The greatest of these is Love!

(1Corinthians 13:13)   “So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love.”

The beloved Disciple John, was as history suggests, the only Apostle not to get martyred. He died from natural causes on the Island Patmos after being imprisoned for his love for Christ and obedience to God’s call upon his life. I often wonder why he escaped the torment of such cruel deaths the others faced; Peter crucified upside down, James beaten, stoned and then clubbed to death. With all the others being martyred, but not John, why? We know that he is referred to as the “beloved disciple”, the one who had a place reserved for him, his ear given permission to listen to the heartbeat of God in the flesh, he would at times rest his head on the Lord Jesus’ chest; “Then Peter, turning about, seeth the disciple whom Jesus loved following; which also leaned on his breast at supper…” (John 21:20)   

This is how the Lord Jesus viewed john; “When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to his mother, "Woman, behold, your son!"” (John 19:26) 

There was a special place for him and that was very close to the Lord’s heart, there is no other mention of any of the other disciples nestled in the arms of the Lord. John seemed to love more than the others. A verse that comes to mind when I think about the Apostle John is this; “You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart.” (Jeremiah 29:13): - I am not for one minute suggesting that the other disciples were not sold out for the Lord; they obviously were, why else would someone die for their cause. But even the Lord Jesus whilst he hung upon that cruel cross looked at his earthly mother, Mary and it is recorded interestingly by John himself that he was the disciple whom Jesus loved. Love the greatest of all virtues!

Faith will eventually run its course, hope will no longer be needed but love will endure forever; “So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love.” (1Corinthians 13:13)   

I believe even though John made his mistakes, he understood better that all the others that because God is love, he too loved! He understood the greatest of the entire commandments; "This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.” (John 15:12)  

Do you remember this account? It was a time when all the disciples had lost hope, the Lord Jesus had been crucified and they all went back fishing, they return to their old lifestyles as their hope had dwindled. Both Peter and John were guilty as charged, but Peter is singled out, in fact it upsets Simon Peter and gets him to point a finger at John, but the Lord turns to Peter and seems ignores Johns transgression. John knew he was wrong and never needed to be told, Peter on the other hand was deal with severely. I wonder does the understanding of love play its part, I would suggest that it most certainly does!

Here is the account; “He said to him the third time, "Simon, son of John, do you love me?" Peter was grieved because he said to him the third time, "Do you love me?" and he said to him, "Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you." Jesus said to him, "Feed my sheep. Truly, truly, I say to you, when you were young, you used to dress yourself and walk wherever you wanted, but when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and another will dress you and carry you where you do not want to go." (This he said to show by what kind of death he was to glorify God.) And after saying this he said to him, "Follow me." Peter turned and saw the disciple whom Jesus loved following them, the one who had been reclining at table close to him and had said, "Lord, who is it that is going to betray you?" When Peter saw him, he said to Jesus, "Lord, what about this man?" Jesus said to him, "If it is my will that he remain until I come, what is that to you? You follow me!" So the saying spread abroad among the brothers that this disciple was not to die; yet Jesus did not say to him that he was not to die, but, "If it is my will that he remain until I come, what is that to you?"” (John 21:17-23)

John was a disciple that embraced love like no other and we know that there are days ahead that will leave many waxing cold in love; “And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold.” (Matthew 24:12)

May we learn from John and fight for the love amongst the brethren with all our might’s. God help us to lay down our lives for one another as the love of many will wax cold, but may we resolve to be amongst the number that hold onto it, Amen!

Signing off

Tyrone