The Bible tells us that Jesus loved us so much that He gave His life to save us, and that there is no greater love than to lay down your life for another. Let’s put that love into perspective:
Imagine you were a saved believer in Christ, and that your favorite parent/sibling/spouse/child/friend (choose one) was an unbeliever. Now imagine that God told you, “I’ll get that person saved by getting them to realize how fragile life is and that their next breath isn’t promised, but in order for them to realize that, you yourself must be put into a most brutal and painful car accident that will nearly take your life.” Would you willingly jump at the opportunity? Deeply, deeply consider and meditate on this. (If I’m being honest, I had to think many more times than “twice” about this, and still haven’t made a decision, questioning if there could possibly be an easier way)
Next, imagine that it wasn’t your favorite person in the world that you are going to go through that for, but rather it is for someone that has been the most awful to you.
Jesus gladly jumped at the opportunity to die a most painful death to save us horrible, rotten, sinful humans who for the most part have despised, made fun of and rejected Him. Why? Because that’s how much He loves us. Yet even He, the night before His death, asked the Father if our salvation could be secured a different and easier way. And when He was told “No”, He went to the cross anyway.