Friday, March 11, 2005
John 10:17-18 "Therefore My Father loves Me, because I lay down My life that I may take it again. No one takes it from Me, but I lay it down of Myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This command I have received from My Father."
JESUS LAYS DOWN HIS LIFE
A number of times during Jesus' life, men actively sought to murder Him (Luke 4:29, John 8:59, John 10:31). Yet despite their evil intentions they did not succeed. From the text for today we see that they could not have succeeded. Jesus' life could not be taken from Him, only given.
In the garden of Gethsemane we see a remarkable illustration of this fact. Knowing that He would soon face the climax of His troubles on this earth, Jesus was deeply grieved and distressed. In His distress Jesus turned to his Father in heaven and asked whether there was some way that this cup of suffering might pass from Him. But if there was no other way to accomplish our salvation Jesus faithfully prayed to the Father, "Your will be done"(Matthew 26:42).
And next we see how Jesus would die. His prayers finished and Judas approaching, does Jesus shrink back from His betrayer and the cross lurking in the distance? NO! But instead we find these words recorded for our comfort: "Rise, let us be going. See, My betrayer is at hand" (Matthew 26:46).
Jesus goes to meet those who seek His life! Let it be clearly known: Jesus was not tricked and trapped into dying on the cross, but instead He actively took His life and laid it down for us that we might have life through His death. 