HCCWG | 02.01.26 | Bryan Vincent | Love One Another

Hope Community Church is called to be a caring place where God transforms lives, and that calling is anchored in Jesus’ radical command to love one another. Beginning with a story of Gale Sayers and Brian Piccolo, the narrative frames Christian love as boundary-crossing, loyal, and sacrificial. The congregation’s vision flows from the New Testament “one anothers”: practical, mutual expressions of care that shape spiritual growth and community life. At the center stands John 13:34–35, where Jesus issues a new command: love one another as he has loved—an imperative given as he prepares to leave the world. This command is neither optional nor private; it requires communal discipleship and cannot be fulfilled in isolation.

Jesus models the pattern of this love by washing his disciples’ feet and ultimately by laying down his life. His example sets the standard: love measured by humble service and total self-giving. That sacrificial love both defines relationships within the church and supplies the moral and spiritual energy for outward witness. Love among believers becomes the primary identifier of discipleship—Jesus insists that by mutual love everyone will know who his followers are.

The sermon underscores that such love is practical and visible. Examples from church life—bringing meals, shoveling snow for an older neighbor, showing up at funerals, offering rides, and supporting benevolence funds—are not peripheral acts but the concrete outworking of Jesus’ command. Historical reflection (notably early Christians staying to care for the sick during plagues and church-led widow care in ancient Rome) illustrates how communal love served as the church’s evangelistic engine. Good deeds create goodwill and open doors for gospel conversation; love is both inward formation and outward witness.

The congregation is invited to receive Jesus’ love and be formed by it: discipleship is learning to walk with Jesus and to embody his love in the world. The closing commission calls the church to live out the up–in–out rhythm—love God, love one another, love neighbor—so that transformative relationships bear witness to Christ. The vision for 2026 is a church marked by mutual, sacrificial care that testifies to the reality of Jesus and draws others into his life.

Key Takeaways

• 1. Love one another is required Jesus frames loving fellow believers not as optional charity but as a direct command to discipleship. It is a communal obligation that presupposes belonging and guards against private Christianity. Obedience to this command trains hearts to receive and redistribute Christ’s love across relational fault lines. [39:03]
• 2. Pattern: love like Jesus The model for church life is Jesus’ humble, costly service—exhibited most starkly in the foot washing and the cross. Loving one another means adopting Jesus’ posture of servanthood and readiness to bear others’ burdens, even when they fail or betray. This pattern reshapes status, power, and the calculus of self-preservation within the body. [49:39]
• 3. Love as the disciples' witness Mutual love is the primary badge of authentic discipleship; it tells the world who Jesus is more than creedal claims. When the church’s internal life is marked by sacrificial care, neighbors can observe the gospel incarnate and be drawn into conversation and faith. Historical and contemporary testimonies show that visible love creates credibility for the gospel. [57:15]
• 4. Love expressed in practical service Theology must become habit: meals, rides, shoveling snow, and benevolence are theological acts, not mere social niceties. Concrete services meet tangible needs and embody grace in ways words cannot, creating openings for spiritual dialogue and long-term relationships. Regular practical ministry disciplines the church into consistency and sacrificial generosity. [56:09]

Youtube Chapters

• [00:00] - Welcome
• [32:54] - Gale Sayers and Brian Piccolo
• [35:49] - Vision Sunday: The Caring Place
• [36:19] - Overview: The One Anothers
• [39:03] - Jesus’ New Command (John 13:34–35)
• [40:34] - Love Is Not Optional
• [48:33] - Jesus’ Example: Foot Washing & Sacrifice
• [55:38] - Practical Love: Examples from Hope
• [65:19] - Commissioned to Live It Out
• [74:13] - Closing & Announcements

1. Jesus states, "A new commandment I give you, love one another." What makes this command "new" when the Old Testament already commanded loving one's neighbor? [40:58]
2. The sermon highlights that Jesus' command to love one another is not optional. What specific phrasing does Jesus use to emphasize its importance? [40:34]
3. The sermon mentions that Jesus washed his disciples' feet as a demonstration of his love. What does this act of washing feet reveal about the *pattern* of Jesus' love? [49:39]
4. According to Jesus, what is the outward sign that will help people recognize his followers? [57:15]

1. The sermon emphasizes that the Christian life is meant to be lived in community and fellowship, not in isolation. How does Jesus' command to "love one another" necessitate communal living and participation? [43:59]
2. The sermon draws a parallel between Jesus' sacrificial love on the cross and the call for believers to love one another. How does understanding the depth of Jesus' sacrifice help us grasp the standard for our own love? [52:56]
3. The sermon suggests that practical acts of service, like bringing meals or shoveling snow, are not just nice gestures but are theological acts that embody grace. How do these tangible expressions of love serve as a witness to the world? [56:09]
4. The sermon contrasts the word "disciple" with "Christian," noting that "disciple" appears far more frequently in the New Testament. What does this emphasis on being a "disciple" imply about the nature of following Jesus? [57:59]

1. The sermon presented the "up, in, and out" rhythm of Christian life: loving God, loving one another, and loving your neighbor. How can you intentionally practice each of these in the coming week?
2. Jesus' command to love one another is not optional. Reflecting on your relationships within the church community, where do you see opportunities to lean in and cross boundaries to care for others, especially when life is hard? [35:29]
3. The sermon highlighted Jesus' example of washing his disciples' feet. In what practical ways can you embody Jesus' posture of humble service and readiness to bear others' burdens within your small group or the wider church family? [49:39]
4. The sermon shared examples of practical love at Hope Community Church, such as bringing meals, shoveling snow, and supporting benevolence funds. What is one specific, tangible act of service you can offer to someone in our church community this week? [55:38]
5. Jesus stated that mutual love is the primary badge of authentic discipleship, telling the world who Jesus is. How can the way we love each other within this group serve as a compelling witness to those outside our faith community? [57:15]
6. The sermon encouraged discipleship as learning to walk with Jesus and embody his love. What is one area where you feel God is calling you to grow in your ability to receive and then redistribute Christ's love? [39:03]
7. Considering the vision for 2026, which is a church marked by mutual, sacrificial care, what is one step you can take this week to contribute to that vision through your actions and attitudes? [01:05:19]