He didn't mince words!

No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again. This command I received from my Father."  John 10: 18

Anyone who takes on the task of studying the words of Jesus presented to us in the Holy
Bible through actual witnesses of His walk, can see that He simply never wasted a word. Even when He knelt down beside the adulteress in front of her accusers and wrote
in the dirt, one can imagine that what was written there was important. That whole
scene is so amazing. Every word spoken was for a reason, carefully chosen and meant 
to be considered and cherished by those who heard or would later read.

The sermon on the mount amazes me each and every time I read it. It is, without question,
the finest piece of teaching and prose ever said. 

So the scripture above is very telling in the fact that Jesus is speaking of His part in the
tri-une covenant, a part he took on willingly and steadfastly as He walked toward Calvary
with the potential salvation of all those separated from God in the balance. His giving
of His life for the sake of His sheep was voluntary in the sense that He had the power
to turn away from this task. Having the power and using the power were, of course,
completely different because He never wavered, despite the bloody drops of sweat and
the plea to take up the cup, from what He knew must happen.

Before time began, God knew that there would need to be a spotless lamb, a
great high priest, a sacrifice that only Jesus could complete for there to be any
chance for our salvation. All three members of the trinity were in the planning and
the implementation of the plan. It was carried out and is, to this very day, being
carried out for those who would bend their knees and admit that they are lost
and in need of a Savior. It is the only plan that could have worked, the only solution
for the innate sinfulness and chasm between God and His created.

What a glorious blessing; the grace of a God who reaches out in love and gives
to those who would accept. I hope you have made that choice and that the words
in your heart are full of praise for this amazing God.