One of the really cool things about the cross is what it demonstrates about the nature of love.
"For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son that whosoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life." - John 3:16Do you ever wonder what kind of love that was? Did God's love for us happen to Him? Was it the kind of love you see in books and movies and tv shows, Love at First Sight? The Answer is no. God's love was a decision. It was a choice, a conscious act of the will. God doesn't change you see. When he decides to do something he does it. He doesn't suffer from indecion or a change of heart. He decided to love Mankind. That decision required certain actions on His part. Before He even created the universe he had decided he was going to make Man and love him. God is also a Righteous and Just god though. He couldn't ignore Man's sin. The consequences of that Sin could not be avoided. On the one hand God had to have our Sin balanced and canceled out. On the other hand God had to love us. God's decision to love us required Him to give his life for us.
"For to us a Child is born, to us a Son is given, and the govenment will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace." - Isaiah 9:6
The names given to Christ in this passage speak a great deal about his nature. The name wonderful comes from the hebrew word pala which means astonishing or extraodinary. The Saviours birth was a once in a lifetime event. It had never happened before. It would never happen again. Such a concept as God sending his own Son to pay for our sin was unheard of. Even when it occured no one could believe it. Yet that same event provided for the salvation of not just those present at the event, but also those who came before and those who came after.
Pretty amazing isn't it?