Nothing More Needs to Be Said – April 16, 2022

[Jesus] humbled himself by becoming obedient to death—even death on a cross!
Philippians 2:8

Nothing More Needs to Be Said

Imagine it’s about 30 years after Jesus rose from the dead and ascended into heaven. Imagine you are a career military man, recently retired from the Roman army. Like many other retired soldiers, you decide to live in a town called Philippi. You like it there because so many of your neighbors are just like you—people who know what military life is all about.

Then it happens: The apostle Paul comes to your town with the life-changing message of Jesus Christ. You believe his message. You help form a Christian congregation. You begin sharing the message of Christ with others.

But then life gets difficult. Because of your Christian faith, some of your old friends want nothing to do with you anymore. Some in your church family are even facing open hostility because of what they believe. You have moments when you wonder how much the Lord Jesus really loves you.

Then, a godsend—a letter from Paul! As you read it, there is one sentence that hits you hard. Paul is describing what Jesus was willing to do for you. He says, “He humbled himself by becoming obedient to death—even death on a cross!

Nothing more needs to be said. You see, as a soldier, you know what death on a cross is. The sight of gasping, writhing victims, the sound of their sobs, the smell, the flies—all have seared themselves into your memory long ago. And the Son of God willingly did that for you.

Does Jesus love you? There he was on the cross. There he bore your sins in your place.

Nothing more needs to be said.

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, you went to the cross in my place to take my every sin away. You love me. For that I love you. And I thank you. Amen.