The Love Command

Did you Know? 

• Jesus’ friends here are His twelve disciples.
• All of God’s commands are summed up in the command to love.
• Jesus taught about love right before He died to show He loved His friends.

The Meaning of the Story

We become God’s friends by saying we are sorry for the wrong things we have done. Often these wrong things hurt other people. We have not loved people as we should. But God forgives us because He loves us.

What should we do next? How should we live as God’s friends? Since God loves us, we should love each other. What does it mean to love one another? Jesus’ own life was the example. In a few hours, Jesus would die for His friends. He would give up his life so they could have the best life. That is love. Love is doing for others what you would like them to do for you.

Jesus taught His friends that when they love one another, they will be really happy. We find true happiness when we do things for other people. Jesus was happy because He always loved and obeyed His Heavenly Father.

Who is Jesus?

God is powerful and wise and faithful, and just. But above all else, God is love. Jesus is God’s son. What is true about God is true about Jesus. So, Jesus is love.

Jesus was the best teacher. A good teacher lives out what he teaches. We do not listen to a teacher who says one thing and does something else. Jesus spent His life helping those in need and commanded us to love others like that. His greatest act of love was dying for us so we could live forever.

Thinking about the Story 

1. How many times is the word ‘love’ or ‘loving’ used in this story?
2. What is love?
3. What is true happiness?
4. How do we find true happiness?
5. Has someone ever died for you?
6. How has God shown that he loves you?