Jesus came to show us the love of God
I'm so overwhelmed as I read through the Gospels and see God's immeasurable love for us through the life and Words of our Savior. Jesus left heaven to demonstrate God's love to His creation, to fallen man. John 3:16, "For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son, that whosoever would believe in Him would not perish but have eternal life." Oh The love of a Father to redeem us from the grip of sin and death and eternal separation from Him! This love extends to all! This love is lavish! I'm so thankful for this eternal gift!
We see love demonstrated as Jesus proclaims the Kingdom of God, patiently teaches His disciples, and is moved with compassion for the multitudes. We read how Jesus of Nazareth went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed of the devil. He loved His friends. He raised the dead. He loved children. He loved the hurting. He loved His enemies. He loved those His Father had given Him, even knowing they would all forsake Him. He was completely consecrated to the will of the Father to the end. Jesus is the love of the Father demonstrated.
The most precious passages in God's Word, to me, are found in the last chapters of the Gospel of John. Can we imagine the scene of the final gathering of our Jesus with the men that God had given Him, knowing what was to come and what He was about to face. Our Lord purposefully gathered His disciples together for some final words. How precious this time was to Him, to have gathered with them in the upper room. The Words He spoke were for them and for all who would later become His followers. Sharing the bread and wine, speaking of His Body and Blood given for us. We also see our King removing his outer garment, wrapping a towel around His waist, taking the pitcher of water and the basin, and washing the disciples' feet. He had already told them that He did not come to be served but to serve and give His life a ransom for many. He took the form of a servant performing the lowly job of washing the dirt from their feet, giving them and example of how to love. He told them to love one another, just as He had loved them. By this the whole world would know the Father!
In that upper room, He spoke to them of the Holy Spirit, whom He would send to be with them forever. He spoke to them of being connected to the Vine. He spoke to them of the Father's love. In verse 15:9, "As the Father has loved Me, so have I loved you. Abide in My love. If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love, just as I have kept My Father's commandments and abide in His love. These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may be in you and that your joy may be full. This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you." Love. Love. Love. He spoke to them of His death, of His departure and of their future. The prayer of our Lord in chapter 17 of John shows His precious love for us. I love the last part of His prayer to the Father, "I made known to them Your Name, and I will continue to make it known, that the love with which You have loved Me may be in them, and I in them." One of His final prayers was that the love of the Father would be in us.
Jesus is the image of the Father and His love. His purpose was to reveal the Father and His love and become the Way that that love could live in us and dwell in us forever. In the garden we see our Master on His knees saying, "not My will but your will be done." Love. At the trial, at the scourging, the beating along the path to Gogotha, nailed on the cross, the sin of the whole world placed upon Him, all the host of hell taunting Him, He loved to the end. In hell He defeated enemy, conquered death, and took His blood to heaven to sprinkle on the mercy seat for the atonement of sin forever. All for the love of the Father to be made manifest and to reconcile us to that love. Even now He intercedes for us at the right hand of God. His love pursues us! And His love will rule and reign forever and ever. Oh how great the love of our God for us. His love is shed abroad in our hearts today by the Holy Spirit. Receive His love, let it set you free, allow it to consume you, release it to those around you and never stop rejoicing!
Psalm 61-65 Acts 13-19
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