The 11th Commandment

"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." (John 13:34-35 NIV)

Today, we’re going to explore the Ten Commandments in light of the New Covenant established by Jesus Christ. Under the Mosaic Covenant, the Law, including the Ten Commandments, was given to Israel as a framework for living in relationship with God. However, when Jesus came, He fulfilled the Law and established a new way for us to live in Him. Our focus will be on the Fourth Commandment about the Sabbath, how Jesus is our Sabbath, and how He gave us a new commandment: to love one another as He has loved us.

The Mosaic Covenant and the Ten Commandments

The Ten Commandments, given in Exodus 20, were part of the covenant God made with Israel at Mount Sinai. They provided moral, ceremonial, and civil guidelines for God’s chosen people. These commandments revealed God’s holiness and humanity’s need for His grace.

The Fourth Commandment specifically says:

“Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days you shall labor, and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the Lord your God” (Exodus 20:8-10).

For Israel, the Sabbath was a day of physical rest and worship, pointing them to God as their Creator and Sustainer. It was also a sign of their covenant relationship with Him (Exodus 31:13).

Jesus Fulfills the Sabbath

When Jesus came, He did not abolish the Law but fulfilled it (Matthew 5:17). He demonstrated that the Sabbath, like the rest of the Law, was ultimately pointing to Him. Jesus declared:

“The Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath” (Matthew 12:8).

In the New Covenant, the Sabbath is no longer about a specific day of the week. Instead, it is about finding rest in Jesus. He invites us to come to Him, lay down our burdens, and experience true spiritual rest (Matthew 11:28-30).

The writer of Hebrews explains this beautifully:

“So then, there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God, for whoever has entered God’s rest has also rested from his works as God did from His” (Hebrews 4:9-10).

Through Jesus’ finished work on the cross, we no longer strive to earn God’s favor through works. Instead, we live in the perpetual rest of His grace. Jesus Himself is our Sabbath.

The Old Covenant vs. the New Covenant

The New Covenant, prophesied in Jeremiah 31:31-34 and fulfilled in Jesus, replaces the Old Covenant. Instead of laws written on stone, God writes His law on our hearts through the Holy Spirit.

Paul explains in Colossians 2:16-17:

“Therefore let no one pass judgment on you in questions of food and drink, or with regard to a festival or a new moon or a Sabbath. These are a shadow of the things to come, but the substance belongs to Christ.”

The rituals of the Old Covenant, including Sabbath observance, were shadows pointing to Jesus. Now that He has come, we live by faith in Him, not by the letter of the law.

The 11th Commandment: Love One Another

As Jesus fulfilled the Old Covenant, He also gave us a new commandment:

“A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another” (John 13:34-35).

This “11th Commandment” is the foundation of the New Covenant. Love fulfills the Law (Romans 13:10). In loving others as Christ loves us, we reflect His character and demonstrate the Gospel to the world.

Living in the Rest and Love of Christ

What does this mean for us today?

1. Rest in Jesus’ Finished Work: We don’t have to strive to earn God’s approval. By faith in Christ, we are justified and have peace with God (Romans 5:1).

2. Love Like Jesus: The new commandment calls us to love sacrificially, unconditionally, and actively. This love is the evidence of Christ’s life in us.

3. Freedom in Worship: Under the New Covenant, every day is holy. Whether we worship on Sunday, Saturday, or any other day, the focus is on Christ, not the calendar.

Conclusion

The Ten Commandments served their purpose under the Old Covenant, but Jesus has fulfilled the Law and established a New Covenant. In Him, we find true Sabbath rest and are empowered to live by the law of love.

As we leave today, let us rest in the grace of Jesus and love one another as He has loved us. This is the essence of the New Covenant and the heart of the Gospel.

Closing Scripture:

“By this we know love, that He laid down His life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers” (1 John 3:16).

Prayer

Heavenly Father, We thank You for the gift of Your Son, Jesus Christ, who has fulfilled the Law and invited us into His rest. Thank You for the New Covenant, where grace replaces striving and love fulfills the Law. We are grateful that in Jesus, we find our Sabbath—a rest that cannot be taken away. Lord, help us to live out the new commandment to love one another as You have loved us. Fill our hearts with Your Spirit so that we may reflect Your character and share Your Gospel through our actions and words. Teach us to trust fully in the finished work of Christ and to live in the freedom and joy of Your grace. In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen.