No Greater Love

There is no greater love than the love Jesus showed when He laid down His life—for His friends. For us.

Jesus wasn’t just a good man who died an unjust death. He was the spotless Son of God—sinless, blameless, holy. Death had no rightful claim on Him. And yet, He willingly embraced it. He gave up His life so that others might have eternal life.

That alone would be enough to leave us in awe. But what makes His sacrifice even more astounding are the people He died for.

When Jesus spoke these words in John 15, He was talking to a group of His friends who were far from perfect. A hot-headed fisherman. A skeptical doubter. A tax collector. A political zealot. Brothers who once wanted to call down fire on a village. And beyond that room? Prostitutes. Outcasts. The unclean. Sinners.

And for us, too.

Jesus laid down His life so that anyone might become His friend. So that everyone might receive His love. So that we might know—deep in our hearts—that we are not rejected or forgotten, but known and embraced.

So, take a moment today and rest in this truth: There is no greater love than the love Jesus has for you. He proved it on the cross.

My Thoughts

As a child, I have to admit that I didn’t think at all about the meaning of Good Friday. I didn’t know why it was called Good Friday, but I accepted that it was a good thing because I was always out of school. Yes, I knew from going to Sunday school that it was the day we commemorate the crucifixion of Jesus, but since I didn’t have a relationship with Him, that meant little to me. Once I became a Christian, I was amazed at the love that the sacrifice of Jesus showed. He was not eager to give His life, but He was willing to carry out the plan of the Father. Thus, submitting His will to His Father in Heaven, He went voluntarily to the cross. Why do I think that? Jesus Himself said he could call down legions of angels to defend Him. But He didn’t. So, when Pilate questioned Him, He did not reply. The answers were in the hearts of those who believed in Him then and believe in Him now. He is the Son of God who gave His life for me, you and all who accept Him. One verse I memorized this year is John 3:36: “Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God’s wrath remains on them.” This is the good news of Good Friday. Because we believe, we accept God’s free gift of eternal life. Remember when God created the world and said it was “good”? I am sure that He would call today a good day, too…a good day to reflect and remember and to worship Him for His plan of redemption that reaches out to all mankind. Have a blessed Good Friday and may we ever cherish the love of our Savior!