The Love of Jesus

Last week we discussed God’s love.  This week I want to focus on the love of Jesus Christ.  As Christians, born again Believers and Followers of Christ, we believe in the Triune God: God the Father; God the Son and God the Holy Spirit, in that order.  We do not believe in three Gods for there is only one God three persons (personalities).  Here is a more simplified way to think of it:  

The components of an egg are made up of the: egg shell, egg yolk and egg white.  Although there is one egg, there are three separate components.  Each of those components has a specific function.  My primary experience with eggs is in cooking.  Most that use egg(s) as an ingredient require the egg yolk and/or egg white; however there are recipes that only require the egg yolk or the egg white.  For example:  I make the best German Chocolate cake in the entire world, hands down.  The icing requires egg yolks ONLY, never the entire egg but the cake requires the yolk and whites, but they must be separated and added separate from each other, not as a whole egg, unless you have learned to master the recipe as I have.   Ironically, as delicate as the egg shell is, it protects the egg yolk and egg white.  I don’t know of any cooking recipes that actually use the egg shell but I do remember many years ago that my mother used them in her plants.  My point is that there is one shell, one egg yolk and one egg white but all three make one egg and though it’s one egg, each component serves a purpose.

So it is with God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Ghost (Spirit), they are one but each serves a specific purpose.

In looking at the love of Jesus Christ, in whom God was "manifest in the flesh," compassion was an outstanding feature.  Love and compassion are intertwined

Compassion (Webster): a feeling of wanting to help someone who is sick, hungry, in trouble, etc.

Compassion (Bible Encyclopedia): to love, pity, be merciful; sympathy; the bowels yearning

·       When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them because they were confused and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.  Matthew 9:36 (NLT). 

·       Jesus saw the huge crowd as he stepped from the boat, and he had compassion on them and healed their sick.  Matthew 14:14 (NLT)

·       But whoever has this world’s goods, and sees his brother in need, and shuts up his heart from him, how does the love of God abide in him.  1 John 3:17 (NKJV)

o   KJV says … and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him

Jesus taught that it ought to be extended, not to friends and neighbors only, but to all without exception, even to enemies.  But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you.  Matthew 5:44 (KJV).

Jesus was an amazing representative for God while on earth.  Now before you start saying, “Yeah, I guess so, he was God.”  What I need you to understand is that the Son of God laid aside his heavenly glory, took on human flesh and was born of a woman, as a human being, just as you and I.  He went through childhood development, puberty, etc.; required food, water, and rest; he was tempted; got angry; frustrated just as we do, except without sin.  So then, since we have a great High Priest who has entered heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to what we believe. This High Priest of ours understands our weaknesses, for he faced all of the same testings we do, yet he did not sin. So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most.  Hebrews 4:14-16 (NLT)  It is so refreshing to know that our representative, Jesus Christ, our High Priest, can actually identify with our hurt, sorrow, grief, humiliation, betrayal, frustration, disappointment, etc. 

He even had second thoughts like we do.  Just prior to his betrayal which ended in his crucifixion, Jesus asked God the Father if there was an alternative plan to the fate that lay ahead of him.  He went on a little farther and fell to the ground. He prayed that, if it were possible, the awful hour awaiting him might pass him by. “Abba, Father,” he cried out, “everything is possible for you. Please take this cup of suffering away from me. Yet I want your will to be done, not mine.”  Mark 14:35-36 (NLT)  This was no cake walk for Jesus, he was troubled in his spirit like a regular human being because the human side of him didn’t want to die the agonizing death that was in front of him.  His flesh was warring against his spirit and he knew he would lose if he didn’t run to the Father for help, strength and courage.  The Plan of Salvation hinged on Jesus following through with God’s master plan, which was for him to be offered as a sacrifice for all of us and he did so willingly because he loved us so much.

How is it possible for Jesus to love us so much?  Because he and God the Father are like minded, they are one and he mentions this fact multiple times throughout the fourteenth chapter of John.  Jesus was a perfect representative of God the Father consistently all the way through His entire life; in all of His works, in all of His words, in all of His deeds, He represented the Father.  Why?  Because the purpose of His coming was to manifest the Father to man.   Long ago God spoke many times and in many ways to our ancestors through the prophets.  And now in these final days, he has spoken to us through his Son. Hebrews 1:1-2 (NLT). God revealed Himself in times past through the prophets in the Old Testament (like Moses, Samuel, Isaiah, Daniel, Jeremiah, etc.), but now He has revealed Himself through His own Son.  Why?  So that He (God) could do away with the old order (the Jewish Law) and have an intimate loving relationship with His children. 

Do you remember the puberty stage, just entering junior high school?  You liked someone but were too afraid to tell them so you used a friend to pass notes you wrote that said something similar to: Do you like me check yes or no?  Throughout the school day notes would float back and forth between you and your suitor, and assuming your suitor’s feelings were mutual, things went well and eventually you did away with the “go between” – the conduit, messenger.  The Old Testament reminds me of something similar.  God passed messages through the prophets and we responded to God through the priests who offered sacrifices on our behalf to God.  There generally was no one on one contact to the people with God.  Of course there were exceptions (the prophets, Abraham, Gideon, Samson, etc.) but as a whole God did not communicate directly with man.  God the Father desired direct connection with his people; the Son of God loved his Father and us so much that he was willing to bridge the gap. 

When we look at the life of Jesus and the great love, concern, and compassion he had for people he ministered to during his lifetime, we can clearly see that the Father is a loving God, a compassionate God, a God who is concerned for the needs of man, a God who is weeping over the failure of man, a God who desires to redeem lost man through his son, Jesus.  

In His Eternal Love

Tan