By David Sproule
Every so often it is good to be reminded of some key fundamental truths that are life-changing when you first hear them (and realize them) and ought to be life-changing every subsequent time that we hear them (and consider them). Think for a moment: Who did Jesus love and for whom did He give Himself?
Jesus loved and gave Himself for His own unbelieving brothers, who ridiculed Him (John 7:5; Mark 3:21). Jesus loved and gave Himself for His neighbors, who were offended at Him (Mark 6:3). Jesus loved and gave Himself for Herod the Great, who had tried to kill Him as an infant (Matt. 2:16). Jesus loved and gave Himself for Herod Antipas, who killed His best friend, John the Baptist (Matt. 14:1-12), and later treated Jesus Himself with contempt (Luke 23:11). Jesus loved and gave Himself for Herod Agrippa I, who killed one of His inner-circle friends, James (Acts 12:1-2).
Jesus loved and gave Himself for the Pharisees, who held to their traditions and rejected the Word of God (Matt. 15:1-9), and the very ones who were constantly testing Him (Mark 8:11). Jesus loved and gave Himself for the scribes, who accused Him of working with the devil (Mark 3:22). Jesus loved and gave Himself for the Jewish council, who sought false testimony against Him to put Him to death (Mark 14:55). Jesus loved and gave Himself for the chief priests, who condemned Him to death (Luke 24:20), shouted, “Crucify Him, crucify Him” (John 19:6), and mocked Him while He hung on the cross (Mark 15:31).
Jesus loved and gave Himself for Peter, who vehemently denied knowing Him (Matt. 26:69-75). Jesus loved and gave Himself for Judas, who betrayed Him for money (Mark 14:10, 43-46). Jesus loved and gave Himself for Pilate, who did not have courage enough to stand up for Him (John 19:4-6).
Jesus loved and gave Himself for Barabbas, whose place He took in the execution (Matt. 27:16-26). Jesus loved and gave Himself for the Roman soldier, who violently scourged His body (John 19:1), and the one who twisted a crown of thorns on His head (John 19:2), and the one who nailed His hands and feet to the cross (John 19:18).
Here’s the reality that we all know—Jesus loved and gave Himself for every person who has ever lived (Heb. 2:9), including every person who ever did Him any wrong (Luke 23:34). The question is—What is stopping me from loving and giving myself to everyone, even the ones who do me wrong? There is no more personal truth than this—Jesus “loved me and gave Himself for me” (Gal 2:20). He is expecting me to do that for others, especially my brethren (John 13:34).