what kind of love

what kind of love is this
that gave itself for me
i am the guilty one
yet i go free

what kind of love is this
a love i never knew
i didn't even know his name
what kind of love is this

When you read about the coming of Jesus in the Old Testament and imagine what you might have expected Jesus to be like, you would have imagined some great king, a warrior who will come and rule the world. As a Jew, you would have thought of the great Jewish kings like David or Solomon, or the deeds of Moses or Joseph (who rose to great power in Egypt). I have tried to put myself in the mind of a Jew then and I think, I too will probably reject Jesus as the promised saviour.

what kind of man is this
who died in agony
he who has done no wrong
was crucified for me

what kind of man is this
who laid aside his throne
that i might know the love of God
what kind of man is this

Jesus surprised us in the way the Word was fulfilled. He was born of humble beginnings, out of wedlock, a poor carpenter's son. When he rode into Jerusalem on a donkey, many Jews were probably offended. How could their saviour be this vagrant on a donkey? Was he mocking them? Indeed, Jesus said a lot to rebuke the Jews and their ways.

by grace i have been saved
it is a gift of God
a destiny to be his child
such is his love

no eyes has ever seen
no ears has ever heard
nor has the heart of man conceive
what kind of love is this

The greatest Christian I have ever known risked his own salvation out of his duty (love, respect, call it what you will) to his father. He was convicted of Christ but because his father objected, he delayed his baptism until his father died. Jesus suffered and died for us on the cross, but Jesus knew who he was and where he was going. Mr James Saw knew none of these things, only that he will be a Christian but not at the cost of upsetting his father. He resolved to do what no pastor will encourage you to do, and indeed, in the times that he lived in, many, many years ago, it is not uncommon to be threatened with eternal condemnation for various sins.

If I were to tell you that the Bible is man's work, not God's word. If I were to tell you that there is doubt that Jesus even existed. Or that if he did, he might have gotten married and had children. If I were to say that science disproves everything that is written in the Bible and that morality is simply an evolutionary trait for survival. And finally, if I were to then say that I firmly believe that God will save all who is good in his eyes and that you will get no special favours simply because you are a Christian. Will you still believe? And if so, what will you believe? And why?

Or will you simply call me a liar and believe anyway?

[Remember, Jesus surprised us all when he came. And he warned us many times to expect the unexpected.]