(Vegetable seeds being distributed in Honduras)
Actions Do Speak Louder Than Words
by Bishop Chris Giesler
Preaching Text: John 13:31-35
An old adage says that our actions speak louder than our words. And today’s text from John’s Gospel only supports that notion. Jesus says, “Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”
These words are spoken by Jesus to his disciples in the Upper Room in what we know to be the Last Supper. In John’s Gospel, the writer spends chapters 13 to 17 describing the events of that one evening together. These events include the foot-washing, extended teachings of Jesus, conversations with Judas and Peter surrounding Judas’ betrayal, and Peter’s denial. This section then culminates with what we today call the High Priestly Prayer, which is most of chapter 17. It is very hard to pull just a few verses out of these chapters without considering everything Jesus said.
The chronological setting of this text is crucial to understanding the importance of these chapters. Jesus is preparing his disciples for his imminent departure and what that will mean for them. This is best noted in today’s text in verse 33, where Jesus says: “Little children, I am with you only a little longer. You will look for me; and as I said to the Jews so now I say to you, ‘Where I am going, you cannot come.’”
Jesus knows, more than his disciples do: his time with them is soon coming to an end. Therefore, you can be sure that the words that he speaks are important ones. Jesus takes this opportunity to give them a new commandment: that they love one another just as he has loved them. Furthermore, he tells them their love for one another will authenticate their witness to the world.
What is most notable about this statement is that Jesus speaks these words to a group of people who will soon disappoint him deeply. Judas is about to depart to betray him to the authorities, and Peter will soon deny that he even knows Jesus. All of them will be absent at the crucifixion, and only Mary Magdalene and the other women will show up to care for his body on the morning of the third day. But even so, Jesus is declaring his unconditional love for them and asking them to love each other in a like manner. Again, Jesus stresses that this love is what will ring most authentic in the world and prove that they are his followers.
Famed Green Bay Packer coach Vince Lombardi once said, “The measure of who we are is what we do.” His sentiment certainly does ring true with what Jesus is telling us here. How we treat one another is a certain indicator of the authenticity of our faith. Words without actions soon wear thin.
It has always impressed me that in our Moravian mission communities, schools and medical clinics were often the first things built after a gathering place for worship. Even today, in places like Tanzania, South Africa, Nicaragua, Honduras, Jamaica, and the Eastern West Indies, Moravian schools and hospitals are well known. Care for the whole person is truly what has defined our efforts.
In 2022, Ukrainian refugees seeking safety from bombing fled to neighboring Germany and the Czech Republic. Wouldn’t it have been shameful if our Moravian brothers and sisters there had told them to go home? Instead, they showed God’s mercy as they welcomed these refugees into their communities by offering housing, food, job/language training, access to education, and a supportive Christian community. Their acts of compassion are what validated their faith.
People can easily judge the genuine nature of our faith by how we treat each other and the world around us. If they see selfishness, our words will not mean very much. But if they sense our love and care for each other and for them, then our words will mean so much more.
What is the evidence that proves your faith? How does your congregation show God’s love in your community?
