Pressing on Toward the Goal

Greater love has no one …   Most of you recognize those words.  And know how they end.  Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.  But what do they really mean?  Do these words tell us that the greatest love we can show for another person is to die for them?  Literally, physically, die?

On it’s face, it seems rather extreme.  While not discounting times when literally, physically dying does, in fact, show great love, I can’t help but wonder if that’s the only thing Jesus meant when He said that.  Given the context within which Jesus made that one extracted sentence, I feel it means more.  Given the overall context of a Christian who truly works at following Jesus’ teachings, I believe it means a whole lot more.

It matters what that line means.  We’ll explore why as we go along.