Tags
Acts 2:22-24, Creator and Redeemer of all, Grief, Grief and Sorrow, Hebrews 2:9-18, Jesus Died For YOU, Jesus Died That We Could Live, Jesus Knows, Jesus Saves!, Jesus' Grief, John 15:11-13, Luke 6:35-36, Matthew 5:44-45, Philippians 2:5-13, Sorrow, The sorrow of Jesus
Bible Ballistics: Vol. 19 No. 11 Incomprehensible Love???
I want to share more of my personal observations than usual, which I just feel led to do today, as I had some amazing thoughts about my Jesus this week, and I’d like to share them with you.
“These things have I spoken unto you,
that my joy might remain in you,
and that your joy might be full.
12 This is my commandment,
That ye love one another,
as I have loved you.
13 Greater love hath no man than this,
that a man lay down his life
for his friends.” John 15:11-13
God cares for the “world”, and while His love is unconditional, his forgiveness is based on a personal acceptance of Jesus’ substitutionary, atoning, sacrifice in repentance and faith! God cares for mankind, so much so that HE “gave his only begotten son” to die that we might have eternal life! And when we come to Jesus, we are called to emulate HIS loving, sacrificial heart!
“But love ye your enemies,
and do good,
and lend,
hoping for nothing again;
and your reward shall be great,
and ye shall be the children of the Highest:
for he is kind unto the unthankful
and to the evil.
36 Be ye therefore merciful,
as your Father also is merciful.” Luke 6:35-36
We are called to a ‘higher’ calling than the world demands, for as Jesus said again in Matthew’s Gospel:
“But I say unto you,
Love your enemies,
bless them that curse you,
do good to them
that hate you,
and pray for them
which despitefully use you,
and persecute you;
45 That ye may be the children
of your Father which is in heaven:
for he maketh his sun
to rise on the evil
and on the good,
and sendeth rain
on the just
and on the unjust.” Matthew 5:44-45
As we consider all these thoughts from God’s Word, I want to share some insights that I had this week. As I was thinking about what Jesus did for me and you, I was influenced by my own grief, and the grief of close friends who have dealt with great loss in recent days. Most of us have dealt with more grief in the last two-plus years with Covid than we could have imagined; and as I have been face-to-face with the emotions of grief myself, I couldn’t help but think of Jesus. Jesus went to Calvary for you and me, and I want us to consider what HE felt as He walked up that hill—not just what He went through in the physical abuse that He suffered at the hands of the Jewish religious leaders, or the Roman guards, or even the soldiers at the cross as He was crucified for your sin and mine—but the thoughts that must have filled His heart and mind as He was driven up that hill to Calvary.
You and I have all experienced sorrow and grief, and we all have family, friends, and loved ones who have left this world and left a hole in our heart; but think a minute with me, if you would, Jesus not only had friends and family whom He loved, but HE created the world—including you and me!!! Jesus didn’t just have a few folks on HIS heart and mind as HE walked up that hill, He had you and me on His heart and mind, even “before the foundation of the world” (See Ephesians 1:4 and 1 Peter 1:20)! I can’t imagine the grief and sorrow that HE must have felt over the loss that sin brought into HIS world! The enemy who deceived Adam and Eve, has continued to work his deceit in God’s world to this day! BUT, praise God his end is in sight, and our Lord will return to claim HIS own; but until then, we need to consider the grief that our Savior endured not only for us, but for all! I can’t help but think of the sadness that Jesus must have felt for the creation that HE loves—for the “the just and on the unjust”! He was going to die even for those who would reject HIM! Oh, the love—the love that God—Father, Son and Holy Spirit—has for us! I can’t even comprehend the grief and sorrow that HIS Spirit bore that day!
We grieve over the loss of maybe a hundred loved-ones and acquaintances, yet Jesus was creator of every human on earth! HE loves them enough to have come to this earth, took on flesh and blood, lived a sinless life, and was headed to Calvary to ‘buy back’ the creation who had sold themselves into bondage to sin, for it would take HIS life to redeem our souls—ON PURPOSE!
“Ye men of Israel, hear these words;
Jesus of Nazareth,
a man approved of God among you
by miracles
and wonders
and signs,
which God did by him in the midst of you,
as ye yourselves also know:
23 Him, being delivered
by the determinate counsel
and foreknowledge of God,
ye have taken,
and by wicked hands
have crucified and slain:
24 Whom God hath raised up,
having loosed the pains of death:
because it was not possible
that he should be holden of it.” Acts 2:22-24
I’d simply like to close with two passages, one from the author of Hebrews to help us understand God’s work in sending Jesus to be the payment for our sin, and our deliverer! All because HE loves us—and all who will come to HIM will find eternal life, and peace, hope and joy! The other look, at the ultimate passage on thinking as Jesus thought (one of my all-time favorite passages in all of scripture!); I hope they will both be a blessing to you!
“But we see Jesus,
who was made a little lower than the angels
for the suffering of death,
crowned with glory and honour;
that he by the grace of God
should taste death for every man.
10 For it became him,
for whom
are all things,
and by whom
are all things,
in bringing many sons unto glory,
to make the captain of their salvation
perfect through sufferings.
11 For both he that sanctifieth
and they who are sanctified
are all of one:
for which cause
he is not ashamed to call them brethren,
12 Saying,
I will declare thy name
unto my brethren,
in the midst of the church
will I sing praise unto thee.
13 And again,
I will put my trust in him.
And again,
Behold I and the children
which God hath given me.
14 Forasmuch then as the children
are partakers of flesh and blood,
he also himself likewise
took part of the same;
that through death
he might destroy him
that had the power of death,
that is, the devil;
15 And deliver them who through fear of death
were all their lifetime
subject to bondage.
16 For verily he took not on him the nature of angels;
but he took on him the seed of Abraham.
17 Wherefore in all things it behoved him
to be made like unto his brethren,
that he might be a merciful
and faithful
high priest in things pertaining to God,
to make reconciliation
for the sins of the people.
18 For in that he himself
hath suffered being tempted,
he is able to succour them
that are tempted.” Hebrews 2:9-18
Paul’s great passage on the “mind of Christ”!
“Let this mind be in you,
which was also in Christ Jesus:
6 Who, being in the form of God,
thought it not robbery to be equal with God:
7 But made himself of no reputation,
and took upon him the form of a servant,
and was made in the likeness of men:
8 And being found in fashion as a man,
he humbled himself,
and became obedient unto death,
even the death of the cross.
9 Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him,
and given him a name which is above every name:
10 That at the name of Jesus
every knee should bow,
of things in heaven,
and things in earth,
and things under the earth;
11 And that every tongue should confess
that Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the glory of God the Father.
12 Wherefore, my beloved,
as ye have always obeyed,
not as in my presence only,
but now much more in my absence,
work out your own salvation
with fear and trembling.
13 For it is God which worketh in you
both to will
and to do
of his good pleasure.” Philippians 2:5-13
So, my friends, wherever you may be, whatever sorrow or grief you may be living with—take heart! Jesus knows your pain and sorrow, the burden you bear! Won’t you come and rest in HIS ‘Incomprehensible LOVE’ that is there for you today! Don’t miss that unseen hand of mercy, grace, love and strength that is outstretched to you today!
Amen and Amen!!!
Bible Ballistics 