Bobby was a daddy’s boy. He went with his father everywhere; it was like they were one person. One day Bobby was riding his new bike down the street when he saw a pair of headlights coming straight at him. In one moment he found himself thrown off his bike and hitting the asphalt with great impact. His head was split open, his body lay there almost beyond recognition. He was struggling to breathe. Blood was pouring everywhere.

Now his father happened to be outside when the accident happened. He went up and kissed his little boy’s face as the ambulance drove up. He was sobbing and he too could barely breathe. HIs agony was so deep seeing Bobby lying there almost lifeless. All of a sudden the father looked up only to see the driver who hit his son. He was unscathed, completely drunk, and on top of all that, he was yelling horrible insults at the young boy. “Hey you idiot, what were you doing in front of my car.” “You deserve to die.” “What does your life matter anyways.”

Needless to say the father was outraged. Every fiber of his being was burning with hatred towards this man and he wanted to kill him. This was his fault that his son was near death. He went to approach the man when he heard his little boy whisper, “Daddy, I need you.” He got in the ambulance with his son and held his little hand. Tears were pouring down his face. How could this be happening? In the middle of the ride to the hospital, the EMT’s face turned white. Bobby was gone. He had taken his last breath holding on to his daddy’s hand.

The drunk driver spent several years in prison behind bars before he was released. A year later he was walking down the street and felt a horrible piercing pain through his chest. Blood was pouring out and he heard Bobby’s father shouting, “I told you I would get you.” “You’re a beast; you’re an animal.” “You deserve this”. With that the man took his final breath.

Now this is a tragic story but the reactions of the people in it were understandable. The little boy crying out to his father, the father sobbing as he kissed his son and held on to his tiny hand, and the drunk driver, so intoxicate that he could care less about anyone else. The outcome was conceivable. Bobby passed away, the father was filled with rage, and the drunk deserved what he got.

Now I want you to think of another story. The people in this story are very similar to the ones above. There was a Father, a son, and an evil pack of men. Except in this story the reactions of the people are completely different.

There was a father, who had a son. Everywhere the Father was, the son was. They had the perfect relationship. Their love for each other could not even be put into words. One day the father sent his son into a dark place where he knew there were a crowd of evil men lurking. He knew his son would get beat to a pulp while his enemies were yelling insults at him. He knew His son would even die there. He told His son what would happen to Him in that dark alley and the son was in agony but he said, ” Father I wish there was some other way, but i if this is what you me to do, I will do it.”

The son was sent out into the night as the father stood nearby. He saw the men coming up with their clubs and weapons and the father’s heart was breaking. What could be worth sacrificing His son; His only son. As the men came behind Him, the first one took a blow at the Son’s head with a club. Some others took large nails and started stabbing Him with it , while others crushed His chest so that He could not breathe. His son was dying and then He did the unthinkable; He poured out the wrath that the men deserved onto His son. He then turned his back on him and ran over to the bad guys, arms held out. The men thought He was going to kill them and then something else happened. He swooped them into His arms and gave them a huge hug saying “You guys are the ones I felt were worth the sacrifice. I forgive you and I love you. All you have to do is accept my forgiveness.” Several of the men wept and accepted the gift, feeling completely unworthy of the sacrifice. Others completely rejected the gift. The Father had willingly sent His son, the son had willingly gone, and the enemies were the ones they both did it for- so that they could be adopted as sons also.

If you look at this through spiritual eyes, don’t you see Calvary. The Father sent His Son into a world where He knew He would be crucified and marred beyond recognition. He knew Jesus would die. Not only that but He knew He would need to pour out His wrath, that his enemies deserved, onto His only Son. The Father’s heart was breaking at the thought, but He felt that the sacrifice would be worth the results. His Son willingly walked into this dark world.

You and I deserved the wrath of the Heavenly Father for our sins, but He willingly chose to pour it out on Jesus. Not only that, but in His Son’s deepest darkest hours, when I’m sure He just wanted to reach out and comfort Jesus, He turned His back on Him, leaving His Son to cry out “My God, My God, why have you forsaken me.” The Father then held out His loving arms to us, held us in His embrace, and said “I forgive you, if you are willing to admit you were wrong and accept my forgiveness.” Indescribable. Unexplainable. Love beyond words.

When you think of Calvary, dear friends, I want you to think of the great sacrifice of Jesus but I also want you to think of the great sacrifice of the Father. He gave up His Son, His one and only Son, so that you and I could be adopted into His family.

Now thank God the story doesn’t end there. Three days after Jesus died He walked out of that tomb alive. Death had no power over Him. Several days later He ascended into heaven and took His rightful place at the right hand of the Father.

So when we get to heaven may we fall on our faces and shout out thank you to the Father who gave His Son, to the Son who gave His life, and to the Holy Spirit who opened our eyes to the greatest love story in history.