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Jan 31, 2021

New Year, New Us

New Year, New Us

Passage: John 13:31-35

Speaker: Andrew Kerhoulas

Series: All Things New

Keywords: new commandment, the love of christ, love for one another, public witness

With the onset of a new year, we long for all kinds of new things. The particular kind of newness Jesus has for his people is to love one another as he loved us. The commandment he gave all those years ago is still freshly needed in our age riven with hatred and acrimony. Standing out for love is part of his calling on our lives in this new year.

Order of Worship

PRE SERVICE: John 13:34
PRAYER: The Love of Jesus (The Valley of Vision)
CALL TO WORSHIP: From Matthew 22:37, Mark 12:30-31, Luke 10:27, Deuteronomy 6:5
OLD TESTAMENT READING: Hosea 6:1-6
MESSAGE TITLE: “New Year, New Us”
CENTRAL TEXT: John 13:31-35
CONFESSION OF FAITH: “The Apostles’ Creed”
BENEDICTION: 2 Corinthians 13:14
POST SERVICE: John 13:35

Readings & Scripture

RE SERVICE: John 13:34
34 A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another.

PRAYER: The Love of Jesus (The Valley of Vision)
ALL: O great God, sender of Christ. Help us to approach Thee with deepest reverence,
Not with presumption. Not with fear but with holy boldness. Thou art beyond the grasp of our understanding, but not beyond that of Your love.

Our hearts melt at the love of Jesus. We are never so known as we’re known in Him.
All lost yet gained when lost unto Him

Let the mighty tide of His everlasting love; cover the rocks of our sin and care;
Making us fruitful by living to that love. Overflowing to our brothers, sisters, neighbors.
Continually transformed with the beauty of Christ.

O Divine Spirit work in us the rest of the Gospel
Compel us in gratitude to holiness and good works.

CALL TO WORSHIP: (From Matthew 22:37, Mark 12:30-31, Luke 10:27, Deuteronomy 6:5)
LEADER: God has called us into worship
ALL: We are called to love with all our heart and soul
LEADER: God has called us into worship
ALL: We are called to love with all our mind and strength
LEADER: God has called us into worship
ALL: And we are called to love our neighbor as ourselves.
LEADER: Come, let us love our God and share God’s love in this time of worship!
ALL: Amen!

OLD TESTAMENT READING: Hosea 6:1-6
“Come, let us return to the Lord; for he has torn us, that he may heal us; he has struck us down, and he will bind us up. 2 After two days he will revive us; on the third day he will raise us up, that we may live before him. 3 Let us know; let us press on to know the Lord; his going out is sure as the dawn; he will come to us as the showers, as the spring rains that water the earth.”
4 What shall I do with you, O Ephraim? What shall I do with you, O Judah? Your love is like a morning cloud, like the dew that goes early away. 5 Therefore I have hewn them by the prophets;
I have slain them by the words of my mouth, and my judgment goes forth as the light. 6 For I desire steadfast love and not sacrifice, the knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings.

CENTRAL TEXT: John 13:31-35
31 When [Judas] had gone out, Jesus said, “Now is the Son of Man glorified, and God is glorified in him. 32 If God is glorified in him, God will also glorify him in himself, and glorify him at once. 33 Little children, yet a little while I am with you. You will seek me, and just as I said to the Jews, so now I also say to you, ‘Where I am going you cannot come.’ 34 A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. 35 By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”

CONFESSION OF FAITH: “The Apostles’ Creed”
ALL: I believe in God the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth.
And in Jesus Christ his only Son our Lord; who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead, and buried; he descended into hell; the third day he rose again from the dead; he ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of God the Father Almighty; from there he shall come to judge the quick and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit; the holy universal Church; the communion of saints; the forgiveness of sins; the resurrection of the body; and the life everlasting. AMEN.

BENEDICTION: 2 Corinthians 13:14
May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all. Amen.

POST SERVICE: John 13:35
35 By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”

ADDITIONAL SCRIPTURES:

  • Leviticus 19:18
  • Deut 6:1-6
  • Hosea 6:4
  • Matt. 5:43-44
  • John 14:15-21
  • John 15:12-17
  • Romans 12:9-21
  • 1 Cor 10:24
  • 1 John 4:7-12

ILLUSTRATIONS:

1.31.21 Album

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:

  1. How does the setting of a commandment change the way it’s received? What is the setting for Jesus’ new commandment?
  2. What’s new about Jesus’ commandment? How does it relate to Leviticus 19:18 (“Love your neighbor as yourself”)?
  3. What obstacles keep us from listening to Jesus about loving one another? Are there any discordant relationships in which you functionally believe Jesus cannot help you?
  4. What resources do we have in the gospel to love one another as Christ has loved us?

OTHER RESOURCES: