God’s Hope for Your Heart from Luke 23
INSTEAD OF HIMSELF, JESUS SAVED YOU
And the people stood by, watching, but the rulers scoffed at Him, saying, “He saved others; let him save himself, if he is the Christ of God, his Chosen One!” The soldiers also mocked Him, coming up and offering Him sour wine and saying, “If you are the King of the Jews, save yourself!” There was also an inscription over Him, “This is the King of the Jews.” One of the criminals who were hanged railed at Him, saying, “Are you not the Christ? Save yourself and us!” (Luke 23:35-40)
It would have been easily within His power and well within His rights for Jesus to save Himself.
No other was so ill-deserving of the shame, the sorrow, and the suffering that Jesus experienced than the One who not only created the world, but entered it of His own accord to redeem its people.
No hands were less deserving of the nails than the hands of the Healer. No feet were less deserving than the feet of the One who brought the Good News of peace to mankind.
It would have been such a simple thing for the maker of heaven and earth to simply say, “ENOUGH” and be done with the whole ordeal. It would have been so easy for Him to vindicate His claims and bring vengeance on His tormentors. Yet, Jesus ignored the taunts and temptation to save Himself because He knew that if He did, He would be giving up a greater prize…
Saving you.
Don’t let repetition or tradition rob you of the wonder of this simple fact that has such profound implications for all who trust in Him. Rather, let your heart be filled anew with wonder at the incredible depth of God’s love for you in Christ, and may you discover fresh hope as you meditate on this truth: instead of Himself, Jesus saved you.
-Pastor Phillip
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