The Love of Jesus

The Love of Jesus

Throughout human history there has been nothing comparable to the love of Jesus. It has been discussed, dissected and disputed over the many centuries.  We as Christians celebrate the love of Jesus!  The love he so freely gave to us is unconditional and sacrificial. No other love can compare. It’s not fleeting or emotional it has a name it’s called agape love.

This love asks us to look deeper past sentiment and romantic connections. This love is a deliberate choice. The choice Jesus made in regard to us.

As the Apostle Paul wrote in the book of Romans:  “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” (Rom 5:8).  This is the hallmark of Jesus’ love: it is not earned by moral performance or social status; it is a gift given to the “unworthy.”

When we look at the life of Jesus he demonstrated this love by the miracles he performed - the healing of the deaf, the blind, leapers and the crippled.  He healed multitudes of people in his short ministry.

Matt 4:23: “Jesus went throughout Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom, and healing every disease and sickness among the people.”

Also, in those days children were marginalized and forgotten, but not by Jesus.

Mark 10:13-16: “People were bringing little children to Jesus for him to place his hands on them, but the disciples rebuked them.  When Jesus saw this, he was indignant. ‘He said to them, ‘Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these.  Truly I tell you, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.’  And he took the children in his arms, placed his hands on them and blessed them.”

Jesus loves the little ones so much.  He protects them and gives warning and consequences to those who hurt them.

Matt 18:6: “If anyone causes one of these little ones - those who believe in me - to stumble, it would be better for them to have a large millstone hung around their neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea.”

Jesus taught some hard things. The one teaching that I know I struggle with is this:

Matt 5:43-48: “You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’  But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your Father in heaven.  He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.”

Perhaps this is the most challenging teaching - the command to "love your enemies."  He didn’t just preach this; he lived it, asking for the forgiveness of those who were crucifying him while he was on the cross.

Hard to imagine a being that can love like this isn’t it?

The Apostle Paul said in Romans 8:38-39 that nothing - neither death nor life, neither height nor depth - could separate humanity from the love of God in Christ Jesus!

I have always found comfort in that verse. This unbreakable bond between Jesus and humanity is the reason so many have hope in this evil world.  He gives us a reason to live and to treat others with kindness - all he asks in return is for us to have faith and believe, then share the good news with others.  It is a love that does not just “accept” people as they are, but loves them enough to help them become who they were meant to be.  I believe it is this:  Eph 5:2 - “And walk in love even as Christ loved us and gave himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice of a sweet savour to God.”

Amen.

- Terry Ryan

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Jewish View of Isaiah 53

Throughout the centuries Jews have denied the confession made by Peter in Matt 16:16: “Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.”  This is hard to explain in view of the many Old Testament messianic prophecies that point to Jesus.  One of the most noteworthy-such prophecies is found in Isaiah, chapter 53.

David Baron was a Jewish scholar who came to believe in Jesus as the Messiah who fulfilled Old Testament prophecies.  In 1922 he wrote a book entitled The Servant of Jehovah, which is an exposition of Isaiah chapter 53.

In this book Baron points out that this passage in Isaiah presents a serious problem for Jews who refuse to believe that Jesus is the Messiah.  In fact, he reveals that in their public liturgy on the Sabbath modern-day Jews skip around this chapter.  Each week a passage from the Torah, known as a “Parshah,” is read (or actually chanted), and this is followed by a passage from the prophets, known as a “Haftarah.”  There are almost 20 texts taken from the book of Isaiah.  Interestingly, among them is a reading from Isaiah 51:12 - 52:12 followed by one which begins with chapter 54, verse 1.  Thus one of the clearest prophecies in all of the Old Testament concerning Jesus as the Messiah, the “Suffering Servant of Jehovah,” is completely ignored.

It is not difficult to understand why Baron refers to Isaiah 53 as “the bad conscience of the synagogue.”

- Leonard White

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Never do something permanently foolish
just because you’re temporarily upset.

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