“For God So Loved the World” by Leo Aliaga, Fiat Ventures
Fourth Sunday of Lent
Often at big sporting events where people are holding up signs in the stands, you’ll see someone with John 3:16 written on a sign. That’s the most often quoted verse in the Bible, and we hear it in this Sunday’s Gospel – you probably already know it; “For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him might not perish but might have eternal life.”
Try swapping in your name in that verse; “For God so loved Leo that he gave his only Son, so that Leo who believes in him might not perish but might have eternal life.” It sounds a little more personal that way, doesn’t it?
During this time of Lent, we have a particular focus on Jesus’ sacrifice for our salvation. The cross is the climax of the greatest love story in history. Jesus was fully God and fully man, so he was able to pay the human price for our sin by his death, and because he was Divine, he was able to take upon himself the sins of the world and bring them to that moment. That can sound a little theological, but the bottom line is that Jesus’ love for us is greater than our sin, and he would stop at nothing to reconcile us with the Father.
Let’s go back to John 3:16 – we took a personal look at it, but now let’s swap back in the original words. “For God so loved THE WORLD that he gave his only Son, so that EVERYONE who believes in him might not perish but might have eternal life.” As much as Jesus’ sacrifice on the Cross was for each of us personally, it was also for everyone! This great event wasn’t something hidden; it was a public event for the world.
Part 2 of our experiencing this love is that Jesus wants to communicate this to the world through us! I recently heard a friend say, “He died for us in public, so we can’t live for him in private.”
He wants everyone to know that he has redeemed our suffering on the Cross, and that he knows what it’s like to go through it. He wants everyone to know that he thinks we’re worth dying for. He taught us on the Cross that there is no greater love than to lay down your life for someone, whether in big ways or small ways. No matter what we are going through in life, our suffering and our sin are transformed in light of the Cross, and Christ is always with us.
As we move through Lent toward Good Friday, let’s take some time to remember Jesus’ sacrifice on the Cross and to think about new ways to share the Good News of salvation with those around us. Lent is an invitation for all of us to discover how much Christ loves us. Whatever you have given up or taken on for Lent, continue to do it and ask Jesus to help you grow in his love, and share it with the world.
Thanks for the info.