Easter Day 1 - Such Love

This is a series of three meditations on the three most important days in history, on three days that changed the world, that can change your life and my life.

Easter Day 1 - Such Love

Two thousand years ago Jesus Christ was crucified by the Romans at the behest of the Jewish religious leaders. This was the greatest act of love in all history. As that famous verse in John 3:16 says:

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.” (ESV)

God sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to the cross to die for you and for me. Jesus willingly went to the cross in order to die for you and for me. He did this knowing the absolute worst about me, knowing the absolute worst about you. Jesus did not go to the cross thinking Ian is quite a nice fellow really. No, He went there knowing the depths of my sin and my sinfulness. He went there to pay the price for my sin, He went there to do what I am utterly incapable of doing for myself, He went there so I could live, so that I could love.

Jesus went to the cross alone. He had been betrayed one disciple, denied by another, abandoned by all of them. He had been severely beaten, He had been mocked, He had been subjected to a show trial. The world had shouted “crucify him!”. And so the world did crucify Him, we crucified the one who loved us the most.

But this was not just an act of love towards us, it was an act of love between the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Sometimes the cross is portrayed as a merciful Jesus persuading a reluctant, angry God not to send us to hell. This is not what was happening. God was acting to save us. Father, Son and Holy Spirit were all in it together.

May all of us gaze upon the cross today, may we meditate upon what the Bible tells us about the cross. May all of us do this, but especially any of us who have lost hope, who feel our life is out of control, that we are out of control, sinking ever deeper into a mire, utterly helpless. There is one who can help you.

The Lord is near to the broken-hearted

   and saves the crushed in spirit. (Psalm 34:18, ESV)