The Ultimate Sacrifice

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life” [ John 3:16]. Though Jesus, the Son of God, appeared in flesh and blood, he was blessed with powers possessed by none other. He was the union of the human and divine, he was the redeemer of mankind.

Roshan Kumar
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life” [ John 3:16]. Though Jesus, the Son of God, appeared in flesh and blood, he was blessed with powers possessed by none other. He was the union of the human and divine, he was the redeemer of mankind. He taught people to forgive and repent to God for their sins. Everything comes at a price. In his quest to save humanity Jesus gave the ultimate sacrifice- he sacrificed himself to pay the debts for our sins. When Jesus was crucified, his first words from the cross were, “Father forgive them, for they know not what they do.” Can there be a better example of forgiveness? This shows the love Jesus had for the people. Jesus did not want people to weep for Him, but for themselves. Jesus could have altered his own fate but he chose to die for us. This is the most celebrated self-sacrifice because of his profound act of selflessness and endurance. Even with all the agony and suffering he was concerned about the well being of others. Jesus wanted all to surrender their life to the will of God. He never used his powers to achieve his own ends but to spread the message of God, his Father. He had devoted his entire life for the cause of others. He led a sinless life but always embraced the sinners and showed them the heavenly path. Jesus was sent to earth on a mission. “For the Son of Man came to seek and save what was lost.” [Luke 19:10] Some of the Jewish leaders were envious of Jesus. They found him a threat to their political motives and decided to have him killed. They accused him of blasphemy and got Jesus arrested. The Son was accused of conspiring against his own Father. Jesus was taken to Roman Governor Pontius Pilate in Jerusalem where he was tried. At the trial no evidence of any misdeed could be produced. But they managed to put enough pressure on Pilate that he finally agreed to kill Jesus by having his soldiers crucify him. They nailed his hands and feet to the cross. Jesus bled to wash away all our sins with his blood. He committed his spirit into his Father’s hands and died. The earth trembled and darkness spread over all land. ‘Good Friday’ commemorates the anniversary of Jesus Christ’s crucifixion. His body was placed in a tomb. Jesus had said he would rise again after his death. Fearing this, soldiers were made to guard the tomb so that his body did not leave it. Three days after his death, an angel appeared and the soldiers fled. When his disciples entered the tomb they found it empty. Jesus had risen from the dead and was seen by many believers before his ascension into Heaven. Was Jesus’ sacrifice worth it? The world today is a faint reflection of what he wanted it to be. The teachings of Jesus have been over-shadowed by earthly desires. The various acts that Jesus condemned have become a pivotal part of humanity. Might is used to suppress the weak. What people fail to realise is that with greater power comes greater responsibility. If the teachings of Jesus were to be followed, there would be no war, no bloodshed. All that would exist is love and peace. Lord’s Kingdom would reign on earth as it is in Heaven. Jesus’ crucifixion should remind us of our duty to crucify the evils from our soul and give us the courage to fight sin. The death and resurrection of Jesus has an essential connotation in today’s scenario. The death signifies the evil and the resurrection signifies the victory of good over evil. After death there is a resurrection, which is an outcome of faith. The world needs to resurrect just as Jesus had before he left to be united with his Father. The Messiah needs to return and bring with him the Kingdom of God.