Jesus said “Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down his life for his friends.”  He also said “God so loved the world that he gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” Of course Jesus did this very thing when He gave up His life for us on the Cross. He loved us so much that He was prepared to go through what was probably the most inhumane form of execution devised by mankind. He did so to take the punishment we deserve for all the sin in our lives, by that I mean all the wrong things we have done, wrong thoughts we have had and wrong words we have used. The Bible makes it clear that God is holy and cannot have sin in His presence. The Bible actually says ' Your eyes are too pure to look on evil; you cannot tlerate wrong.' When describing heaven it says 'Nothing unclean can enter it.'

 

We are talking about love today, and some would say that if God is a God of love He will accept everyone into heaven (except maybe the most vile). But as we have said, God cannot have bad things in His presence so, because He is love, He has to find a way to make it possible for us to be able to come to Him, not only in this life, but in the next. So God has made a way. Jesus loved us so much that He came and paid the price for us by dying on that cross, taking away our sin and taking our punishment. He became our substitute, taking our place.

 

But that is not the end of the story, God raised Jesus from the dead and says if anyone comes to Him and commit their lives to Him and puts their faith in Him and what He did on that cross, then we would be forgiven and put right with God and we would know Him now, and, be guaranteed a place in heaven. 

 

I did this many years ago now. I remember the day I gave my life to Jesus as if it was yesterday. I remember the feeling of peace and joy that came over me at that time, and can honestly say it has not left me. The New Testament was written in the Greek language. When it came to talk of God's love they had to invent a new word -'agape', to describe the love our heavenly Father has for us, which is far greater than any earthly love. God has put this love into my heart

 

At the same time I instantly knew my sins were forgiven and that I had a place in heaven assured for me. I also became aware that there are many people who do not know this. and so I endeavour to share this wonderful news of God's love whenever I can, so that others can know this assurance of forgiveness and a place in heaven. 

 

If you are one of those who can say with me that they, too, have Jesus in their lives and know this love, can I exhort you to share that news with everyone you can so that they can know this. If you do not know this new life with Jesus then can I exhort you to call out to Him and put your faith in Him and make Him number one in your life. If you do, you will then know what love really is.