GREATER LOVE HATH NO MAN THAN THIS

Back in 1987, my brother Jim was sitting in a plane on the tarmac at the Detroit airport, waiting to take off. He was looking out the window, watching the plane in front of his, which happened to be Northwest 225. My brother watched as the plane took off and then 20 seconds later crashed and killed 155 people.

Only one person on that plane survived the crash — a 4-year-old girl named Cecilia from Tempe, Ariz. They couldn’t figure out why she lived when everybody else died until they asked her what happened. When the plane began to fall from the sky and everybody realized they were going to crash, Cecilia’s mother took off her seat belt, turned around, and got in front of her child. She surrounded her with her arms and legs and body, smothering her in her love, protecting her little girl. The mother gave her life for another.

That’s exactly what redemption is. It’s what Jesus did for you! He went through Hell on the cross so you don’t have to go through Hell for eternity. He covered you and protected you from the punishment, the flames, and the pain.

God demonstrated his love for us and bore the penalty for our sin through His Son's death on the cross.

Rick Warren
3-9-17