Our Family Tree Is The Cross
Text: John 19:25-27
The Cross is the birthplace of all relationships. Who do you think makes it people for people of different backgrounds and tribal extractions come together for fellowship? It’s Jesus and His instrument for this work is the Cross.
The Cross isn’t a symbol of joy, it’s a symbol of pain, death & sacrifice; but it always brings gain into your life.
You don’t find just new relationships at the foot of the Cross; you also find new opportunities and ministries there.
There are many more important things that define you other than your blood relationships.
(John 19:26) Don’t make the mistake of thinking that Jesus loved John more than the other disciples, but John chose to describe himself as “the disciple whom Jesus loved”.
What made John stand out was his awareness of Jesus’ love for him.
Your awareness of God’s love for you will produce three things in your life:
- Boldness/Confidence
- It negates & nullifies the spirit of condemnation. It’s the antidote to the spirit of condemnation & guilt.
- Condemnation is the paralysis of the devil.
- It makes you more Christ conscious.
- Your consciousness of Christ will make you
Matt. 18:21-35 teaches us a few lessons about love:
- The debts we owe God are not payable
- God will forgive us if only we ask Him to forgive us.
- The offenses of others against us are comparatively smaller than what we owe God
- God expects us to share the same love we’re received with others
- If you don’t forgive others, there are negative consequences that you will experience.
What does it mean to forgive?
- It means to relieve someone of the burden of an offence committed against you
- It’s a choice to no longer be angry with the one who caused you pain
- It is refusing to sustain the consideration of the cause of the offence.
1 John 4:20-21
We should be willing to love others more than ourselves; if we say we love God, if He has poured His love into our hearts it must overflow unto others.
For love to be actually considered and qualified as love, it must be shared.
Prayer: Lord God, please help us preserve the community that you bled for and died to establish in Jesus’ name.
