Sacrifice

I lay down my life for the sheep. This is why the Father loves Me because I am laying down My life so I may take it up again. No one takes it from Me, but I lay it down on my own. I have the right to lay it down, and I have the right to take it up again. I have received this command from my Father. John 10:15,17-19

On Tuesday night at Alpha we discussed the cross. I was surprised at the level of misunderstanding and complete lack of knowledge that there was in the group, it was very good to see a genuine lack of understanding about Christ and what He did, I was in the right group because Alpha was created to reach out to such people.

Yesterday in Australia we celebrated Anzac Day. On this day we remember and honour all the men and women who gave their lives so that we could be free of tyranny. They freely lay down their lives for others. In this instance they were walking in the spirit of Christ.

At Alpha we talked about a man who was a Polish priest in the 2nd world war. A group of men had been chosen to go into a pit and starve to death. One man was upset because he would not see his family again, when the priest offered to take his place, not have family himself. The priest was the last to die, he encouraged all those in the pit to the end. His life was taken by a lethal does of Carbolic Acid because starvation did not kill him.

Like this man or those who gave their lives for our country Jesus had the ability to take up his life at any point by denying His stance. All He had to do was say He was not the Christ and that it was all in error. He also had the power to call upon a legion of angels to save Him from the cross but He chose to give that up for a higher prize; the souls of all who had gone before and those who would come after. He knew that His sacrifice was the prefect sacrifice that would pay the price for sin, once and for all.

I happened to say, 'I was saved at 19', to one of the men who were at Alpha and he asked what I meant. He genuinely did not understand the word salvation. I explained it to him.

My God is reaching out and I am watching Him speak to those who have a complete lack of understanding. He is good.