Convincing Grace

A pastor friend of mine told me the theme for his latest sermon was this:  God didn't send Jesus to die on a cross as a way to prove to God that God loves us; he did it to prove to us that God loves us.

Think about that for a moment.

There are times when we point to the death of Christ on the cross and consider it to be Christ taking on punishment for our sins in answer to a demand from God that the punishment be given.  Maybe there is a part of the crucifixion that answers this need, but I think there is more.

Who needs convincing that we are loved by God?  We do.  Who has God been following with his previenent grace for AGES?  We are.  Perhaps part of the reason for the crucifixion was to demonstrate to us, in a way that could not be ignored, how much we are loved by our creator.

God died for you.  For me.  How much more convincing do we need?