To Give You Life
“There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends” (John 15:13). These are the words of Jesus to His disciples before He begins His journey to the cross. It’s the what and the why of Jesus going to the cross I want to spend some moments on.
Think of some of the great movies. Sacrifice for another is a common thread in the storyline. It resonates with our hearts in a deep way. This is what Jesus came to do for us. But, why?
Jesus went to the cross because of sin. Sin, quite literally, means missing the mark – it separates us from our perfect God. We have all been born with a sinful nature after Adam and Eve ate of the tree in the Garden (Genesis 3).
The price of sin is a heavy one. It requires a perfect sacrifice. One we were never able to pay on our own. So, God sent His Son as Jesus to live a perfect life and die a gruesome death as that sacrifice on our behalf. He did this so that all who would believe and accept this truth would be made right in God’s sight and have a restored relationship with their Creator.
I found myself thinking about my lack the other day and lamenting to the Lord as to why He hasn’t given me certain things. Thoughts like, I want to be married, or I want purpose in vocation, or financial freedom, etc. In some ways, even being frustrated that God hasn’t “given” me these things.
And then I thought of the cross. It occurred to me, Jesus did not go to the cross so that I could get married, or have the perfect job, or win the lottery. No, His sacrifice was so great that it makes those things pale in comparison. His sacrifice saved me from eternal death that was due me because of my sin – He gave me life (John 10:10).
Considering this truth brought me to my knees. I realized how cheap I often see God’s sacrifice. This is a misunderstanding of the gravity of sin. And the fact that I don’t have to pay that price because Jesus has already paid it for me is truly the only gift I’ve ever needed, because without it – I’m dead.
I read a quote the other day that summed up how we ought to respond to such amazing truth, “The most basic question of human existence becomes ‘how can I bring glory to God?’” (Ed Welch).
This has been a true mindset shift for me. When considering the sacrifice of Jesus I no longer think, “yea, but can I have this other thing too?” and instead have been practicing, “how can I bring glory to Your Name as a small token of my gratitude?”
Today is the eve of Good Friday where we remember Jesus going to the cross. What’s come up for you in these last few minutes? Remember, God loves you and it’s because of His love for you that He went to the cross. His sacrifice was to bring you from death to life. Let’s remember the depth and gravity of what God saved us from this Easter weekend – it’s worth far more than all your greatest worldly desires. Friend, He died (and rose again) to give you life.
