Thought from today’s Bible reading from Matthew 17; Mark 9; Luke 9:28-62.
Even though His disciples did not completely understand what He meant, Jesus told them beforehand what was going to happen to Him.
“For He was teaching His disciples and telling them, ‘The Son of Man is to be delivered into the hands of men, and they will kill Him; and when He has been killed, He will rise three days later’” (Mark 9:31).
Jesus was going to be killed. He knew this would happen. Peter would later say that this was part of the “predetermined plan and foreknowledge of God” (Acts 2:23). This was the reason why Jesus came to the earth in the first place – to die on the cross.
Jesus’ death was not an accident. He did not come to earth, expecting that the Jews would accept Him and that He would establish a physical kingdom in Jerusalem, but those plans fell through. He knew He was going to suffer an awful death on the cross. Knowing this, He willingly went to the cross anyway.
“Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends” (John 15:13).
Laying down one’s life for his friends is the greatest sacrifice and demonstration of love that one could make. Yet Jesus not only laid down His life; but He left heaven with full knowledge of the rejection, suffering, and pain that awaited Him.
Such a great sacrifice on His part demands an appropriate response on our part.
“You are My friends if you do what I command you” (John 15:14).
“If you love Me, you will keep My commandments” (John 14:15).
Let us respond to the great love of Christ by showing love for Him in the way He desires – not through mere words, but through obedience to His will.
Tomorrow’s reading: Matthew 18
[I’m using the Chronological reading plan on the Bible Gateway website if you’d like to follow along, too.]
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