Think about it...?

     Have you ever thought about the staggering reality of what Jesus did? This is something I try to ask teenagers all the time.

     First of all he died, but that simple fact alone, I believe, isn't what is so impressive. If you had to make a decision to either live and let everyone else die or, you die and allow the entire human race, for the remainder of time, to have the opportunity to live forever in a perfect paradise, which would you choose? I find it hard to believe that very many people would choose their own life above that and the few that would are selfish cowards to the very core of their being.

    Scripture tells us in Hebrews 10:12 "But our High Priest offered himself to God as a single sacrifice for sins, good for all time..." Jesus understood this. I also believe that He understood that people were going to reject, curse, hate and turn their backs on him for all time despite what He did. How many of us would still be willing to die, knowing full well that this is going to be the thanks that you would recieve? I think a few hands are slipping back down to their sides and I can't say I would blame them.

     He was tortured, Mark 15:15, "Pilate...ordered Jesus flogged with a lead-tipped whip, then turned him over to the Roman soldiers to be crucified."

     They made fun of him and mocked him, Mark 15:17-20, "They dressed him in a purple robe, and they wove thorn branches into a crown and put it on his head. Then they saluted him and taunted, “Hail! King of the Jews!” And they struck him on the head with a reed stick, spit on him, and dropped to their knees in mock worship. When they were finally tired of mocking him, they took off the purple robe and put his own clothes on him again. Then they led him away to be crucified."

     Then they murdered him, Mark 15:24 and 37, "Then the soldiers nailed him to the cross... Jesus uttered another loud cry and breathed his last" So Jesus willingly dies for us, Isaiah 53:7 tells us that, "...he never said a word. He was led like a lamb to the slaughter. And as a sheep is silent before the shearers, he did not open his mouth." He never put up a fight, but wouldn't we if we had to make this decision knowing all these terrible things were going to happen? But it doesn't even stop there! It gets better. Our Savior did all of this, while loving each and everyone of us. Take a moment and meditate on the magnitude of this kind of love.

     Many people would be willing to put their life on the line and maybe even die for the people they love, their friends and family, maybe even a widow or an orphan. But what about your childhood bully, or the politician that stands for everything you are against, or the rapist that is sitting on death row for his crimes, would you die for them? Not only that, would you die with love in your heart that runs so deep you volunteer to take his punishment?

     I hope this affects people the same way it has affected me. But we aren't done, there is one more level of mind-blowing love in this whole thing. When the Word says that Christ "...bore the sins of all..." we must understand that he came as a man. The same rules apply to him as they do to us, the price for sin is death and the sins of the whole world were placed on his shoulders. Jesus then died, but that wasn't the end for him. Our Prince of Peace fought death and won, he took the price we had to pay took care of it for every man woman and child for the remnant of time. Christ died but he defeated the one thing that even the atheist has to agree is definative, death. He ascended into Heaven to sit at the right hand of God the Father as our defense and our atonement that we may have the second chance that we don't deserve and with that said I dare you to find a love that will ever even come close to the love that Jesus Christ has for you, me and the rest of the world.