“No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again. This command I received from my Father.”
John 10:18
There used to be a TV advertisement for an ice cream product that asked the viewer this question – “What would you do for a Klondike Bar?” The question was then followed by the silly and/or embarrassing things people were willing to do for the reward of the ice cream. What if I asked you what you would do, that you might not willingly otherwise do, if someone had a gun pointed at you? I know it is not a thought we want to consider but my point is that rewards (think ice cream) and force (think a loaded gun) sometimes make us do things we would not otherwise be willing to do.
Consider this: Jesus was not forced to the cross.
In His own words He tells us that no one takes His life, but that He voluntarily surrenders it. It is His choice to do so.
If it is not force and it is not a reward then what motivates Jesus to do that?
In a word – it is ‘love’.
Jesus loved us – and continues to love us – enough to choose to surrender His life for us.
Did Jesus ‘feel’ like going to the cross? I think His prayer in the Garden would answer that question for us. You may ask, “Well, doesn’t Hebrews 12:2 talk about Jesus enduring the cross for the joy that was set before Him; wasn’t He being motivation by a reward?” Remember, though, that Jesus existed in eternity and when His work on the cross was completed He was seated at the right hand of the Father. The relationship that was broken for a moment in eternity by my sin and yours was restored.
Jesus chose to lay down His life because of His love for the Father.
Jesus chose to lay down His life because of His love for you and me.
I am so grateful that love is not a feeling, love is a choice!
I don’t always feel like loving.
At those times God doesn’t absolve me of my need to love.
I must choose to love regardless, and sometimes in spite of, how I feel.
In the Old Testament God challenges us to choose life.
Through His Son, and by His Holy Spirit, we are also challenged to choose love!
John 10:18
There used to be a TV advertisement for an ice cream product that asked the viewer this question – “What would you do for a Klondike Bar?” The question was then followed by the silly and/or embarrassing things people were willing to do for the reward of the ice cream. What if I asked you what you would do, that you might not willingly otherwise do, if someone had a gun pointed at you? I know it is not a thought we want to consider but my point is that rewards (think ice cream) and force (think a loaded gun) sometimes make us do things we would not otherwise be willing to do.
Consider this: Jesus was not forced to the cross.
In His own words He tells us that no one takes His life, but that He voluntarily surrenders it. It is His choice to do so.
If it is not force and it is not a reward then what motivates Jesus to do that?
In a word – it is ‘love’.
Jesus loved us – and continues to love us – enough to choose to surrender His life for us.
Did Jesus ‘feel’ like going to the cross? I think His prayer in the Garden would answer that question for us. You may ask, “Well, doesn’t Hebrews 12:2 talk about Jesus enduring the cross for the joy that was set before Him; wasn’t He being motivation by a reward?” Remember, though, that Jesus existed in eternity and when His work on the cross was completed He was seated at the right hand of the Father. The relationship that was broken for a moment in eternity by my sin and yours was restored.
Jesus chose to lay down His life because of His love for the Father.
Jesus chose to lay down His life because of His love for you and me.
I am so grateful that love is not a feeling, love is a choice!
I don’t always feel like loving.
At those times God doesn’t absolve me of my need to love.
I must choose to love regardless, and sometimes in spite of, how I feel.
In the Old Testament God challenges us to choose life.
Through His Son, and by His Holy Spirit, we are also challenged to choose love!
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