At the CROSS

In John 15:13, Jesus taught His disciples that no greater love exists than for a person to lay down their life for another person. I am certain the disciples all nodded their heads and acknowledged their factual understanding of that statement. perhaps they even thought of family members or friends and wondered whether they would be able to lay down their life for them. However, Christ did not leave them to wonder whether there was anyone willing to do this for them.

Shortly after making this statement He went out and showed them His love by actually laying down His life in their place. This one display of love was beyond anything these men had ever before encountered. They may not have fully comprehended what was happening at the time, but as their understanding grew, so did the impact this event had on their lives and their ministries.

However, Christ's sacrifice was not limited to the inner circle of the disciples. His love extends to each of us as well. The fact that God loved us enough to be willing to die for us is in reality more than we can comprehend. He was not obligated, or compelled from some sense of duty. His actions were motivated completely out of love, not just for mankind as a whole, but for each of us as individuals.

The most beautiful part of why Christ died at Calvary was that He died there for us. It is sad to think it was necessary, but comforting beyond words to know He was willing to do whatever was required, up to and including dying, in order to have a relationship with us. His love for us is not merely a bunch of words in a book, but a reality expressed in the most visible and memorable fashion possible. Never was any statement more true than the words of the familiar song -

"At the cross I bow my knee
Where Your blood was shed for me
There's no greater love than this
You have overcome the grave
Your Glory fills the highest place
What can separate me now?"