A Public Display of Affection

“But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:8)

I recently went to a New York Knicks basketball game, at Madison Square Garden. During a timeout, the kiss-cam operator panned the audience, highlighting random couples on the jumbotron, hoping it would encourage them to kiss. As each pair appeared on screen, some people nervously gave their partner a quick peck on the cheek. While other couples shared a chaste closed-mouth kiss. Only one couple enthusiastically engaged in a long, tender

kiss when the kiss-cam zeroed in on them.  Their very affectionate behavior, in

full view of the crowd, demonstrated the love those two have for each other.

Christendom has always viewed the crucifixion of Jesus as God’s deliberate public display of affection towards humanity.  That is why as brutal and horrific

as the execution of God’s “only begotten Son” was (John 3:16), the Apostle Paul, in Romans 5:8, argues that “God demonstrates his own love for us,” through the death of Jesus on the cross.      

So, to Paul, the crucifixion of Jesus shows God’s proactive love, since God intentionally sent Jesus to die on Calvary’s tree.  Also, it proves God’s unconditional love, as His Son was crucified to save us “while we were still sinners,” not because we earned it with good behavior.  Then, God demonstrates His sacrificial love by having “Christ die for us,” on the cross, to reconcile us back to God.

On this Good Friday, let us look at the death of Jesus on the cross as a demonstration of God’s agape love that is already ours and still meets us in every failure, mistake, and doubt today.  Then we can worship and praise God with intentionality and enthusiasm for loving us, in spite of us!    

Gracious God, thank you for loving us so much that when we were at our very worst, you gave us Jesus -- Your very best!