In this very Holy Week I write about the love of Jesus. I don't want to dwell in the sinfulness of man. I just want to praise the greatness of Jesus' love which enabled all of us to attain heaven. The eternal life promised is now possible because of Jesus. How marvelous!
In the Bible, the august Word of God, the record of this all encompassing love has been repeated over and over. In Genesis, the first book of the Bible, we read of the first man and woman who sinned and used the leaves as covers for their bodies. God eventually has to kill an animal so that He clothe them back to their dignity. That symbolic act of putting back their dignity is a precedent sign as to how Jesus will be killed so that the dignity of sinful humanity may be restored.
Still in Genesis we read about Abraham asked by God to offer Isaac, his only son, in a holocaust. Abraham became the picture of the Almighty Father who because of His great love for the world, offered His son for forgiveness of sins. This thesis of the Divine offering of God is summed up in John 3 verse 16. Many times in the Old Testament, one will be amazed by how the picture of Jesus Christ is shown as its most prominent figure. Everyone was waiting for the Savior. The Old Testament is a very long Advent Season of Christianity. More than that, it is a detailed account of Christ's passion, death, and resurrection.
However, the Love of Christ is experienced all the more by humanity when assumed our nature. Jesus incarnated. He took the form of our lowly being and became one with us, among us. Truly Emmanuel in all senses of the word. Jesus is God who became man but i also believe that Jesus is Love who became Grace. None of us deserve to be near him. None of us deserve to be treated by him. Yet he exploded compassion when he came here. He has made pity a normal act. He became Prince of Mercy to everyone. And in return what did humanity disbursed him? We wrecked havoc in his humility. He was tormented, he was mocked, spitted, and tried without system. He was disdained and accused. He was lashed in pillars and crowned with piercing stems. He walked in shame and contempt, dropped three times while carrying a heavy crossed. Stripped of his garments. Made a laughing stock by soldiers drinking soaks and lastly died beside two criminals.
Jesus deserves to be your redeemer. For at every time you feel like the world torments you and cast you out you can rely that He knows how it feels. He has been there. There is nothing in this life that Jesus wasn't able to penetrated let alone he doesn't know. Nothing in reality that Jesus is ignorant about. When you feel like everyone you loved turned their backs on you. You will know how Jesus felt like when all his friend ran away as he was arrested by the Roman soldiers. When you feel like you are unfairly tried by board members and authorities. You know that Jesus had been there and he was tried without evidences or right for counsel. When you feel like you are dying and afraid of it you know that Jesus begged the Father for his life too and he died. He died. There is nowhere that Jesus wasn't able to go. He went through death for you and he conquered so that you have nothing to fear. The love of Jesus reigns supreme over all the tragedies and miseries of life. You wouldn't have time to think of all catastrophes in life because His love trumps it every time.
He was love from the beginning. He is grace through it all. I like to point out how many times did Jesus became Grace to humanity in different ways;
1. Jesus is the Grace of Dignity. No one deserves him. And yet the first thing he did to start his ministry is to do a humble posture of baptism. He allowed John the Baptizer to baptize him even amid the reluctance of John to do so. John knew that no one is worthy to untie the strap of his sandals and yet Jesus was willing for it. He puts dignity to our lowly humanity. He respects us in spite of our sinful being. He chose his twelve inner circle councilors. These are people of terrible backgrounds. They were nobodies except for the Sons of Zebedee who are elite-recognized in their respective communities. They were not politicians nor are they Levites, just nobodies. Jesus was able to make a somebody out of a nobody.
2. Jesus is the Grace of Fulfillment. In the New Testament, Jesus comes as the perfection and fulfillment of all laws and prophecies. He actually did. He made the perfect law out of the many Mosaic laws constructed by the scribes throughout the years. He embodied all the prophecies of the Old Testament. He quenched the thirst of the woman at the well. He fed the 5,000 when he multiplied the bread and the fish. He completes every thing and he satisfies everyone. He is food for the hungry, sight for the blind, light for the weary and savior of the lost.
3. Jesus is the Grace of Victory. Jesus is the triumphant Lord of all. He is praised by the angels as the victor. He is champion of humanity. He conquered the force of nature. Many times Jesus controlled the events of nature in his lifetime. Once, he was sleeping at the boat, his disciples woke him up only to chide him that they are perishing from the storm that hit them in the middle of the lake. Jesus stood up and commanded the storm to shut up. The storm immediately cease and it earn the tremble of the disciples asking themselves who this man could be. Not only did Jesus conquered the force of nature. He conquered death. Even before he resurrected he was able to resuscitate three dead persons. First, the daughter of Jairus. Second the son of a widow he met while walking on the road. Lastly, he raised his best friend Lazarus. He can defy death and death submits to him.
The power of Jesus only became applicable to mankind because of the love of Christ. The love of Christ is always pre dominant to his power for without his love, no one can ever experience the power of Christ shown in redemption history. As we continue reflecting on the Holy Week message, we concentrate more particularly not on the process of redemption but on the love of Christ poured out for our heavenly and earthly welfare.
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