Some of you have heard me tell the story before.  About how much God loves this world.  You know the story, the one about the drawbridge engineer who takes his son to work with him.  The boy watches him all day raising & lowering the huge bridge to let trains pass over and ships pass under.  He operates the lever that sets the huge gears for the bridge in motion.  His son, fascinated with it all, asks a million questions.  But some time after he had opened the bridge for a ship, he noticed that his little boy had slipped out of the control room.  He looked out of the window and saw him climbing on the massive gears of the bridge.  He ran down to get him out of that dangerous place.  But that was when he heard the whistle of an oncoming train.  His heart raced.  If he closed the bridge, there would be no time to save his son.  If he saved his son the train would crash.  Either his son would be killed or a trainload of innocent passengers would be killed.  He had to make a choice.  He knew what he had to do.  He reached for the lever.

It’s a powerful story, isn’t it?  It does maybe give us an idea of how much God loves us and how difficult it must have been for Him to give up his Son.  It is true that God could not save the world without killing his Son.  And God the Father’s heart definitely broke as He slammed the gears of death down on Jesus.  And it is also sad that so many have whizzed by this Good Friday event, completely oblivious to the sacrifice that just saved them from death.

But there is part of this sermon illustration that is terribly wrong.  Listen to these words from Acts 2:  “Men of Israel, listen to this: Jesus of Nazareth was a man accredited by God to you by miracles, wonders and signs, which God did among you through him, as you yourselves know.  This man was handed over to you by God’s set purpose and foreknowledge; and you, with the help of wicked men, put him to death by nailing him to the cross.” (Acts 2:22-23).  Did you hear what is wrong with the story about the bridge?  The cross was no accident.  Jesus’ death was NOT the result of a panicking heavenly engineer!

It was part of a plan.  It was part of a calculated, determined choice.  The moment Adam and Eve ruined God’s perfect creation, the shadow of the cross appeared on the horizon.  A master plan went into motion.  What does that mean?  It means Jesus planned his own sacrifice. It means Jesus intentionally grew the tree from which his own cross would be carved.  It means He willingly placed the iron ore into the ground from which the nails would be cast.  It means God set into motion the political maneuvering to send Pilate to Jerusalem.  It also means He didn’t have to do it – but He did.

Jesus was born to be crucified.  He was always conscious of what He had to do.  The cross-shaped shadow was always in front of Him.  Maybe that explains the determination with which He traveled to Jerusalem for the last time.  It explains his words: “The reason my Father loves me is that I lay down my life – only to take it up again.  No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord.”

Friends, this is why the ropes used to tie his hands and the soldiers used to lead Him to the cross were unnecessary.  Completely unneeded.  Had they not been there, had there been no trial, no Pilate, and no crowd, the very same crucifixion would still have occurred.  Had Jesus been forced to nail Himself to the cross, He would have done it.  It was not the soldiers who killed Him, nor the screams of the mob: It was his devotion to us.  So we can call it an act of grace. An act of love. A Good Friday.  But don’t call it an accident.  It was anything but that.  (Adapted from Max Lucado, God Came Near)

Being planned, it was an act of love so far beyond the concern of the bridge engineer for the people on the train.  God chose to do this for you and me!  Out of love for us.  Out of love for the world.  “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” (John 3:16).

A little boy was selling newspapers on the corner. But it was so cold he wasn't really selling many papers. He walked up to a policeman and said, “Mister, you wouldn't know where a poor boy could find a warm place to sleep tonight, would you?  You see, I sleep in a box down the alley and it's awfully cold. Sure would be nice to have a warm place to stay.” The policeman looked at the little boy and said, “Go down the street to that big white house and knock on the door.  When they come to the door, just say “John 3:16,” and they will let you in.”

So he did. He knocked on the door, and a lady answered. He looked up and said, "John 3:16.” The lady said, "Come on in, son.”  She took him in and she sat him down in a rocking chair in front of a great big fireplace, and left him. The boy sat there for a while and thought to himself: John 3:16...I don't understand it, but it sure makes a cold boy warm.

Later she came back and asked “Are you hungry?” He said, “Well, just a little. I haven't eaten in a couple of days, and I guess I could stand a bit of food.” She took him into the kitchen and sat him down to a table full of wonderful food. He ate until he couldn't eat any more. Then he thought to himself:  John 3:16 ...Boy, I don't understand it but it sure makes a hungry boy full.

She took him upstairs to a bathtub filled with warm water, and he sat there and soaked for a while. As he soaked, he thought to himself: John 3:16 ... I don't understand it, but it sure makes a dirty boy clean. You know, I've not had a bath, a real bath, in my whole life. The only bath I ever had was when I stood in front of that big old fire hydrant as they flushed it out.

The lady came in and got him. She took him to a room, tucked him into a big old feather bed, pulled the covers up around his neck, kissed him goodnight and turned out the lights. As he lay in the darkness and looked out the window at the snow coming down on that cold night, he thought to himself: John 3:16...I don't understand it, but it sure makes a tired boy rested.

The next morning the lady came back up and took him down again to that same big table full of food. After he ate, she took him back to the chair in front of the fireplace and picked up a Bible.  She sat down in front of him and looked into his young face.  “Do you understand John 3:16?” she asked gently. He replied, “No, Ma'am, I don't. The first time I ever heard it was last night when the policeman told me to use it,” She opened the Bible to John 3:16 and began to tell him about Jesus. Right there, in front of that fireplace, God brought him to believe in Jesus. He sat there and thought:  John 3:16…I don't understand it, but it sure makes a lost boy feel safe.

You know, I have to confess I don't understand it either, how God was willing to send His Son to die for me, and how Jesus would agree to do such a thing. I won’t stand up here and try telling you that I can wrap my mind around how deep the Father’s love for us was that carried this out for you and me – not as an accident, but as a plan!  I don't understand the agony of the Father and every angel in heaven as they watched Jesus suffer and die. I don't understand the intense love for ME that kept Jesus on the cross till the end.  I don't understand it, I couldn’t possibly comprehend it, but it sure does make life worth living!  Doesn’t it?

It means that God loves you and me more than anything!  It means our sins have been removed!  It means we will be living with Him forever!  It makes a cold boy warm.  I have a family I am part of!  It makes a hungry boy full!  I am filled with what I need!  It makes a dirty boy clean.  My sins are gone!  It makes a tired boy rested.  My soul is at peace with God!  It makes a lost boy safe.  I have a home with God!  It makes life worth living.  It makes Good Friday good!  It means that God is So Good, isn’t He?   Amen.