Could you be His replacement?

From the very moment Christ stepped onto the scene, His mission was clear: to do the will of the Father and to spread the good news of salvation. From day one, Jesus came with purpose, with passion, and with a divine assignment that would change the course of history.

What a mission—to reconcile mankind to God, to bridge the gap that sin created. And what’s even more astounding is this: that mission didn’t end with Him. It continues through us. Jesus made that clear in The Great Commission, found in Matthew 28:18–20:

“Then Jesus came to them and said, ‘All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.’”

That commission is not just a suggestion—it’s our calling.

But here’s a sobering question:
If you knew the outcome, could you have done what Jesus did?
If you knew that Good Friday meant a brutal death on a cross, and that only after immense suffering would come resurrection and ascension—would you still say yes?

Jesus made the ultimate sacrifice. He took on the full punishment for our sins so that we could be forgiven, so that we could live, so that we could believe in Him and spend eternity with Him in heaven. He did this knowing that many would reject Him, ignore Him, or keep Him at a distance. Still, He said yes.

It brings to mind a powerful modern-day parable.
There once was a bridge operator who took his young son to work with him one weekend. His job was to raise and lower a drawbridge so that both boats and trains could pass safely. That day, a passenger train was approaching. The warning alarm sounded—he had only moments to lower the bridge. As he began the process, he looked for his son, calling his name—but no answer.

Stepping out onto the platform, he saw his son below, playing near the gears of the bridge mechanism. The boy couldn’t hear him. If the operator hadn’t lowered the bridge in those next seconds, hundreds of passengers on the train would have perished. In a split second, the father made the hardest decision imaginable. He pulled the lever.

The bridge lowered. The train passed safely. The passengers waved to the operator, unaware of the cost—the son had been crushed in the gears. That father had sacrificed his child so they could live.

This is what God did for us. He gave His only Son so that we could live. And still, so many of us simply pass by, waving casually, unaware or unmoved by the sacrifice that was made on our behalf.

Let’s be honest—most of us couldn’t do what Christ did, even if we knew the outcome. But here’s what we can do: we can fulfill the command He left us. We can obey The Great Commission. That’s our calling—especially in this Easter season, as we reflect on the resurrection and the hope it brings.

So here’s the challenge:
Let us commit to diving deeper into the Word of God.
Let us become spiritual farmers—planting seeds of faith, watering them with love and truth.
Let us be obedient, not just believers in the word, but disciples in action.

As John 3:36 reminds us, belief and obedience go hand in hand:

“Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God’s wrath remains on them.”

Let us go beyond surface-level faith. Let us live lives that reflect true gratitude for Christ’s sacrifice. Let us shine—not just on Christmas and Easter (the so-called “CEO Christians”)—but every single day of the year.

People need to know the truth. They need to see His love in action.
So be a doer, not just a hearer. Let’s do our part.
Let’s show Christ that we are thankful, not just in words, but in obedience.

Because He more than deserves it.
Because He loves us deeply.
And because the world is waiting for hope.