“Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends.” John 15:13
True love is selfless. We see true love demonstrated through the selfless living of Jesus Christ.
1. Jesus has shown us His love by choosing to leave glory. In the second chapter of Philippians, Paul wrote about Christ’s selfless love to lower Himself by coming to earth, leaving the glory of God’s presence to enter a sinful, fallen place to be near us.
2. Jesus has shown us His love by His earthly ministry. Jesus told us that He didn’t come to be served, but to serve. Love will take focus off of self and focus on another. It was often written that when Jesus ministered to others, He did so out of compassion; love motivated Him to heal, to teach, to raise the dead, and to perform miracles.
3. Jesus has shown us His love by choosing to become our sacrifice. Jesus chose to die for us. When He knew it was time to go to the cross, He sweat drops of blood in His anguish, knowing what was ahead. He prayed, “Not my will, but Yours be done.”
4. Jesus has shown us His love by dying for us. He also became sin and received punishment for us. They tore His beard, punched Him in the face, and pushed a crown of thorns into His scalp. The flesh of His back was torn with a whip. They put nails in His hands and feet and hung Him to die a slow, horrific death. The Bible says He was unrecognizable.
5. Jesus has shown us His love by sending the Holy Spirit. He said He didn’t want us to be alone. He wanted us to have power to overcome, so He sent us the Holy Spirit.
6. Jesus has shown us His love by His intercession. In Hebrews it says that Jesus is at the right hand of the Father, continually making intercession for us, praying on our behalf.
7. Jesus has shown us His love by His promise to come again. Jesus is giving us time to win the world with the message of salvation, and then He is coming to end world government and to rule in righteousness.
What Jesus does, He does for us. True love is selfless. True love always considers the wellbeing of the other person. It isn’t self-indulgent.
Application: Do something for someone else today.