21 Days of Prayer; a Devotion on JohnSample

John 10 | No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord.

Jesus has been described as a ‘hapless helpless victim’ of the wicked powers; he has been described as a ‘beautiful fool’ whose unrealistic dreams get himself killed. And whilst Jesus is prey to the wicked schemes of wicked men, mere puppets of dark demonic powers, Jesus is the conductor of the orchestra. Jesus is both the Good Shepherd who lays down his life for his sheep and the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. Jesus has chosen his destiny, he has willingly drunk the cup the Father has given him, and of his own volition, he submits to being the sacrifice for the sins of the world. He lays down his life, our sin is laid on him, the justice of God is satisfied, the debt to God is cancelled, the power of the demonic is broken, and in his death, life is purchased for us. Oh, but why? Why would he willingly, freely, volitionally embrace this for us? He does so because he loves us. For his desire for us, for a future with us. In love, he laid his life down – in love laid in a manger, in love laid upon a cross, in love laid in a tomb, in love laid up for us a home in his Father’s house.