No greater love

Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends. —John 15:13

Bill and his wife were driving through the Rocky Mountains when a near-miss with a truck caused their car to swerve off the road and plunge into the Colorado River. After scrambling out of their sinking vehicle, they frantically treaded water in the swift current.

A truckdriver, who had seen the accident, ran ahead along the shore and threw a rope to them. Bill swam behind his wife and pushed her to where she could grab the rope—and the man pulled her out. Bill, however, was carried downstream and didn’t survive. He had given his life for the woman he loved.

To give your life so another person can live is the ultimate proof of love. During the night that Jesus was betrayed, He told His disciples of His intention to give His life in exchange for mankind. He told them: “Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends” (John 15:13). And then He set the ultimate example of self-sacrifice by going to the cross.

Have you ever given any thought to the fact that Jesus did that for you—that He died in your place? In so doing, He not only proved His love for you, but He also made it possible for you to be forgiven of your sins and to have an eternal home in heaven. —Dennis Fisher

Christ’s sacrifice was what God desired and our sin required.

This is the truth of the gospel of Jesus Christ.  How will you respond today?

To be set free by this truth you need to:

Accept that you are in need of a Savior.  You have not kept God's commands perfectly and therefore, you will face eternal punishment from a just God.  (There's no way to sugar coat it - God loves us, but He is a just and righteous God, holding all to the same standard.)  Romans 3:23 says "For all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God."  Romans 6:23 says "For the wages of sin is death."

Believe that Jesus, Son of God, came as a man, lived a perfect, sinless life, and as such was able to be the sacrificial representative for all of us.  Because he deserved no punishment himself, his unjust death paid the balance for our sins. Romans 5:8 says "But God commanded His love towards us, in while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us."

Confess your sins and ask Jesus to give you a new life, a blank slate, a clean page.  Jesus paid the price for your past AND your future.  Romans 10:9-10 says:  "That if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus Christ and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you shall be saved."

Becoming a Christian is only the start of a long process to become like Christ - perfect and holy.  We all still make mistakes, but they do not go on your "record".  That's not a license to live in anyway you choose.  If you meant with your heart your confession and request to God, then you can live in freedom and let the Holy Spirit show you who God really meant for you to be.

And that is a Happy Easter!