NO GREATER LOVE...
John 15:13 “Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends”.
I understand the deep love that you said that you have for your loved ones. Now let me pour a bit of my heart out. I love my husband; I love my children; I love my grandchildren dearly. I will do just about anything for them. I am sincerely happy to get them:
· Food, if they are hungry
· Clothes to keep them clothed and warm
· Housing to shelter them from the elements
· I am prepared to cry with them in their pain; share in their sorrow; lose sleep to pray and cry before the Lord for their deliverance
· I am prepared to stand with them; to defend them when they are right to the point of being arrested, BUT, BUT, I will not die for any one of them. I will not, knowingly, endanger my life to save any of them. However, the Bible tells us that, “greater love hath no man than this, that a man – JESUS CHRIST - lay down His life for His friends”.
JESUS CHRIST: is no ordinary man; no drug addict, no pimp, no murderer, no disrespect calculated here, but JESUS CHRIST is, no school drop-out, not someone who has been diagnosed with a terminal illness, and has but a short time to live; not someone who has summed up the matter and has agreed that causing a friend to live would be more beneficial than living His own life. Nope. Jesus Christ is the Son of God – Creator of the universe, King of kings, Lord of Lords, Alpha & Omega, First & Last, Deity, Divine, Sovereign, the same Jesus of whom Peter replied, “Thou art the Christ the Son of the Living God” (Matt 16:16-18), He was 100% man and 100% God.
This same Jesus left His splendor in heaven where there is no sin, no worry, no pain, the glorified Son of God, Savior, Messiah; Him whose birth/coming was announced by Isaiah (Isa 9:6), and echoed in the gospels. Matthew 1:21 states, "And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name Jesus: for he shall save his people from their sins". He suffered: But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed (Isaiah 53:5).
He died: And they cried out again, “Crucify Him, Crucify Him” (Mark 15:13). Who cried? Your ancestors and mine, your forefathers & mine. They mocked Him, spat on Him, scourged Him, crucified Him but, none could have put “The Resurrection & The Life” to death. He laid down His life; willingly gave it up for you and me. Then on the third day as He promised: He rose from the grave (Mark 9:31). Thereafter, Jesus appeared unto some (Jn 20:11-18; Matt 28:9-10; Luke 24:34), ascended into heaven and promises to return (Acts:1:9-12).
No greater love... greater love hath no man than this. Jesus Christ gave His life up for you and me. No greater Love: Love is a word widely misused and abused. Saying, “I love you” is not love neither is understanding the concept, love. Love is doing; what we do; it is action. Briefly, there are 4 types of love: 'EROS'- sexual/sensual love; 'STORGE'- love of family/nature, 'PHILE'- love between friends and 'AGAPE'- love of God for man and man for God. Agape is the highest form of love. God loves you. John 3:16 states, "For God so loved the world that He gave His only Begotten Son that whosoever believeth on him should not perish but have everlasting life". See, He gave His life up so those who are dead can come to life!
It doesn’t matter what you have done. It doesn’t matter where you have been. It doesn’t matter what your past resembles. It doesn’t matter; no, it doesn’t matter what you think about yourself. JESUS CHRIST is your friend. He so loved you that He laid His life down for you. He knows that you would be in a predicament/a position where you will need Him and He made the accommodation for you more than two thousand years ago when he died on a cruel Roman cross. Trust Him now, turn to Him now, give Him a chance to turn things around for you, right now. Will you accept His love for you? Please do, because the only regret you will have is that you had not trusted Him earlier.
PRAY...
Please Lord Jesus, forgive me, and my forefathers, for the wrong we did to you. Thank you for focusing on my sinful state and my acute need for deliverance. Here I come, as the songwriter said, weary worn and sad; my sins are heavy and hard to bear so I surrender to you, just as I am without one plea and that thy blood was shed for me, I come to thee. Thou Lamb of God, I confess that you are the Christ , the Son of the Living God, wash me and make me an instrument to bring others to you as I commit my life to you now in Jesus' name. Amen.