The 21 Day Experiment - Day 13: The Proof of Devotion

by Marilynn Chadwick

By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another. John 13:35 (NIV)

New! Don't you just love the sound of that word? New songs, new homes, new seasons, new beginnings. Each kind of new carries its own special magic. New comes with a promise to erase the past. New comes without baggage or wear and tear. New seems so...well…easy. That is, at first. Then, reality sets in. New must be maintained. And eventually, new becomes old. New becomes worn. Because new cannot last.

"A new command, I give you" Jesus tells his disciples (v. 34). Can you imagine how they perked up their ears? They had seen him do amazing things. And now, he had something new for them. Wonder what it was? Would it promise power, or glory, or greatness?

The word translated new in this passage means "novel, fresh, unused." It points to something previously unknown, unprecedented, never before known to exist." So just what was this new command? Jesus simply says: "Love one another." (v. 34) What? That’s it? Any good Jew knew love was commanded. Loving God. Loving one’s neighbor (Leviticus 19:18). What was new or novel about that?

But let’s look at the context. Jesus had just given the disciples a hands-on lesson on servanthood by washing their feet. Rather shocking, since foot-washing was a task reserved for the lowliest servant—something akin to scrubbing toilets. Why would the King of Kings stoop that low? While the commandment to love was not new, to love as demonstrated by the self-sacrifice of Jesus was unprecedented.

Self-sacrifice. Laying down one's life for another. Serving in a way that costs something. Becoming less than so someone else can be greater. This kind of love never goes out of style. Never wears out. Never fails.

I've been pondering the weight of this “new” commandment. It’s my watchword for today: “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another” (vv. 34-35).

I’m not sure I fully grasp all that it means, but I know this love is costly. Maybe it means serving in secret so someone else can shine. Or sacrificing my "want to" for the sake of another.

This much I do know. It starts at home. With my husband and children. If I can't live out this new command where no one is watching, nothing else matters. Jesus tells us that as we do these things, we will be "blessed" (v. 17). But even greater is his promise that when we dare to love in this new way, "all men will know that you are my disciples..." (v. 35).

Friends, this is your witness today...your testimony. Your willingness to follow this new command. Would you dare to love one another? Let's begin at home. There's a hurting and broken world out there that's watching.

If you're interested in learning more about the 21 Day Experiment, please visit momentsofhopechurch.org/books to request a copy of Sometimes He Whispers, Sometimes He Roars by Marilynn Chadwick.

The 21 Day Experiment - Day 12: The Praise That Matters Most

by Marilynn Chadwick

For they loved human praise more than praise from God. John 12:43 (NIV)

Who doesn't like to be affirmed? I know I do. And I have yet to meet a child who doesn't respond better to praise than criticism. But the desire for praise can be a liability when it comes to our faith. My commitment to follow Jesus often brings me face-to-face with a hard choice. Will I speak and act in ways that win praise from people or from God? Sometimes, it's impossible to have the respect and admiration of both.

Praise comes from the Greek word doxa, which means "honor, respect, prestige, fame, or approval." In John 12, we see that despite the controversy surrounding Jesus, many religious leaders had come to believe in him. But they wouldn't openly acknowledge their faith to the religious "in-crowd," for fear they would be put out of the synagogue (v. 42).

The next verse challenges me to take a look at my own motives. It’s my watchword today:“For they loved human praise more than praise from God” (v. 43). The Message Bible paraphrases the same verse this way: “When push came to shove, they cared more for human approval than for God’s glory.”

Ouch! Any approval-addicts out there? Ask yourself this question: “Do I say or do things that make me look good in the eyes of those around me or in the eyes of God?”

Some time ago, I sensed the Holy Spirit nudging me to approach the topic of abortion with a friend. She’s intelligent and has strong opinions—but we have very different views on this volatile subject. So, I prayed and took a step. I shared with her how my beliefs about the sanctity of life are grounded in the Bible. Jesus is called "the author of life" (Acts 3:15). Since we didn't create life, I explained, I don't believe we have the right to take life—even in the womb.

She listened and paused to think about what I had shared. Silently, I continued to pray. I sensed the Lord’s presence. The conversation did not turn hostile, but my words carried some risk. I think doors were quietly opened to further conversations with her about my faith in Jesus and my belief in God’s Word.

I am praying right now for those of you following along in the 21 Day Experiment. Perhaps the Lord will give you the courage today to speak truth in love. I pray he is putting someone on your heart right at this very moment. I pray for open doors, and for you to have the right words. May the Holy Spirit be present in a powerful way. And may you hear the quiet whisper of his approval—the best kind of praise of all!

The 21 Day Experiment - Day 11: So That You May Believe

by Marilynn Chadwick

It is for God’s glory, so that God’s Son may be glorified through it. John 11:4 (NIV)

Believe. To believe means to accept something as true. What you believe impacts your thoughts, feelings, actions—and ultimately, the course of your entire life. "What do you believe?" just might be the most important question you'll ever answer.

If you’re with us for the 21-Day Experiment, you’re halfway through John’s Gospel! It’s not too late to jump on board. Go here to read day one for a few simple ground rules.

In John 11, the word believe is used eight times. Here we find two of Jesus's dearest friends, Mary, and Martha, grief-stricken over the death of their beloved brother Lazarus. Can you imagine their hurt and confusion? They knew Jesus could have saved Lazarus if he'd just gotten there sooner. They had seen him heal many times. The disciples were also perplexed — especially when Jesus told them, "Lazarus is dead, and for your sake I am glad I was not there, so that you may believe" (vv. 14,15).

When Jesus finally arrives—four days late—Martha cries out, "Lord, if you had been here my brother would not have died!" Jesus reminds her that her brother will rise again. "I know he will rise again at the resurrection," replies Martha. I can just imagine her blurting out, "But what about now? I am hurting now!" (vv. 21-24).

"I am the resurrection,” Jesus says. “The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?” he asks her. “Yes, Lord,” she responds, “I believe that you are the Messiah, the Son of God, who is to come into the world” (vv. 25-27). Martha presses through her grief and testifies that Jesus is the long-awaited Messiah.

Jesus knew the big picture—the ultimate story of redemption. But he was also moved by his friend’s present grief. The text tells us he was “deeply moved in spirit and troubled.” The word translated “troubled” implies a great agony of soul and is the same word used to describe Jesus as he contemplated the cross (John 12:27).

Jesus agonizes over the death of his friend and weeps intensely. "I knew that you always hear me,” he prays to the Father, “but I said this for the benefit of the people standing here, that they may believe that you sent me.” Then in a loud voice that must have shaken all of creation he shouts, "Lazarus, come out!" (vv. 42,43). And out of the tomb walks the “four-days-dead” Lazarus who came back to life. No wonder many onlookers put their faith in Jesus.

Maybe you’re facing a huge disappointment. You know Jesus could fix it, so why hasn't he shown up yet? Maybe your faith has been shaken to its core. Let’s remember what Jesus said when he learned of Lazarus' sickness. This verse is my watchword for today: “This sickness will not end in death. No, it is for God’s glory, so that God’s Son may be glorified through it” (v. 4).

Jesus knew the end of Lazarus’s story. He knows the end of yours. Would you entrust that heartbreaking situation to him, believing that your pain may be the raw material for a miracle? Dare to pray that those who see his work in your life may truly believe he is the Son of God.