Let me start by saying the whole Bible is all about the astonishing love of Jesus, so to say that I sifted through and found only six stories on this topic would be a lie. In truth, everything God does is out of love for his people—even when he disciplines them. After all, the loving parent doesn’t just let his child go astray, right? (*Wink, wink.)
This is simply a collection of tender moments when Jesus’s love really stands out. He cares about his people as a whole, but did you know he also cares about each of us as individuals as well? Grab your Bible and let your faith be fueled by these six Bible stories that show the astonishing love of Jesus!
Hi, I’m Lauren Thell, author of Christian YA fiction and blogger for teens who are ready to exceed the world’s expectations.
In This Article
BIBLE STORIES THAT SHOW THE ASTONISHING LOVE OF JESUS
#1) John 8:1-11: A Woman Caught in Adultery
“Let any one of you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.”
Jesus hates sin, and here we have a woman caught in the act of a sin which, at the time, was punishable by death. At times, we are like the crowd in this situation: pointing fingers at the one we believe is worse than us.
But Jesus was able to look past the sin at the sinner. He neither condemns her nor sanctions her actions. Instead gives her a second chance. Check it out to see how one sinner got to experience the love of Jesus.
Are you struggling with guilt over your own sins? See my post What Salvation by Faith Alone Would Mean For a Student.
#2) Luke 22:47-53: The Servant of the Enemy
And he touched the man’s ear and healed him.
This incident is my absolute favorite scene in the movie The Passion Of The Christ. If you don’t think you can handle the heart-wrenching gruesomeness of the rest of the movie (and let me tell you, it’s hard to stomach at times), I still recommend you watch the opening scene where they go to arrest Jesus.
And when you do, take note of the look on the servant’s face after Jesus fixes his ear.
We never hear what happens to the servant after that, but I suspect the course of his life changed that day, thanks to the astonishing love of Jesus.
Wishing you could experience the love of Jesus too? See 10 Bible Passages That Confirm God’s Love For You.
#3) Mark 5:21-34: A Sick Woman
“Who touched my clothes?”
When you read this story, do you ever pause and ask: Why did Jesus stop? Why this woman?
As his disciples said, it was crowded and people were pushing in all around him. Yet, he chose to call her out. Her condition made her unclean, and the rules of the time dictated that she could be killed for touching someone.
She was willing to risk that for her faith, and Jesus did not let her down. Not only does he let her live, but he grants her request. That is astonishing love.
Feeling like God is lost in the fog of your own life? Check out Seek the Lord and He Will Be Found By You.
#4) Luke 5:1-11: The First Disciples
“Put out into deep water, and let down the nets for a catch.”
I love this moment in history because Jesus didn’t just walk by, see a bunch of guys in a fishing boat, and yell, “Hey, you! Come over here!” What he did instead demonstrates how much he cared for what mattered to them.
They got to experience the love of Jesus before he expected anything from them in return. This is astonishing love.
Struggling to figure out God’s will for your life? Here’s a post for you: Life After High School: Just Pick Something And Do It!
#5) Luke 7:11-17: A Widow’s Son
His heart went out to her and he said, “Don’t cry.”
It’s horrible to lose a child, but during Jesus’s time, a woman who had lost her husband became dependent on her son to provide for her. If she lost her only son, as this woman had, she had nothing.
In helping her, Jesus wasn’t just putting on a show to gain a thousand followers and three thousand “likes.” His heart went out to her and he did it because he loved her. Astonishing love.
If you’re going through a rough time in your own life, I encourage you to read 10 Bible Passages For When God Seems Distant And Aloof.
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#6) Luke 19:1-10: Zaccheus the Tax Collector
“He has gone to be the guest of a sinner.”
We all have people we don’t want to associate with—at all, if possible. This is most apparent in elementary school when the kid who smells funny and always seems to have lice is singled out and ostracized by the crowd. (See my short story The Day Hanna Hosanna Helped Cootie Judy.)
Maybe you were the one no one wanted to be near.
Zaccheus was that person. Everyone hated him because he was a snake when it came to dealing with money. Jesus choosing to go to his house was more than just a gesture from the “cool kid.” He gave Zaccheus a chance to turn over a new leaf on earth and spend an eternity in heaven. Again, astonishing love.
Wondering what heaven will be like? Read The Best is Yet to Come.
What are your favorite Bible stories that show the astonishing love of Jesus? Tell me about them! If you liked this post, be sure to subscribe so you don’t miss others like it. And check out my other Bible treasure hunt post, 5 Bible Stories that Show the Awesome Power of God.