The Lord God Almighty, our Heavenly Father, had it in His heart to provide a Savior for all mankind.  A Redeemer who would save us from eternal damnation and would be THE Way to eternal life and grace for all time.  God purposed throughout mankind’s history to bring His plan into existence.  Nothing ever thwarted or deterred our God from bringing His perfect plan—a plan of love and grace—into fruition. And His Son, our Lord, willingly sacrificed Himself to execute His Father’s plan.

From early in His earthly ministry, Jesus told His disciples about this.

…but there is One Who has come down from heaven—the Son of Man
And just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the desert [on a pole],
so must [so it is necessary that] the Son of Man be lifted up [on the cross],
In order that everyone who believes in Him [who cleaves to Him, trusts Him, and relies on Him]
may not perish, but have eternal life and [actually] live forever!
For God so greatly loved and dearly prized the world
that He [even] gave up His only begotten Son,
so that whoever believes in (trusts in, clings to, relies on) Him
shall not perish (come to destruction, be lost) but have eternal (everlasting) life.
For God did not send the Son into the world
in order to judge (to reject, to condemn, to pass sentence on) the world,
but that the world might find salvation and be made safe and sound through Him.
John 3:13-17

God’s Son came to the earth and lived His life on this earth single-mindedly to do His Father’s Will.  God’s plan was one of Love, and Jesus’ life was all about Love—Love to the end.

[Now] before the Passover Festival began, Jesus knew (was fully aware)
that His hour had come to depart from this world and return to the Father.
Having loved those who were His own in the world, He loved them to the end.
John 13:1

Jesus purposed to share a final last meal and communicated many important things with those closest to Him.  The Gospel of John records just some of Jesus’ words to them (and to us) that He spoke during this Last Supper just prior to His betrayal, His persecution, and His death.  He spoke to them (recorded in chapter 13) about loving one another in the same way that He had shown His love to them (verses 2-19), and demonstrated it through the lowly task of washing their feet…He clearly pointed out exactly who His betrayer was (verses 20-31)…He again commanded them to love one another (verse 34).

In chapter 14, Jesus shares with them about the Comforter—the holy spirit—Who He was sending to take His place.

In chapter 15, Jesus shows the importance of dwelling with Him and abiding in Him.  He talked with them in so much detail about His and the Father’s love…and how our love toward Them is proven by our obedience.

In chapter 16, Jesus is deeply concerned that they will be prepared for His leaving.  He communicates, with encouragement as well as admonition, as He tells them again about the Comforter.

And in chapter 17, Jesus prays for them.  We ‘hear’ as He speaks with the Father of His great concern and love that He had for them.  How beautifully and compassionately He asks the Father to care for them.  He truly loved them to the end.

And, wondrously, He even spoke of us:

Neither for these alone do I pray [it is not for their sake only that I make this request],
but also for all those who will ever come to believe in (trust in, cling to, rely on) Me
through their word and teaching,   That they all may be one, [just] as You, Father, are in Me and I in You,
that they also may be one in Us, so that the world may believe and be convinced
that You have sent Me. (verses 20 and 21)

Our Lord, Who knew exactly what was transpiring and how His betrayal was imminent prayed these final words for them:

I in them and You in Me,
in order that they may become one and perfectly united,
that the world may know and [definitely] recognize
that You sent Me and that You have loved them
[even] as You have loved Me.
Father, I desire that they also
whom You have entrusted to Me [as Your gift to Me]
may be with Me where I am, so that they may see My glory,
which You have given Me [Your love gift to Me];
for You loved Me before the foundation of the world.
O just and righteous Father, although the world has not known You
and has failed to recognize You and has never acknowledged You,
I have known You [continually];
and these men understand and know that You have sent Me.
I have made Your Name known to them
and revealed Your character and Your very Self,
and I will continue to make [You] known,
that the love which You have bestowed upon Me
may be in them [felt in their hearts]
and that I [Myself] may be in them.
(verses 23-26)

Perhaps this coming week as we are contemplating and considering just what it took for God to fulfill our redemption through our Lord’s suffering and death, you could read the Gospel of John, chapters 13 through 17.  Nowhere else in the Scriptures, is so much communicated to help us know beyond a shadow of a doubt of our Father’s and our Lord’s unconditional love for us.  Our Lord’s entire life was all about love…and He truly and completely and perfectly loved us to the end.

Praying for each of you!  May we each recognize the love of our Lord, and all that Jesus accomplished for us, and sing our praises to Him!

♥  coleen