A few years back now, I had the amazing opportunity of being part of an Easter production at my Bible College that featured the life, miracles, and death of Jesus. It may have only been a retelling of Jesus' great story, but it changed me. There is something about reading the scriptures and then seeing it played before your eyes. Something that seemed to be just a story becomes reality. It came to life before me and sparked in me a desire to understand why. Why would the God of this universe love me enough to die for me?
I don't want to assume that everyone reading this knows the story of Jesus. Maybe you've heard a version or two of it. Maybe it never struck any interest in you. Maybe you've heard this story all your life and it still doesn't change you. Maybe you heard it once and fell passionately in love with Him. Whatever the case, it's a timeless story. One that we need to remind ourselves of frequently. And not just because tomorrow is Easter.
So who was this "Jesus?" Some would say he was just a good man. Some would say he was a lunatic. Whatever your perspective, he was definitely not ordinary. What does the bible tell us about Jesus? That he was 100% man and 100% God! God in flesh. The son of God. The one come to save this world from destruction. To pay the ransom for our numerous sins.
Jesus lived a perfect life on this Earth. Never once did he even think a wicked thought. It's unbelievable to think that despite his perfection, people attempted to find fault in him. There had to be something wrong with him. Jealously overtook the people and they crucified him. They spit on him. They mocked him. They screamed horrible things at him as he hung there to die.
Back to my never understood question.
Why would the God of this universe choose to die for a sinner like me?
God loved this world that he created. He knew from the start that we would choose to disobey his guidelines. He knew he would have to send his only son to die to pay our ransom. I will never be able to understand how God's love could be that crazy. But I will choose to believe that his death that day is what gives me life. His perfect blood being spilt payed a debt that I could never cover myself. No good deed or service would ever be great enough.
JESUS IS THE SAVIOR OF THIS WORLD AND I NEED HIM!!!
The end of the story is this. Jesus burst forth that third day from the grave. Death could not keep him down. His resurrection proved that he had conquered sin and hell on my behalf and freed me.
That, my friends, is the greatest story ever told.
"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him." – John 3:16-17
