I have been overwhelmed this week in obeying the command of the Psalmist to consider the steadfast love of the Lord. Paul commends us in 2 Timothy 2:7 to "Think over what I say, for the Lord will give you understanding in everything." Have you considered God's love for you lately?
John 3:16, For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. The death of Christ is not only the demonstration of God's love, it is also the supreme expression of Christ's own love for all who receive His love. The apostle Paul was captured by this fact: Christ "loved me and gave himself for me" (Galatians 2:20). Paul took the love of self-giving act of Christ's sacrifice very personally. He said, "He loved me. He gave himself for me."
The way we should understand the sufferings and death of Christ is that they have to do with me. They are about Christ's love for me personally. It is my own sin that cuts me off from God, not sin in general. It is my own hard-heartedness and spiritual numbness that demean the worth of Christ. I am utterly lost and perishing. When it comes to salvation, I have forfeited all claim on justice. All I can do is plead for mercy.
The Bible says that in love Christ suffered and died on the cross. For whom did He suffer and die? It says,
"Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her" (Ephesians 5:25). "Greater love has no one than this, that someone lays down his life for his friends" (John 15:13). "The Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many" (Matthew 20:28). "Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me." (Galatians 2:20)
Do you hear this? Consider the recipients of the benefits of Christ's death? For the church, for His friends, for many, and for me. How can I know if this is really personal? How can I apply this most precious act of love and promise of love? How can I know that I am I among the "many"? How can I be one of his "friends"? How can I belong to the "church"?
Listen and consider the Bible's answer: "Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved" (Acts 16:31). "Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved" (Romans 10:13). "Everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name" (Acts 10:43). "To all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God" (John 1:12). "Whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life" (John 3:16).
Do you believe? Are you calling on His name? Do you receive Him? Than all the benefits of the death of Jesus: Justification, forgiveness, peace with God, union with Christ, the imputation of Christ's righteousness, faith, the new birth, the Holy Spirit, eternal life, and most of all, the gift of Jesus Himself.
Jesus paid the highest price possible to give me the greatest gift possible. And what is that? It is the gift he prayed for at the end of his life: "Father, I desire that they also, whom you have given me, may be with me where I am, to see my glory" (John 17:24). In his suffering and death "we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth" (John 1:14). We have seen enough to capture us for his cause. But the best is yet to come. He died to secure this for us. That is the love of Christ.
Oh would you reflecting on the many passages that speak of God's personal love for you and me? Let it cause you this next Thanksgiving week to joyfully obey Psalm 107:1,"Oh give thanks to the LORD, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever!
Oh how easily we can forget that Jesus loves us, really loves us. Isn't it amazing? I have come to realize how I had forgotten His cross lately. When we go back to cross we go back to a wonderful world of love. We are liberated to "love because he first loved us." (1 John 4:19). We are enabled to be free to "live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God" (Ephesians 5:2). Jonathan Edward's wrote: "If heaven is a world of love, than the way towards heaven is a way of love."
I wonder how many of us deep inside are not feeling and experiencing His unconditional love. I pray for more and more outpourings and experiences of that love for you that Paul says literally "God's love has been (and is constantly) poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us" (Romans 5:5). God's love for you is being given to free you to love. Will you believe it? Will you receive it? JESUS LOVES ME THIS I KNOW FOR THE BIBLE TELLS ME SO!
Savoring Jesus' love for me,
Pastor Bill
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