My morning’s reading had me thinking about the Cross.

Particularly the question: ‘What was it about Jesus that was mightier than his enemies?’

Okay, okay…not your typical everyday type of question, I know, and in case you’re wondering if I’m always pondering deep and weighty theological questions…I’m not!

But…

I don’t know about you, but as I reflected I found myself realising that it’s really easy to conclude that Jesus won at the cross because he is, well…..Jesus. He is the Son of God…..Immanuel….God-in-the-flesh and all that. That He won at the cross because He is mightier than anything or anyone else….you know, He is all-powerful and almighty. It’s easy to think that.

As Tom Smail (in the book I was reading puts it) – The Cross was “not a battle in which the side that had the biggest battalions prevailed, where superior supernatural power won the day, where God crushed his opponents by the sheer weight of His divine might.” In fact, Jesus, in Matthew 26:52-53 tells us that it is precisely not that which is happening. For, as he says to Peter….”Put your sword back in its place…..Do you think that I cannot call on my Father, and he will at once put at my disposal more than twelve legions of angels?”

Yes, Jesus could have triumphed at the cross through sheer weight of His divine power. But that’s not what happened…

As Tom Smail goes on to write – “So Jesus strips himself of all the protections that his divinity might afford and engages in the battle with nothing but the vulnerability of His self-giving love.” And, “the only thing that could defeat evil was Calvary love. The love that gives itself without reserve to God on behalf of the world is proved on the cross to be strong enough and tough enough to put all the legions of hell who have thrown all their forces against it totally to flight.”

It was love that won at the cross.

God’s love.

Self-giving.

Sacrificial.

Other-centred.

Costly.

Freely-given.

Love won.

And….love continues to win.

As we, His people, Jesus people, Jesus’ followers, surrender ourselves to that love….to His love…as we allow our lives to be shaped and moulded by that love….as we allow our lives to be characterised by a cruciform love….as we allow His love to put to death the sin that is in us…as we commit ourselves to the way of Jesus-love, agape-love…then, I think, we will see, more and more, His Kingdom made manifest.

And I think that’s what Jesus is getting at in Mark 8:34-36. You know, where he talks about losing our life for His sake…about denying ourselves…about taking up our cross. I think Jesus is telling us to choose the way….His way…of love. Of sacrificial, life-laying-down, love.

So folks, be encouraged and built up in this truth today…Love Wins.

Not fluffy, sentimental, romantic love.

But costly, sacrificial, self-denying, Jesus love.

Love wins.