How did Jesus stay so humble when thousands of people went around shouting about his miracles? Of course, people were bragging for him and declaring that he is the Messiah, which is all true -- but that's still bragging right?
Is declaring the Good News the same as bragging? As Christians, we go around saying, "look! I am so lucky that I have God's love and Jesus died to forgive my sins!" But is that bragging?
Or should we even say it like that? It has nothing to do with us. It's not that we are lucky or deserve it or can earn it. It is all about the fact that God is so powerful and loves humanity so much that He have His only Son to die- live and die for us.
He didn't just come down here, say, "hey" and do all the formalities to forgive us, then die on the cross. Oh no!
Jesus came down here, born of a human -- he grew up a carpenter's son and lived without any sort of special luxuries. He wasn't royalty, he wasn't a king. He was actually judged his enture life for breaking Jewish laws and creating drama for the pharisees.
He didn't live the high life. His followers were fishermen and tax collectors. He lived for 33 years like that- with people who wanted to murder him at every turn. He gave people hope because he was so fantastic. He loved people like there was no tomorrow. He calmed storms and raised people from the dead. He touched the unclean. He demonstrated that faith alone would save people.
Then after all of that- after people loved him for 33 years and followed him to the ends of their world and back- he died on the cross. Why?
So that we wouldn't have to bear our own sin.
He wasn't dying for just the people he knew- the people that denied him and spat on him and sinned against his Father. No no, he didn't just die for his mother's sin or his cousins' sins or his friend's sins. We might be able to do that if we were asked to.
He died for people he didn't know- people who would sin a hundred times worse, question his existence, and get angry at his Father every other day.
He died for EVERYONE.
How amazing is that love? He didn't die in his sleep either. No! It wasn't a peaceful death. He died on a cross. He wasn't glorified! He died as a criminal in the most cruel way possible. He died with two other criminals. People didn't praise him and love him for what he had done- they mocked him and put a thorn on his head and a sword in his side.
Even in his dying last moments, he was thinking of the rest of the world, begging, "Forgive them, Father, for they know not what they do." Even in his last breath when he was in so much pain- he never thought of himself.
That is an amazing love. Only God has that much love.
And what do we do with His love? We forget about it every single day an ignore it in order to fulfill our own wants and desires. We cannot pay back his sacrifice- that would no longer make it a sacrifice. It is impossible to repay.
But don't we owe it to the most wonderful God who sent His only Son to die for our sins the least amount of respect? What about fear? If He would send His Son to die, what do you think He has in store for the rest of His children- His church? We owe Him our lives.
So the next time He presents you with trouble or hardship or an obstacle for you in your life, think of what He made His Son endure.
God owes you nothing. You have earned nothing. Everything was given to you through the pure generosity and mercy of Christ. The very least you can do is be grateful for it. The least you can do is give your life to Him who gave everything to you.
What we should really be doing is sharing it. Share every gift the Lord has ever given to you just as it is- a gift you do not deserve. And make this world become a better place.
Make this world become the Kingdom of God.
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