Transformed Relationships Transforming Love Transformed Relationships Key Scriptures: John 13:33-35: By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” (NIV)

Transforming Love Key Themes: God’s desire is that we embrace a Great Commandment identity of love and a Great Commission passion. This love and passion comes through the process of spiritual transformation. The result of spiritual transformation is transformed relationships.

Transforming Love The United Bible Society tells a story of a Sudanese woman named Tabitha Kenyi. And as a schoolgirl, she wanted to go to church. But as she was born in a traditional Sudanese family, she could not. Her brothers told her that going to church would prevent her from achieving the level she needed to achieve in order to pass her school exams. If she did not pass, she could not go to “senior school” and then her future would be in doubt. So she did not go. Tabitha eventually passed her exams, and went to university. There, she did not read her Bible, pray, or attend church. While at university she also worked at a sugar factory, and in that time a number of her friends Came down ill and died. This led her to question her own mortality and eternal state of her soul. It was at this point, the miracle occurred. She had a dream. In it, her sister took her to a party where Tabitha became unhappy and desired to Return home. For some reason, in the dream, Tabitha knew the party was not a good place to be, so she went home alone, without her sister. On her walk to the house, she says, some people came to attack her. She started running scared, fleeing her attackers. At this point in the dream, Jesus came to her. He said, “I have been looking for you for a long time…I wanted to be with you, for you to be my partner.” Still, in the dream, Tabitha walked away, until she came to a wide, deep river. Again, Jesus showed up, and took her to the other side of the river, safe. When she awoke, the dream was real and lucid in her mind. She immediately knelt down and prayed. Then she opened her Bible to Mark 11.14, the parable of the fig tree. She did not understand the passage, but later a Christian student at the university opened God’s Word and explained it to her. Christ entered Tabitha’s heart and today she is a Christ-follower. One of the verses that impacts Tabitha is John 15.16: “You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear much fruit, the kind of fruit that endures to the end.” Wouldn’t you like to know and understand what “appointment” God has for you?

Transforming Love I. “My little children”— This phrase introduces us to the tenderness of Christ and the gentle way He interacts with His followers (John 13:33). Christ’s own betrayal and torment were only hours away and yet in this passage, we see that He is thinking of others. In fact, Jesus answers some essential questions that the disciples don’t even know to ask! His love for us is like that too. He provides for us, often before we even know our needs.

Transforming Love II. “A new commandment I give to you”— This phrase answers the question: Who is Jesus? He is God! In a day of religious confusion and the painful lie of universalism, Jesus still boldly declares that He is God. He is the Alpha and Omega, the One who died but is alive forevermore (Revelation 1:17-18). Following Christ means we are called to lovingly relate to the God-man, Jesus.

Transforming Love III. “As I have loved you …”— This part of the passage answers the question: Who am I? I am the beloved of God! My worth is not determined by what I know or what I have done. Our secure identity is found in the declaration of the young disciple, John. He identified himself as, “the disciple whom Jesus loved (John 1:23). Apparently John came to embrace the wonder of this truth; he was confident of his identity as God’s beloved.

Transforming Love IV. “Love one another … by this the world will know …”— These words of Christ answer the question: Why am I here?—To love other people so that the world will be drawn to Jesus! Christ gives us our life direction. He lets us know that: • We are here to share His life and love with those nearest to us (our Jerusalem). • We are here to share His life and love with those of the “household of faith” (our Judea). • We are here to share His life and love with those in our circles of influence and local communities (our Samaria). • We are here to share His life and love as we “go and make disciples of all nations.”