When my kids were still little enough to believe in the literal existence of Pokemon, we used to play a great bedtime game. I would start by saying "I love you from here to the moon!" Their job would then be to top this statement with a superior geographical comparison. So they would typically respond with "I love you to the moon and back!" Then of course it was my turn - "I love you to the moon and back and around the world three times!"
We would go back and forth with this exchange until one of them gave up or we ran out of space in the universe. Or sometimes because it was way past bedtime, I would have to pull out the ultimate phrase:
"I love you...infinity!"
What I meant, of course, was that as their father, there is no limit to my love for them. I cannot imagine loving them more, or that love ever stopping, and I wanted them to know that. So when I would say the word "infinity", I would stretch out my arms as wide as they would go to show them how serious I was about that statement.
Where did I get the idea to do that? From something I read a long, long time ago that I will never forget. It goes like this:
I asked Jesus how much He loved me
He answered "this much"
Then He stretched out His arms and died for me.
Jesus stretched out His arms so wicked people could nail Him to a cross.
That's how much He loves us.
He stretched out His arms to take on the sins of the entire world.
That's how much He loves us.
He stretched out His arms so His blood could be spilled as a sacrifice.
That's how much He loves us.
He stretched out His arms so we wouldn't have to.
That's how much He loves us.
The Cross of Christ is the clearest, loudest, most powerful "I love you . . . infinity!" ever proclaimed.
If you are anything like me, whenever you think about the Cross and the love that Jesus showed, one word keeps popping into your head.
"Why?"
Why would He willingly face the most agonizing and unbearable scenario ever invented?
Because it wasn't.
Believe it or not, there was an alternative scenario that Jesus was unwilling to face. It's a scenario where He is separated from the ones He loves. It is a circumstance where, because of our choices, we have no choice but to spend an eternity in a place called hell.
And that's the scenario Jesus would not allow to happen. Our evil sins against a holy God broke our relationship with Him, and no earthly plan could ever fix it. Which is why Jesus left heaven and took on flesh as a human. In order to pay the price for our sins, He had to give up His life.
Think about it - Jesus chose death over living life without you. Here's the way the Bible describes it:
When we were utterly helpless, Christ came at just the right time and died for us sinners. Now, no one is likely to die for a good person, though someone might be willing to die for a person who is especially good. But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners. And since we have been made right in God's sight by the blood of Christ, he will certainly save us from God's judgment. For since we were restored to friendship with God by the death of his Son while we were still his enemies, we will certainly be delivered from eternal punishment by his life. So now we can rejoice in our wonderful new relationship with God--all because of what our Lord Jesus Christ has done for us in making us friends of God. (Romans 5:6-11)
Did you notice how often Paul uses the word "us"? As in you and me. What makes it even more powerful is that when Jesus was crucified, He took on your and my personal sins. It was a Cross meant for you and me, but Jesus took our place.
There is a play where in one scene you see a little boy working in his parent's carpentry shop in first century Jerusalem. He is arguing with his parents because that day his job was to make a cross. The parents insist that he help because Rome is paying them to make crosses, and without the money they will starve.
A few scenes later you see the boy weeping. "What is wrong?" his parents ask. He sobs through the tears, "I went to the market place and I saw Jesus of Nazareth, the Man we love to hear preach. Mom and Dad, He was carrying my cross! They took Him to Golgotha and nailed Him to MY cross."
The parents try to reassure him, "Oh no, son, that wasn't your cross. There are many other people in Jerusalem who build crosses. That couldn't have been yours."
"Oh yes, it was! When you weren't looking, I carved my name on the cross I was making. When Jesus was carrying His cross, He stumbled right beside me, I looked, and my name was on His cross!"
All of our names were on that Cross, so that all of our names could be written in the Book of Life.
So the next time you see a cross and ask: "why", picture Jesus saying - "Because I love you." And the next time you are down and discouraged and ask - "How much do you love me?"
Remember that He stretched out His arms and died for you.
Head: What you need to know about this truth
Jesus died on the Cross to take our place and make complete payment for our sins so that we could spend an eternity with Him forever in heaven! He chose to die for us rather than live without us.
Heart: What you need to feel about this truth
Absolutely and completely loved. Jesus died for us when we were His enemies, He lives for us now that we are His friends. Other people in our life may let us down now and then, but Jesus never will. As a Christian, you can never truthfully say that no one cares about you or loves you, because Jesus proved His love by His sacrifice. Take a few minutes and meditate on this truth. Also, click here to check out an incredible story that really brings out the power of this truth.
Hands: What you need to do about this truth
When I was a youth pastor, we had a huge poster in the youth room that read:
He Died For Me...I'll Live For Him
Underneath this phrase was a huge space for students to sign their names so they could pledge themselves to this promise. The affect was amazing, because week after week it was a reminder that all of life takes on a whole new meaning when looked at from that perspective. This week, make up a poster with those words, sign your name, and put it in a place where you can continually be reminded of Jesus' sacrifice and our responsibility to Him.
Here's the link: http://www.dare2share.org/students/how-much-does-jesus-love-you/
-- God bless.
[ all for the glory of God.
]
