Grace is free, but it isn't cheap!

I have two Labrador retrievers.  Eli is a yellow lab, and is the male.  I have a female chocolate lab named Maggie.  They are both rambunctious dogs and love to play with each other.

Eli is twice the size of Maggie.  He is an extremely strong and powerful dog.  When he is playing with Maggie, even though he could over power her, he lays on his back and let’s her tackle him.  She thinks that she is bigger and stronger than him, but the truth is he chooses to be overpowered.  It’s his choice, and he has the power to stop it at anytime.

When reading John 10:17-18 we see a similar situation.  Jesus is explaining to His disciples that “ My Father loves me because I choose to lay down my life.  No one takes it away from me.”  He even goes further to say “I have the authority to lay down my own life and take it back up again.”  Jesus is referring to going to the cross and rising again from the dead.  He drives home the point that it was His choice, and wasn’t being overpowered.  He was doing it because He loved us enough to die for us.

A few thoughts:

• This concept is something that, in my opinion, we the church have misconstrued over the years.  We have painted a picture that Jesus was weak.  We see Him of having no choice of being arrested and overpowered by the Roman guards, leading to His crucifixion.  In reality (same as Eli allowing Maggie to over power him) Jesus allowed this to happen.  At any moment, Jesus could have called the whole thing off, but He didn’t.  He carried through with His assignment from His Father.  He died on the cross to pay the penalty for our sins.

• Jesus was extremely obedient.  We see in Matthew 26:39 Jesus asking His Father “if there is any way possible, please let this pass from me.”  In other words, Jesus was tormented with the thought of not only being physically crucified but separated from His Father in heaven because of our sin.  He knew that because of bearing our sin on the cross, His Father was going to turn His back on Him.  (Matthew 27:46)  Jesus couldn’t bear the thought of it but because He loved us, and because His Father loved us enough to send His only Son, Jesus died for us.

• Jesus wasn’t weak or frail.  He wasn’t overpowered but chose to die for us.  It was His choice.  Don’t overlook that.  Realize that you are loved and that the gift of salvation is waiting for you.  All you have to do is admit that you are a sinner, believe that Jesus died and rose again for you, and ask Him into your heart.

Grace is free, but it isn’t cheap.  A huge price was paid for you to be forgiven of your sins.