To Encourage You

John 21:20 “. . . the disciple whom Jesus loved . . .”

One of the thoughts that I had as I reflected on John’s description of himself in the phrase from John 21:20 above, was that although this was an expression that was unique to the apostle John, it could have been used by any of the disciples, for Jesus loved each of them just as much as He loved John.  Shockingly, it could have even been used by Judas, who betrayed Him.  Jesus had washed each of the disciples’ feet, including Judas’, the very night Judas went off to betray Him.  Judas was there throughout Jesus’ entire earthly ministry. Just as Jesus had lived with, taught, prayed for, fed, and protected the other disciples, He had done the same for Judas.  Jesus’ sacrificial love was demonstrated to all. 

Jesus had demonstrated with His own life His teaching from Luke 6, where He had said “If you love those who love you, what benefit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them. And if you do good to those who do good to you, what benefit is that to you? For even sinners do the same.And if you lend to those from whom you expect to receive, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, to get back the same amount. But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return, and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, for he is kind to the ungrateful and the evil.”  And then these similar words from the Sermon on the Mount from Matthew 5: “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? And if you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.” 

Yet, despite the incredible love and patience that Jesus had demonstrated toward Judas, Judas spurned that love, turned his back on this One Who was Love Incarnate, and walked away. Thus, it will be for so many – in fact most, in the end.  Jesus warned that there is a narrow way that leads to life that very few are on, and there is a broad way that leads to destruction, that, sadly, many, indeed most, are on. That broad way is the way of Judas – the way of those who were benefactors of the love of God in this life, to only turn against Him because they loved themselves and loved their own sin rather than the God Who had loved them. 

It was while we were yet sinners that Christ died for us (Romans 5:8).  Yes, “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners” (1 Timothy 1:14), which describes every one of us, including Paul, who wrote these words, while describing himself as the very worst.  Sadly, many will spurn that great love and follow Judas’ example rather than John’s.  So, what about you? Do you see yourself as “a disciple whom Jesus loved?”  or are you rejecting that love for something you think it better?  Are you blind to your own fate and sin?  That’s the choice before each and every one of us: either receive the great love of God, like John did, or reject it, which was the way of Judas.  It will be one or the other as time will tell.  But time is something that we do not control – so why wait?  In the words of Paul, one who received the great love of Christ towards him in spite of his great sin: “Behold, now is the favorable time; behold, now is the day of salvation” (2 Corinthians 6:2).