An Easter Love Story

‘Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.’ (John 15:13)

This is what Jesus says to his disciples. In context, he’s talking about how his disciples should treat one another, giving them a new command of sacrificial love.

Jesus says this at the Passover meal just before He then lays down his own life. However, He doesn’t just lay down his life for his friends, but for everyone.

Paul says, ‘Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die.’ (Romans 5:7)

Our human love for each other might possibly stretch to someone laying down their life for a good person, but very rarely.

‘But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.’ (Romans 5:8)

‘...while we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son…’ (Romans 5:10)

What kind of love is this? It’s a love that gives everything, not just for friends, but also for enemies.

This love of God is greater than any love.

The Easter story is so rich, and I would encourage you to read it in the gospels this Easter. Ultimately it’s a love story. That was God’s motivation for giving His Son.

And God goes on loving us all unconditionally. We can’t earn His love, but we can choose to accept it, and to recognise Jesus as our Lord, giving our lives to glorify Him.