Dr. Doug McLaughlan talks about how the self-substitution of Christ is his expression of love to the Father.

Scripture Text

Mark 12:28-31

Main Points or Ideas

• The Self-Substitution of God - God Himself, in the person of Jesus Christ, became the substitute for sinners as the ground of our redemption. This was an act of indispensable necessity and unspeakable cost, whereby God could express simultaneously His holiness and judgment alongside His love and pardon by providing a divine substitute who would receive the judgment so sinners could receive pardon.
• The Kenosis: Christ's Self-Emptying - Christ emptied Himself not of His deity but of all its privileges, powers, and prerogatives, demonstrated in three dramatic steps:
• Full Obedience to the Father's Will - Throughout His entire incarnation, Christ did nothing on His own authority. Both the works and words of Christ were the Father's and not His own. He repeatedly declared that He came not to do His own will but the will of Him who sent Him.
• Full Dependence on the Spirit's Power - From conception to crucifixion, the Holy Spirit was with Christ, enabling Him to carry out His ministry. Christ was conceived by the Spirit, baptized in the Spirit's presence, led by the Spirit into temptation, anointed with the Spirit for ministry, and through the eternal Spirit offered Himself on the cross.
• The Existential Emotional Crisis in Gethsemane - Christ experienced loathing, horror, terror, and agony as He faced the bitter cup of bearing the sins of the world and enduring divine judgment and alienation from the Father. Yet His will to obey the Father remained steadfast, praying "not as I will, but as You will."
• The Undefeatable Compulsion - What compelled Christ to endure this suffering was His great commandment love for the Father. As He said in John 14:30-31, "I do as the Father has commanded me, so that the world may know that I love the Father." This love was the underlying, powerful motivation for His full obedience.

Conclusion

The self-sacrificing love of Christ is an indispensable necessity, an unspeakable cost, an undefeatable compulsion, and an unthinkable prospect. It is revealed through Jesus’ humiliation, incarnation, and crucifixion. This love is displayed through His full obedience and dependence to the Holy Spirit. We are called to love God like Christ did. This is the great first commandment.