Oftentimes, the first thing that pops into our mind when we hear the word love is either a romantic relationship or being around friends and family. We might even have a lot of love for a physical object such as money, food, or clothing. But what if there is a love even greater than that? A love that you can’t find in any kind of relationship or item? A love so great, it can actually bring you freedom? Hmm, let’s see.
First, let’s consider our friends. Think about your closest friend for a moment that you might even consider family and ask yourself if they are willing to die for you despite whatever you have ever done to them. I am not talking about some ride or die, A1 since day one, thug life death. I mean like you did something so completely bad to your friend that could have actually broken the friendship you have with them and then they had to make a decision on whether they were going to die for you or not to save you out of a situation. Like, dying would be the only thing that would save you, even after you stabbed them in the back. The only person that I know would actually do something like that is Jesus. In fact, he already did. He loves you so much that he actually hung from a cross with nails pierced in his hands and thorns around his head to save you.
Next, let’s talk about the friendship of Judas and Jesus. Jesus had twelve disciples that followed him around in his ministry and Judas was one of them. As a matter of fact, Judas was actually Jesus’ brother (Mark 6:3, Matthew 13:55). Judas ended up betraying Jesus by turning him in to the Pharisees and having him killed (Mark 14:44-46). Jesus knew that he had a mission to fulfill here on earth which was to die in order save everyone from their sins and he already knew that Judas was going to betray him (John 13:18, 25-26). Yet, there were two times where Jesus humbled himself and still showed love to Judas. First, he washed Judas’ feet even though he knew Judas was going to betray him.
“Before the Passover celebration, Jesus knew that his hour had come to leave this world and return to his Father. He had loved his disciples during his ministry on earth, and now he loved them to the very end. It was time for supper, and the devil had already prompted Judas, son of Simon Iscariot, to betray Jesus. Jesus knew that the Father had given him authority over everything and that he had come from God and would return to God. So he got up from the table, took off his robe, wrapped a towel around his waist, and poured water into a basin. Then he began to wash the disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel he had around him.”
John 13:1-5 NLT
Pause for a moment and think about that. Would you go and wash someone’s feet knowing that they are about to betray you? Like, this is your best friend and sibling who is about to have you killed and you go and wash their feet? That sounds like some pretty big love to me. Then, Jesus died on the cross for all of us including Judas.
““For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. God sent his Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through him.”
John 3:16-17 NLT
That means God sent his son Jesus to die for you, me, murderers, thieves, liars, cheaters, homosexuals, politicians, etc. More evidence of great, amazing love. Yet, there are a lot of people that don’t choose to accept him. People either don’t believe God is real or they boxed him into being just a Sunday thing. If you’re reading this and you haven’t made a decision yet to give your life to Christ or maybe you have been saved but you don’t have a daily relationship with him, I encourage you to do so. Jesus loves you so much and it doesn’t matter what you’ve done and it’s not too late. God has so much in store for you but it starts with you making a decision to follow him. Jesus can free you whatever pain, sickness, mental issue, or addiction you have today. All you have to do is accept him the way he has already accepted you.
nicollette.blog 