JESUS GAVE HIS LIFE FOR US WILLINGLY

- By Grant Phillips -

I think it is very important that mankind understands this one fact; no one overpowered Jesus and killed Him, not the Romans and not the Jewish nation.

Some religious people, and others who are religious about nothing, have been stating that "Jesus was a nice man. He taught many good truths. He is a great example to follow. Too bad 'they' murdered Him."

For hundreds of years the Jewish people have been ostracized, hated, tormented, tortured, murdered, run out of their homes, enslaved, and most anything else demented minds can come up with because they "murdered" Jesus, a good man.

For some reason, the Gentiles by Roman proxy have never taken any credit for the same thing the Jews are hated for, even though they, the Romans, were the ones who actually carried out the crucifixion.

Prior to the Church there were only two classifications of people on earth; Jews and Gentiles. Since the Church came into existence at Pentecost, there are now three classifications of people on earth; Jews, Gentiles and Christians. Yet still, only the Jews are found guilty by the world court for "murdering" Jesus. Now that's really "the pot calling the kettle black."

However, I return to the opening sentence, "no one overpowered Jesus and killed Him," and this is important to know. Jesus made this very clear.

"As the Father knoweth me, even so know I the Father; and I lay down my life for the sheep. Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again. No man taketh 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 commandment have I received of my Father." (John 10:15, 17-18)

Jesus said three times that He alone laid down His life. He said that no one took His life. He went on to say that He has the power to lay it down and twice He said He has the power to raise it up.

Now is there any possible way to be clearer than that? Of course not. No one overpowered Jesus. No one took His life. He freely gave His life for us.

Maybe we should ponder on that for a moment and really let it sink in. No one but Jesus has the power and authority to be in absolute control of their life. We haven't the power or authority of preventing our death or resurrecting our own person, but Jesus does. To me this emphasizes the fact that no one took His life. He gave His life for our sake, and was raised on the third day, just as He prophesied.

When reading the Gospels, we see over and over that He knew where He was headed. His gaze was fixed on a Roman cross. There were times the mobs tried to take Him, but they couldn't do so because it wasn't His time. It is most obvious that no one was able to apprehend Him if He didn't allow it. When His time did come, He allowed them to take Him.

Isaiah tells us that when His time had come He didn't even open His mouth to object as He stood before His accusers.

"He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth." (Isaiah 53:7)

The Apostle Paul tells us that Christ died for the ungodly. He says someone just might die for a good person, but it's rare anyone would die a for righteous person. However, Jesus Christ died for us while we were still sinners. Read his words yourself.

"You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God's wrath through him! For if, while we were God's enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life! Not only is this so, but we also boast in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation. (Romans 5:6-11 NIV)

Think about this now. It's rare anyone would die for a good person, but Jesus died for us even though we were His enemies. He reconciled those to God who look upon Him and believe in Him. All of this is because He freely chose to. No one made Him. He chose to die for us in order that we would have a path, the only path by the way, to God.

Jesus Himself said,

"Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends." (John 15:13)

All who come to Him in belief are His friends. He is our God and He is our friend, not just in time of need, but all the time.

No one could love us more than Jesus Christ, not even our own family. We can know that love by asking Him to come into our lives. He will never turn anyone away.

"All those the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never drive away." (John 6:37 NIV)

You may ask, "How do I know I'm one the Father gives to Him?" The answer is obvious, if you come to Him, the Father has given you to Him, and He will not turn you away.

Jesus gave His life for all sinners, and that certainly includes all of us.

"For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus; Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time." (1 Timothy 2:5-6)

If you really desire to know how Jesus feels about you, just remember that He GAVE His life for you and me. No one took it.