Jesus Laid His Life Down

This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers - 1 John 3:16 NIV

Jesus chose to lay His life down for us. He chose to come to this earth to die. He could have stayed in heaven and not physically died, but willingly laid His life down so we could live eternally. John 10:17-18: "For this reason the Father loves me, because I lay down my life that I may take it up again. 18No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. This charge I have received from my Father."

We cannot choose to die physically. Death is not up to us now. We don't have a choice in the matter. We wll all one day die. Someone might say that people can choose to die (kamakazi pilots, suicides, etc) but that is not true. They can choose WHEN to die but death cannot be chosen - we will all die. Hebrews 9:27a: "Just as man is destined to die once, and after that to face judgment." Death has been chosen for us by the 1st Adam's sin. We automtically will die one day because of sin. Romans 5:12 "Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all men, because all sinned."

The good news of death is found in Romans 5:21 in what Jesus did. Just as sin reigned in death, so also grace might reign through righteousness to bring eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. The rest of Hebrews 9:27-28 says, "...so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many people; and he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him."

1 Corinthians 15:45 says, "So it is written: "The first man Adam became a living being"; the last Adam, a life-giving spirit." God made us a living being. Because of sin, we now will die. Jesus, the last Adam is our life-giving spirit. We get eternal life through Him. Notice I didn't say the second Adam like some people do. He isn't the second because what he did finalized death and life - it brought us eternity. Death is swallowed up by Jesus' victory on the cross and resurrection (1 Corinthians 15:55-57).

What a Savior! Jesus willingly came to die. His death brings us life. Our sin brought death, his death brings life. What love! What sacrifice - knowing your life's purpose and mission was to die to bring life. It is hard to imagine that Jesus "...for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God." Hebrews 12:2. That is why I fix my eyes on you and you alone.


John 15:13 "Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends."