Remembering The One Who Gave It All For Us
Remembrance Day is a solemn day. We remember those who have lost their lives fighting in wars, for their families, for our country, even for other countries. When you think about it, it does not make sense why someone should put their life on the line to protect someone else, much less someone who is unrelated to them. But they do it anyways because that is the way they show care by laying down their lives to protect others.
In the gospel according to John Jesus says, “Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.” (15:13 ESV). On this day we honor the demonstration of love these soldiers have shown for their families, their country, and others who cannot defend themselves. As Christians we respect this as a demonstration of someone who also gave it all and more who we are called to remember ever time we gather. That is Jesus who gave it all for us.
Earlier in the Gospel of John Jesus says, “No one has ascended into heaven except he who descended from heaven, the Son of Man and as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in him may have eternal life” (3:13-15 ESV). And as Jesus foretells, he later goes on to be lifted upon a cross suffering and dying to fulfil the scriptures given to the people of Israel.
Yet it does not make sense, why would God, one who as the Trinity has/is/always will be three persons in one needing no external persons to connect with come and restrict Himself to our mortal plane as a proverbial son of His own being. He came and struggled against temptation so he can overcome it, only just so he could die miserably in a painful way. All of this for us, mortal men and women who every day continue to be imperfect and do evil against ourselves, one another, and God who made us. But that is what Jesus did and the same reason it is incomprehensible that someone would lay their life down for a stranger makes it even more amazing that the creator and Lord of everything would do so for us.
We continue to meet, in remembrance of Jesus, God who gave up His heavenly being, presence, and power to live the perfect life on our behalf so that He could give His life for ours. As we remember the soldiers lest we forget what they did for us, I invite you to join us in also acknowledging the sacrifice that Jesus made lest we forget what God has done for us.