Love Series | “Agape”
Karl Barth the eminent Swiss Calvinist theologian was fielding questions from the audience after a lecture in Rockefeller Chapel on the campus of the University of Chicago in 1962. A student stood and ask him if he could summarize his life’s work in theology in one sentence. According to the story Barth didn’t skip a beat. He said, “Yes in the words of a song I learned at my mother’s knee. Jesus loves me this I know, for the Bible tells me so”. That story has given hope to thousands of people on the planet in the last sixty years. But the reality of God sending his one and only son into the world as an atoning sacrifice for our sins is a love story over two thousand years old. The words atoning sacrifice for our sins in 1 John 4:10 mean he paid full price for “as is” merchandise.
It’s common sense that we don’t pay full price for “as is” merchandise. My first car was a 1953 used Ford Mainliner. The “as is” price was $350.00. I knew that if the car blew up in the first week I could not bring it back. “As is” merchandise is always discounted in price, unless you are God. He paid full price for “as is” human beings like us. That’s the best definition of Agape love I know.
That should bring hope to every person on the planet. God loves imperfect people. No wonder Jesus was called a friend of sinners. He came to love people “as is”.
While we can’t agree on the list of doctrines of the many denominations, we can agree on the powerful truth, Jesus loves me this I know for the Bible tells me so.
And that’s Hope on the Rise for now!
