make another god (Exodus 32). The disciples' response was to get sidetracked and miss the point. Peter focused, not on the giving of the new commandment, but on the earlier statement about Jesus going on a journey that they could not follow.

The Church Has Become Sidetracked Through the Ages

This same response, that of getting sidetracked, has become a recurring pattern for the Christian Church throughout the ages. How many times have Christians fought Christians down through history? Killed Christians? Burned, starved, hunted, tortured, and mutilated Christians? What do people in the community think of our church as a family of God? Do they see us, as a congregation and as individuals, living out the Eleventh Commandment? By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” You have to note that the focus here with the words of Jesus is on disciples loving disciples, on Christians loving Christians, not Christians loving the world in general. This is not a general call to love everyone but a more basic step. After all, a church cannot effectively reach out with the gospel for very long if its members don't love one another first. 

In this new commandment, Jesus is not simply repeating the ‘second great commandment’ which says “Love your neighbour as yourself” which implies loving the whole of mankind, He is saying “Love one another – stop hating each other, stop dividing the church with labels, LOVE ONE ANOTHER! If you can manage to do that one simple thing, you will be setting an example for others to follow, for the non-believers, for the seekers, for the lost sheep. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” The Jews lived and died by the Ten Commandments.  Why don't Christians live and die by the Eleventh Commandment? Is it any less binding? Is it any less important? Remember, it was given by God through Christ and it was to be  the sign to the world that Christians were God's people and the people of his kingdom.

We Can Live the Eleventh Commandment

"Love one another." These are the simple and brief words of Jesus that make up the Eleventh Commandment. And just as simple and brief are Jesus' instructions on how to carry it out in our lives. Jesus said: "As I have loved you, you also should love one another". In other words, Jesus tells the disciples, "Just do as I did to you." Do you see the direct link to Micah 6:8? “He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God”. “Love each other as I have loved you.” How did Jesus love the disciples? Jesus loved the disciples in at least three ways.

Sacrifice: Jesus loved the disciples by making sacrifices for them. He sacrificed his time, his energy, his emotions, his schedule, his family, his privacy, even his life. If we are to live out the Eleventh Commandment and love one another, then we will also have to make sacrifices for one another. In order to love one another we will have to sacrifice our time, energy, emotions, schedules, families, privacy, maybe even our lives for one another. These sacrifices may need to be made in order to visit the sick or hurting, help others with a problem, or responding when called on in an emergency. Remember, this call to love one another and therefore call to sacrifice for one another is for all disciples, not just the ministers.

Sharing: Jesus loved the disciples by sharing himself with them. He listened to their fears, he cried in their pain, he laughed in their joy. He prayed with them and for them. He gently showed them their sin and helped them onto the right path. Jesus shared who he was with them. He opened himself up to them. If we are to live out the Eleventh Commandment and love one another, then we will also have to share ourselves with one another. In order to love one another, we will have to share other people’s pain and laughter, gently point out faults and then forgive, seek forgiveness when wrong, and open up ourselves to others. In other words, we need to be genuine and real with others, not phony. This sharing may be required when comforting the bereaved, celebrating another's achievement, confessing a specific sin and asking for forgiveness, or privately going to another to express concerns about the way they are living.

Service: Jesus loved the disciples by serving them. He called them to follow him, became their master and teacher, and then proceeded to serve them. Earlier in chapter 13 the Son of God was washing the disciples' feet! If we are to live out the Eleventh Commandment and love one another, then we will also have to serve one another. That means no matter who you are in the church, you are never too good or too mighty, too important or too wealthy or too educated, too old or too young to serve anyone else in the church. If the Son of God can serve men and women of all kinds then so can you. How do we love one another as Jesus loved? We sacrifice for one another, share ourselves with one another, and serve one another. Are the situations different in our times? Maybe in the details and the names, but not in general. 

Are there disciples who need to be sacrificed for? Are there disciples who need someone to share their burden? Are there disciples who need to be served? If yes, then there are opportunities for you and me to love one another. Trust yourselves and your instincts to do the right thing. God has been with you: teaching, guiding, loving, encouraging. Now go and love one another. 

In the name of Christ. Amen