Greater Love Has No Man

June 26, 2019 Pastor Clay

In the movie Saving Private Ryan; during World War 2, General George Marshall learns that Mrs. Margaret Ryan has four sons serving in the army, and three have died. The fourth, Private James Ryan is with the 101^st Airborne in France. General Marshall decides that no mother should have to lose four sons, so he commissions a platoon under Captain Thomas Miller to go find him, and bring him home. Tom Hanks plays Captain Miller. Through much heavy fighting, several of the squad lose their lives as they find James Ryan. Captain Miller calls Private Ryan, and with his last words says, “James, earn this. Earn it”. The film ends with an elderly man at the grave of Captain Miller, crying, and asking his wife, “Have I been a good man”? Did I earn it?

75^th Anniversary of the Normandy Invasion of Europe

The 75^th anniversary of the Normandy invasion of Europe has raised a lot of emotions in us as we consider all the soldiers who laid down their lives for their country. My own Uncle Glen Williams went from Normandy fighting all the way to Berlin at the end of the war. My neighbor, Clyde Schmoeller told me that he used to lay awake nights envisioning the scenes on the beach. These men, of what have been called the “Greatest Generation”, have passed away. But thinking about their sacrifice I remember that the Lord Jesus Christ said, “Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends” (John 15:13). And He would know, He laid down His life for us.

Back to the scene at the end of Saving Private Ryan, I cannot imagine the emotions of Private James Ryan thinking of several men who gave their lives for him, and for his mother. It is a fictional story, but one would think that it crossed his mind every day of his life. How would I respond to such a sacrifice?

He Died on the Cross For Me

As a follower of Jesus Christ, it raises for me a similar emotion. The only problem is, I know there was nothing that I could do to “earn it” as He died on the cross for me. If you are not familiar with it, crucifixion was a hideous death created by the Romans to inflict on their worst criminals and enemies. The condemned would be nailed through the hands and feet to a wooden cross that was placed upright, and they would hang there until they died, sometimes over a period of days. And He did that when He knew we could not earn it. “For while we were still helpless Christ died for the ungodly. For one will hardly die for a righteous man; though for the good man, someone would dare even to die. But God demonstrates His love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:6-8).

He Died for All the Sins, All the Evil of the Whole World

The Lord Jesus Christ died the criminal’s death, though He never did anything wrong. He died for all the sins, all the evil of the whole world. It was a trade, Jesus Christ the righteous, for us, the unrighteous…the ones who could NOT earn it. “He made Him who knew no sin, to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him” (2 Corinthians 5:21).

Jesus Died for Us That We Might Have Eternal Life.

And He raises the same emotion in us James Ryan would feel looking at Captain Miller’s dying breath. Only much more intense, because James Ryan had only the rest of his life, Jesus died for us that we might have eternal life. “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life” (John 3:16). It is the same emotion, but it is not motivation to earn it, because we know we could not. It is a motivation that leads us to say….since He loved me so much, how can I live in gratitude for His loving me when there was no way I could earn it!?

“For the love of Christ controls us, having concluded this, that one died for all, therefore all died; and He died for all, so that they who live might no longer live for themselves, but for Him who died and rose again on their behalf” (2 Corinthians 5:14,15). Wow.