There once was a man who was king over all the land. He had great power, privilege, authority and wealth. He lived the life of a king in everyway and everything belonged to him. One day he chose to leave his throne for love of a woman and went to live with her in a wicked place where no one knew who he was while he lived as every other man. The most incredible part of the story is that he knew before he gave up his throne that he would suffer and die after he left, but he loved the woman so much he went anyway. Does the story sound familiar?
And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world. Rev. 13:8
The son (Col. 1:13), in whom we have redemption through blood and forgiveness (1:14), in the image of God (1:15), For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, … all things were created by him, and for him: And he is before all things, and by him all things consist. Col. 1:16,17
Jesus, the Word made flesh and dwelt among us (John ) was in the beginning, with God, and was God (John 1:1,2)
Jesus who is God and was in the beginning lived the life of a king with all its fundamental privileges. He left His marvelous life, by choice, for love of us- the church (Eph. ) even though He knew that new life would be tough and he would live (for most part) in anonymity, suffering, and dying a horrendous death while innocent. Who does that? Only Jesus!
The ‘stage’ was already set before the foundation of the world. (Rev. 13:8) So, before the world was even created, God’s plan to create a world and man in it included a plan for our salvation. And Jesus willingly gave up the life of privilege to provide salvation for us…
Because He loves us! J