So what does the Cross, the truth that Jesus
gave up His life, reveal about God? What is the core truth behind it? Let’s let
Jesus tell us in His own words: “This is my commandment: Love each other in the
same way I have loved you. There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life
for one’s friends.” (John 15:12--13, NLT)
Why did Jesus go to the cross? Why did He have
to die? Did God need someone’s blood to appease Him and so Jesus decided to
shed His? Was there some mysterious sacrificial atonement that needed to happen
for God to feel good about humans? Did Jesus’ blood have to flow in order for
God to redirect His anger away from the rebellious world; Jesus gets God’s
anger so the world can get God’s love? Doesn’t this make God out to be a kind
of bloodthirsty, vengeful Ruler who demands the death of someone to be
appeased? Doesn’t this picture place violence at the center of God’s plan to
save the world?
It’s noteworthy that the person recording Jesus’
words above was the disciple called John who at one point in his life was
infamously known, along with his brother James, as “sons of thunder.” The boys
had tempers, short fuses, quick to anger and vengefulness.
In fact, at one point during their journey with
Jesus, when a Samaritan village refused to extend hospitality to their circle,
they thundered, “Lord, should we order down fire from heaven to burn them up?”
(Luke 9:54) It is like saying, “Let’s nuke ‘em, Lord! If they don’t want you
and us, they can go to hell!”
Jesus’ immediate response to the sons of thunder
was a rebuke (Luke 9:55). And some ancient manuscripts add Jesus saying, “You
don’t realize what your hearts are like. For the Son of Man has not come to
destroy men’s lives, but to save them.” Jesus is clear about His mission and
the mission of the One He reveals: it’s not about vengeance, revenge, coercion,
anger or punishment. It is about life; saving life, giving life, building up
life, even the lives of those who reject him.
So years later, when disciple John (the former
son of thunder) is writing about Jesus and telling Jesus’ story, he recalls
Jesus’ words: “There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for his
friends” (John 15:13, NLT). John now sees clearly that to Jesus, everyone is a
friend because Jesus gave His life for anyone.
Jesus went to the cross to reveal the truth
about God’s love; that divine love knows no bounds, no limits, no conditions.
God’s kind of love gives unselfishly and sacrificially. No cost is too great
for love.
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