我乘坐飛機經過太平洋至少有二十六次以上。每次飛越廣大的太平洋，在心裏想到也感謝空中小姐們，因為知道萬一發生意外，他們不會顧慮自己的安全，只會幫助乘客們脫離危險。

　　在今天的社會上，不關心自己的安全，只想到別人，是很難見到的一件事。更好的例子是耶穌基督﹕為了讓我們獲得新生命，耶穌犧牲了自己的生命，接受死刑，被釘死在十字架上。有關耶穌不關心自己的死亡，請想到以下的三件事﹕

　　第一。耶穌的死是自願的。空中小姐得到她這分工作時，她明明可知或許她會踫到意外，要為乘客犧牲性命；但空中小姐知道今天的航空工業很安全，所以飛機發生事故的可能性是很小的幾萬分之一。耶穌呢？他早知道要為世人死。新約聖經記載耶穌的話，他說﹕“...我獻出了自己的生命為的是我能重新得到它，沒有人能從我這裏把它奪走。我是心甘情願地。我有權犧牲它的，也有權收回它。這條命令是我從我父親那裏領受的”（約翰福音10章17-18節）。

　　新約路加福音記載耶穌前往耶路撒冷受害。耶穌自願地上耶路撒冷，沒有拒絕走上前往死亡的道路。從此我們知道耶穌明明知道他會死在耶路撒冷。耶穌是一位偉大的自願者。

　　第二。耶穌的死亡是自己預言的。在路加福音從第9章到第19章，至少有三次耶穌告訴他的門徒說他要受苦，被殺害。耶穌的死亡，對他自己來說，不是突然的。他早明白舊約聖經中有關彌賽亞要受苦，被猶太人棄絕，被殺害的預言。因為他早就明白，所以耶穌很清楚地告訴他的門徒他會被殺。今天，如果能預先知道哪一班飛機會掉到太平洋裏，沒有人會搭乘那班飛機的。但耶穌知道何時何處他會死；他還是選擇去耶路撒冷。

　　關於耶穌的死，我們應該明白的第三件事是:耶穌的死是很痛苦的。別認為，因為耶穌是神所以他受苦不覺得痛。他感覺痛如同您和我。事實上，耶穌面對兩種痛，包括肉體上的痛和精神上的痛。耶穌被釘死十字架以前，軍人鞭打他。釘十字架是最殘忍的處死方法之一。用三個大釘子把犯人掛在十字架上，不讓他死的太快，而是慢慢地折磨，讓生命慢慢地離開身體；幾個小時以後才斷氣。

　　耶穌也受精神上的苦﹕他十二個使徒其中的一個出賣他；其他的門徒都離開他逃跑了。耶穌要好的朋友，約翰，不承認他；他祖國的同胞們把他處死。除此以外，耶穌掛在十字架時，全世界人的罪也在他的身上；他擔當您和我的罪。是的，耶穌的死是很痛苦的。

　　耶穌的死證明他（像空中小姐一樣）不關心自己。耶穌的死是自願的，是自己預言的，是很痛苦的。為什麼呢？這是因為耶穌愛您和我。

I’ve crossed the Pacific Ocean by air more than twenty-six times.  Each time I take such a flight I think how grateful I am that the stewards and stewardesses are on board.  I know that if the airliner should suddenly face disaster they would not be so concerned for their own safety but would risk their lives trying to safeguard the passengers.

                It is difficult to find examples of such a mind-set in today’s society, as few people disregard their own well-being in order to ensure the safety of others.  The best example is that of Jesus Christ: In order for us to obtain a new life, Jesus sacrificed his own.  He received the punishment of death on a cross in order for us to obtain eternal safety.  Concerning the way Jesus was unconcerned about himself, please consider the following:

                First, Jesus’ death was voluntary.  When a stewardess accepts her position at an airline, she clearly knows that the time may come when, in the face of disaster, she must sacrifice her life for the passengers.  But she also knows that today’s airline industry is very safe and chances of an air crash are nearly zero.  What about Jesus?  Jesus knew from the beginning that he would die for the world; listen to what he said:  “...I lay down my life–only to take it up again.  No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord.  I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again” (John 10:17-18).  The New Testament book of Luke records Jesus’ journey to Jerusalem, where he knew he would suffer and be killed.  But he went anyway.  Indeed, Jesus was a true volunteer.

                Second, Jesus foretold his own death.  At least three times between chapters 9 and 19 of Luke, Jesus told his disciples that he would suffer and be killed.  His death therefore was not unexpected as far as he was concerned.  Jesus certainly understood all the Old Testament prophecies regarding how the Messiah would suffer, be rejected by the Jews and be put to death.  Since he understood these, Jesus clearly told the same to his disciples.  Today, if we knew which airliner would fall into the Pacific Ocean, no one would take that flight.  Jesus, however, knew exactly when and where he would die, and yet he still chose to go to Jerusalem.

                The third thing we should understand regarding the death of Jesus is that it was very painful.  Don’t think that just because Jesus was God, he didn’t feel pain.  He felt it just like you and I do.  In fact, Jesus experienced two types of pain that day—physical and emotional.  Soldiers beat and whipped Jesus before the crucifixion, and crucifixion itself is one of the most cruel forms of capital punishment.  The convicted person is suspended on a cross by three large nails.  Death does not come quickly, but he suffers in agony as life slowly ebbs from the body; life and pain linger together for several hours.

                Jesus also experienced emotional pain.  One of his twelve apostles betrayed him, and the other apostles ran away.  Jesus’ best friend denied knowing him and his own countrymen, the Jews, had him executed.  Besides all this, when Jesus hung on the cross, the sins of the world were on his shoulders. Yes, Jesus was deeply pained emotionally.

                The death of Jesus proves that he was not concerned about himself.  His death was voluntary, was foretold before the fact and was painful.  Why?  Because Jesus loves you and me.