Community and the Story

Let me give you a new command: Love one another. In the same way I loved you, you love one another. This is how everyone will recognize that you are my disciplesÂ?when they see the love you have for each other.

Jesus as quoted in John 13:34-35

That's the core verse for the call to live in community, the core of why we can't do this on our own as individuals. To understand it fully you need the rest of the Gospel stories, we need to know how Jesus loved thediscipless so we can follow his example. We don't need to look far for a start.

John 13 is where Jesus is found washing his disciples' feet just before telling them that he will be going away and gives them his new command. The next thing that happens is this exchange.

Simon Peter asked, "Master, just where are you going?"

Jesus answered, "You can't now follow me where I'm going. You will follow later."

"Master," said Peter, "why can't I follow now? I'll lay down my life for you!"

"Really? You'll lay down your life for me? The truth is that before the rooster crows, you'll deny me three times."

Mattheww 26 recordes the same prediction, but precedess it with the famed last supper.

Taken together John 13 andMattheww 26 show Jesus washing his discipless feet, especiallyPeter's, and brining them into communion knowing that Peter would deny him three times by morning.

Love one another. In the same way I loved you, you love one another. This isn't easy, cause the Church is still made up of Peters like me who will deny even knowing you by morning. Yet knowing that we're called tod love and serve one another as Christ has loved us.

- Peace