Welcome to another day the Lord has made that we should rejoice and be glad in. (Psalms 118:24)

Today let’s recognize Jesus decided to sacrifice His life

In today’s scripture, John 10:17‭-‬18 (NLT), Jesus said…
“The Father loves me because I sacrifice my life so I may take it back again. No one can take my life from me. I sacrifice it voluntarily. For I have the authority to lay it down when I want to and also to take it up again. For this is what my Father has commanded.”

Consider…
John 3:16 & 1 John 4:9-10 are wonderful testaments of God the Father’s love for the world. Both speak of God showing His love by giving His only begotten Son as an atonement for our sins.

Yet, the God the Father giving His Son is only part of the God’s love story. 1 John 3:16a (NLT) shares another vital part. It says…
We know what real love is because Jesus gave up his life for us.

God’s love for us was a mutual decision by God the Father and Son, aided by the Holy Spirit.

Today, I want to take a moment and just appreciate the fact that Jesus decided to die for us sinners. Romans 5:6 (NLT) testifies…
When we were utterly helpless, Christ came at just the right time and died for us sinners.

Just as mind blowing, is the fact Jesus laid down His life and considered us His friends. In John 15:13‭-‬14 (NLT) Jesus said…
There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. You are my friends if you do what I command.

In today’s scripture, Jesus makes it clear, no one could take His life unless He allowed them too. There is no debate about Jesus being crucified on Calvary’s cross for the sins of the world. But let’s be clear, Jesus allowed Himself to be unjustly wounded for our transgressions and bruised for our iniquities (Isaiah 53:5). He reminded Peter that in instant He could have changed the crucifixion narrative. Matthew 26:52‭-‬54 (NLT) shares…
“Put away your sword,” Jesus told him. “Those who use the sword will die by the sword. Don’t you realize that I could ask my Father for thousands of angels to protect us, and he would send them instantly? But if I did, how would the Scriptures be fulfilled that describe what must happen now?”

You see God the Father required the ultimate atoning sacrifice for sin, which was the death of a human on behalf of all humans. Hebrews 2:14‭-‬18 (NLT) explains…
Because God’s children are human beings—made of flesh and blood—the Son also became flesh and blood. For only as a human being could he die, and only by dying could he break the power of the devil, who had the power of death. Only in this way could he set free all who have lived their lives as slaves to the fear of dying. We also know that the Son did not come to help angels; he came to help the descendants of Abraham. Therefore, it was necessary for him to be made in every respect like us, his brothers and sisters, so that he could be our merciful and faithful High Priest before God. Then he could offer a sacrifice that would take away the sins of the people. Since he himself has gone through suffering and testing, he is able to help us when we are being tested.

Jesus decided to become that atoning sacrifice for us. What’s even more amazing is the fact that Jesus gave up His divinity to redeem humanity. Philippians 2:6‭-‬8 (NLT) explains…
Though he was God, he did not think of equality with God as something to cling to. Instead, he gave up his divine privileges; he took the humble position of a slave and was born as a human being. When he appeared in human form, he humbled himself in obedience to God and died a criminal’s death on a cross.

Hopefully this love obituary of Jesus is helping you better comprehend and appreciate the magnanimous love He had and has for you.

I say the love Jesus has, because Romans 8:34 (NLT) says…
Who then will condemn us? No one—for Christ Jesus died for us and was raised to life for us, and he is sitting in the place of honor at God’s right hand, pleading for us.

Not only did Jesus die for us, He is presently pleading our case before the Father. I believe He’s saying, Father forgive them, I’ve already taken their punishment. 🤯

The Holy Spirit is telling me to close with 1 John 2:1‭-‬2 (KJV) which encourages…
My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous: and he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for our’s only, but also for the sins of the whole world.

Jesus decided to die so we could live free from the…

• God’s penalty for sin
• Satan’s power of sin
• Eternity’s presence of sin

Since Jesus decided to sacrificially die for us, shouldn’t we sacrificially live for Him? (Romans 12:1-2)

Whenever you reflect on or retell the salvation story, remember to include the fact that although Jesus could have…

He would not come down from the cross just to save Himself
He decided to die just to save me

Today’s song is…
He Decided To Die

Blessings 4HG (1 Corinthians 10:31)