"This is my body given for you..." I am struck by the way these seven words spoken by Jesus to his disciples before his trial and execution encapsulate the total giving of Jesus to them and us.
He had no property, apart from his clothes, but he is giving what he has – his body, his very life, for them and us. Furthermore, this is his decision; he could have walked away at any point but this is the culmination of his mission to earth.
He never committed any sin and was now about to take the punishment for the sins of the world upon himself. This is the conclusion of God the Father's giving of his son to the world.
John described it thus: "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 NIV).
And the wonderful news of Easter is that Jesus' words were proved true when he appeared to his disciples three days later. There is life after death. Jesus invites us to follow him there.
