What greater love?
By Casey McCormick
Mount Pulaski Christian Church

[April 11, 2022]   Luke 9:21-22 - Jesus predicts death

21 Jesus strictly warned them not to tell this to anyone. 22 And he said, “The Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests and the teachers of the law, and he must be killed and on the third day be raised to life.”

Luke 9:44-45 - Jesus predicts death

44 “Listen carefully to what I am about to tell you: The Son of Man is going to be delivered into the hands of men.” 45 But they did not understand what this meant. It was hidden from them, so that they did not grasp it, and they were afraid to ask him about it.


Luke 18:31-34 - Jesus predicts his death

31 Jesus took the Twelve aside and told them, “We are going up to Jerusalem, and everything that is written by the prophets about the Son of Man will be fulfilled. 32 He will be delivered over to the Gentiles. They will mock him, insult him and spit on him; 33 they will flog him and kill him. On the third day he will rise again.” 34 The disciples did not understand any of this. Its meaning was hidden from them, and they did not know what he was talking about.


Three different times, Jesus shared with his followers that he was headed towards death. He made it clear who was going to kill him, why it had to happen, and even how it would happen.

Jesus knew he would be mocked, insulted, spat on, whipped, and murdered. He prayed that God would find a different way. He was in anguish and not looking forward to it.

Yet, I can’t think of a more loving response. He. Still. Went.

If you have any question of Jesus’ love for you, any thought that you aren’t cared for, any doubt that Jesus would welcome you, simply consider that Jesus faced a horrible death, yet for you and for me, he still went.

Casey McCormick
Mount Pulaski Christian Church