Changed360

Christ had to die to make it possible for us to be in right relationship with God. He had to die for that to be able to occur but he didn’t have to, he wasn’t forced to, he chose to. If you’re reading this know that Christ Jesus chose to go through immense and unimaginable suffering for you. He loves you and he wants your whole heart! In the recording of Jesus prayer in the garden of Gethsemane we get a glimpse of the anguish and distress he felt for what was going to be required of him in order to make a way for us. Matthew 26:36-39 Then Jesus came with them to a place called Gethsemane, and said to his disciples, “Sit here while I go and pray over there.” And he took with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and He began to be sorrowful and deeply distressed. Then he said to them “My soul is exceedingly sorrowful, even to death.” Stay here and watch with me. He went a little further and fell on his face, and prayed, saying “O My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; nevertheless, not as I will but as you will.” Christ felt exceedingly sorrowful and deeply distressed. But he chose to submit to The Father’s requirement of the sacrifice of his life on our behalf. You may be wondering why would God the Father require this? Which gets into the discussion of the HOLINESS of God. If you read in the Old Testament you will see that the Israelites had to sacrifice animals and different things to make atonement for their sins (Leviticus discusses this a lot) but these sacrifices never paid in full. Jesus Christ paid the price for our sins in full. Why? Because he is God, he took on our flesh but was sinless, he is perfect in every way. He is the ultimate sacrifice. God cannot tolerate sin, he is HOLY, HOLY, HOLY ( Isaiah 6:3) but he loves us and has a redemption plan for us…The blood of Jesus Christ! Nothing but the blood of Jesus can wash away our sins. But again it wasn’t because he was forced to go through this agonizing death, it was because he chose to for you, and for me. In Matthew 26:53 Jesus tells us he could pray to his Father and he would have sent him more than twelve legions of angels. This is love, that he chose to for us. Maybe you know this love personally because you have experienced the transformation that knowing Jesus Christ as Lord and savior brings to your life, praise God! Isn’t it good to reflect on the love Christ has for us? Maybe you don’t know him, if that’s you, know that he loves you and died for you, he wants you to be his! He didn’t choose to die for any of us because we are worthy, none of us are worthy. He chose to out of deep, compassionate, pure love for us! No one has ever loved you more that Christ does! I want to leave you with this from Romans 5:8 But God Demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. He chose to for you! Why? Because he loves you.

– Faith