God had to contend with the rebellion of His own people.
*Isaiah 1:5-6
Why should you be beaten anymore? Why do you persist in rebellion? Your whole head is injured, your whole heart afflicted. From the sole of your foot to the top of your head there is no soundness— only wounds and welts and open sores, not cleansed or bandaged or soothed with olive oil.
I believe there is no scene more undignified than that of the Author of Life, suffering for crimes committed by others.
*Isaiah 52: 14. Just as there were many who were appalled at him — his appearance was so disfigured beyond that of any human being and his form marred beyond human likeness—
*Isaiah 53:3,5
He was despised and rejected by mankind, a man of suffering, and familiar with pain. Like one from whom people hide their faces he was despised, and we held him in low esteem. But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed.
*Isaiah 1:2
Hear me, you heavens! Listen, earth! For the Lord has spoken: "I reared children and brought them up, but they have rebelled against me.
Just like a compassionate father, God looked for a way to save us.
He found that the only way to redeem mankind was through His Son, Jesus Christ.
God has made a decision: either destroy all of humanity in eternal condemnation, or punish the human race through the person of His only Son.
We know that Jesus agreed to take our place & go through the torture of the crucifixion because of His love for us.
After the terrible earthquake that hit Japan in 2011, a team of rescuers found the body of a woman buried in the rubble. Although everything seemed to indicate that the woman was already dead, one of the team members decided to investigate. Under the corpse, they found a 3-month old baby who was safe & sound. Wrapped in her blanket, they found the woman's cell phone with a saved text message she had written. The message said, "If you survive, remember that I love you." The woman gave her life & her body because of her love for her baby; she died in the hope that she might give her child the chance to live.
Jesus knew, however, that He would win the redemption of all humanity through His death, because that was the mission the Father had entrusted to Him.
The Father was already aware of all the pain His beloved Son would have to endure.
But He knew that the wounds from Jesus' beaten body would become our medicine & the greatest expression of His love for us.
His love is unconditional; it has no limits & it does not depend upon circumstances.
4 different meanings of love:
1. Storge/natural affection - mother for their child.
2. Eros/Sexual love - between husbands & wives.
-egoistic. "My 1st & last consideration is myself."
3. Philia/fraternal love - between friends
-mutual. "I will give as long as I receive."
4. Agape/unconditional love - directly linked to God.
-altruistic. "I will give, requiring nothing in return."
-to love the the undeserving, despite disappointment & rejection.
*1 John 4:8
Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.
*Romans 5:6-8
You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
Jesus' death on the cross is the perfect demonstration of agape love - unconditional love that asks nothing in return.
Agape love led Jesus to humble Himself in the most shameful way.
The desire of God's heart is that, as believers, we would know this love that only He can give - that agape love that can only be found in Him & can never be replaced by anyone or anything.
Example of Agape Love: When we risk our lives saving other people's lives; like the story of Neerja Bhanot.
It is because Jesus loves us unconditionally that He sacrifices His own life by hanging on the cross, just for us to go back to His Father, & be forgiven.
REMEMBER:
JESUS' SACRIFICE ON THE CROSS IS THE GREATEST DEMONSTRATION OF GOD'S PERFECT LOVE.
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