All you need is love...

Connect with the story of Jesus last meal in John 13.1-17, 31b-35

The question: “Why is his night so different from all other nights?


Why are we going back to the beginning?”


The answer: “So as not to forget who we are – to see and recognise and believe that we are people”. Every other night we go our own way, but tonight we are all together in one place”.


“Because we were slaves but we have been called to freedom. Because we have been rescued in order to come together.


Because we are called to freedom on this night”.


‘Because this is the story of our liberation’.


In the room where they celebrate the Passover together Jesus shocks his followers in undertaking the lowliest role and as a slave he washes and dries their feet. There is no hierarchy in The Kingdom of God only service given in love,


Jesus washes the feet of his betrayer knowing he will soon be handed over to his enemies by Judas his disciple. The lesson is poignant - Jesus is making it clear that he is the Servant Lord, and the implication is that we too must become servants of this Servant Lord and servants of the rest of humanity.


‘Now the Son of Man is glorified. And God is glorified in him’.


Glory is a word used for triumphant warriors who defeat their enemies. Jesus is not seeking to defeat enemies, for he is taking the sins of the world upon himself. The meaning of glory is to be held in good opinion, to be invested with radiance, praised and honoured. Jesus takes on the weight of this world’s sin and misery to create a new life and new opportunities for all of humankind.


Jesus gives this disciples in the upper room a new commandment:-


‘That you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another”.


Love is the alpha and omega of discipleship;


as the Training of The Twelve Apostles begins:

“There are two ways, one of life and one of death:


The way of life is this:


You will love the God who made you


You will love your neighbour as yourself”.


Brian O'Neill, South East Manchester Group