For me one truth stands out above the rest. It comes from one of the most poignant episodes in the Easter story. I believe it may just be the supreme message we can take away from all of the Easter events.
In Luke 2: 39 - 44 we find Jesus on the Mount of Olives. He has gone there to pray, following what we commonly refer to as the last supper. He leaves His disciples and goes on alone a bit further to pray by Himself. In verse 44 we find these powerfully moving words.
And being in anguish, he prayed more earnestly, and his sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground.
It is clear in this passage that Jesus, in anticipation of all that was going to happen in the next few hours, was terrified. Unlike a mere human He had the distinct disadvantage of knowing exactly what was coming. He knew the betrayal and humiliation He was about to experience. He knew the horrific physical torture He was about to endure. He who had never sinned knew He would soon be overwhelmed by taking on Himself the sin of the world. And perhaps worst of all, He knew taking on that sin, mine and yours, would cause Him to experience something He had never experienced ever in eternity past. He would be separated from God the Father.
The weight of this knowledge proved to be almost more than He could bear. In anguish He sweat drops like blood. In a moment of desperation He asked the Father if there might be some other way, some other path that would not lead to the cross. An angel came to minister comfort and support.
I absolutely believe that Jesus could have called a halt to everything at that point. On the brink of fulfilling the plan of salvation that had been in preparation ever since man's first sin, He could have said "no, I can't go through with it". He could have called a host of angels to His side, deciding it just wasn't worth it. But He didn't. He had another emotion that was even more overwhelming than the depths of fear and anguish He was experiencing there in the garden. Love.
It wasn't duty or responsibility that made Jesus persevere right to the cross. It wasn't the Father who compelled Him to go through with it. It was His love for you and for me.
The plan of salvation was born out of an indescribable love God has for His creation. It was a decision to pay the greatest price ever paid, to redeem mankind from the destructive power of sin. In the garden that night Jesus found Himself on the brink of fulfilling that plan. In that crucial hour His humanity caused Him to be filled with terror and anguish, and even fleetingly made Him wonder if there might be some other plan. But love was greater than fear.
This is astounding. The hymn writer put it this way. "Amazing love, how can it be, that thou my God should die for me." I can't think of a better or more powerful way to express it. God Himself, my creator, loved me so much that He willingly and purposefully died for me.
How can we make sense of a love like that? How can we begin to understand the depth of love that caused Jesus to willingly go through the torture and the separation from God caused by our sin, when He could have stopped it all with just a word. I can't grasp it and I can't describe it. I can only choose to accept it.
The tragedy is that even in the face of such unimaginable love and sacrifice, so many refuse to respond. And far too often, even among us who believe and accept the gift of salvation made possible by that sacrifice, our response is guarded and stingy. We should be saying, "God loved me enough to give everything for me. How can I not give everything back?" Instead we are prone to withhold our best and pursue our own priorities. God gave His best and we are prone to give so little.
The message of Easter has many nuances and no doubt preachers will explore every last one of them during this season. For me, one word stands out like a huge flashing neon sign on the top of the highest hill. "LOVE". Easter is about Jesus expressing the greatest love known to mankind. How will I respond?
Just read your blog - Very powerful! I am in awe of Christ's Love - Love so huge that He was willing to be separated from His Father! It brings me to my knees ------- Thank you Jesus!
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