June 6 - 1 John 2:7-8. New Command

June 6 - 1 John 2:7-8. New Command

Dear friends, I am not writing you a new command but an old one, which you have had since the beginning. This old command is the message you have heard. Yet I am writing you a new command; its truth is seen in him and in you, because the darkness is passing and the true light is already shining.

John told us in 1 John 1:5-7 that God is light.  Now he begins to tell us what it means to live in that light.

So far, we have learned that we need to stop sinning and that we need to obey.  These things are important.  Even more important is that we are to imitate Jesus Christ and learn about love.  As we move through this letter from John, we will find that he emphasizes love more than anything else.

Love is as old as creation.  But, Jesus says, in John 13:34: “A new commandment I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.”  This is the new command about which John is writing.

Have you seen the Oreos commercials lately where children bring plates of Oreos into stressful situations?  Everyone in the room lights up.  Their faces are transformed by the simple gift of these children.

I watch the same thing happen when small children come into a room filled with adults.  Everyone senses the love their parents have and everything stops for just a moment.  It happens with puppies and kittens, too.  Why? Because there is unconditional love that simply emanates from children and animals.  Love lights up a room.

I wrote about light on June 2 – Jesus brought light to a darkened world.  He is the true light and he is already shining … he shines through each of us.

Jesus’ love lights up the world.