“Jesus said to them, “If God were your Father, you would love me, for I came from God and I am here. I came not of my own accord, but he sent me,” (John 8:42)

Some gifts can be received in a way we did not expect. The giving of God’s Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, did not go the way we expected. Not everyone loves Jesus. There are those who militantly oppose Him and His name. His name has been used blasphemously. We see acts of great kindness but then His name is dishonoured. His name is also used blasphemously in anger. Also, there are those who claim to know and worship Jesus yet they do not know Him at all.

The Saviour often offended people by His words. In today’s reading, John 8:31-59, Jesus spoke to people who professed to believe in God. They argued their corner and said they were free men. Jesus’ response goes further in explaining they were slaves to sin. Only the Son could set them free. He goes further still; they desired to kill Him because they were children of the Devil. They responded by calling Christ a demon-possessed Samaritan! We need to critically hear that message at Christmas, New Year, Easter, Summer, Autumn and Winter to come – the message of our plight before God, of our sinfulness and God’s provision for salvation. It is a message many will find hard to hear. Light has come into the world. We live in the darkness. However, Christ did say that true children of God will love Him (John 8:42, Ephesians 6:24).

All who reject God’s Son will be rejected by Him. “If anyone has no love for the Lord, let him be accursed. Our Lord, come!” (1 Corinthians 16:22). Do you love the Lord Jesus Christ? Are you able to say, ‘I do!’ Does He mean everything to you? Yes He does. Jesus is mine and I love Him! You may rejoice in who He is, yet you do not see Him. You know what He has done in your soul, that heaven’s beloved one, Lord of Lords and King of Kings, came into this world to die on a cross, to give of Himself for me. I love Him! True children of God love Him as their greatest desire. We love Jesus more than we love any other. We love His commandments (John 14). This is the kind of love we have for Jesus Christ.

Psalm 110, we bow before Him, we submit to Him because we love Him. Our very lives are not as dear to us as the love we have for Jesus Christ. We put Him first. Jesus Christ came into this world to be loved by His people who He had redeemed.

Why should we love Him? The purpose of Christmas is to respond to the love of Jesus Christ. If we have failed to do this then we are wasting our time and have missed the point of Christmas. If today you do not love Him it has all been a waste of time. My plea is to look back again at the incarnation afresh – the Son coming into the world. Why? What is all the fuss about? Pray God will help you be a lover of Him. We love Jesus Christ. He came from the Father, from God. The man who walked on the shores of Galilee is the incarnate Son of God. The Son was always in the bosom of the Father, such was the intimacy of love and affection. The Father, Son and Holy Spirit, the Tri-unity of God. He is not saying He is the Father, but He is in the Father. Even as the eternal Son came into the world, He could say ‘I am in the Father.’ So any child of God loves Jesus Christ because we love the Father.

We love Jesus Christ because He does the Father’s will. Such was His willingness, he was ready to do the Father’s will. There was never any doubt He would obey His Father. His purpose was to go to the cross, to feel and experience the Father’s wrath, His righteous anger poured out on Him. And we love Him for that.

We know how easy it is to argue, even in the most committed marriages, but Jesus is pure and holy, 100% of the time, always committed to doing the Father’s will. This teaches us also to be submissive, in our prayers to do the Father’s will.

It is important to notice we struggle with the will of God in our lives. Our daily attitude is to admit it – we struggle with the will of God. Ask God to help to see the wonder and beauty of His purposes.

We love Jesus Christ because the Father sent Him to save sinners. The Father has called you to joys that will last forever. The Father wants you to be happy. How greatly the Father loves us. We did not love Him yet the Father sent the Son to rescue us. He first loved us, “We love because He first loved us,” (1 John 4:19). Do you know that? Do you know your security and safety is not dependant on loving Him right now? He doesn’t love you because of that, not because you love Him – He first loved you.

When people receive a great gift, when the great reveal takes place, people say ‘Oh, I love it!’ There is great enthusiasm and passion for a gift. May our enthusiasm expand, may it grow and increase for the Lord Jesus Christ. Let’s pray for us to become more dedicated in serving our wonderful Saviour.