Plan for: Thanksgiving | Advent | Christmas
Understand and appreciate the cost, power, and sacrifice of Jesus' love, which is the foundation of our faith and obedience to Him.
Good morning, church family! Today, we will be diving into the profound depth of Jesus' loveāthe cost, the power, and the sacrifice it holds for each one of us.
Our key Scripture today is from the book of John, chapter 12, verses 24 and 25. It reads:
"Very truly I tell you, unless a grain of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds. Anyone who loves their life will lose it, while anyone who hates their life in this world will keep it for eternal life."
These words, spoken by Jesus himself, show us the incredible nature of His love. A love that cost Him His life, a love powerful enough to overcome death, and a love that was an ultimate sacrifice for our salvation.
The cost of Jesus' love is not a monetary value, nor is it something that can be quantified in worldly terms. It is a spiritual cost, a divine transaction that took place on the cross of Calvary.
Not money: When we think about cost, we often think about the price we pay for something. In the context of Jesus' love, the cost was His life. He willingly laid down His life for us, paying the ultimate price for our sins. This was not a forced sacrifice but a voluntary one, driven by His immense love for us. He chose to endure the pain, the humiliation, and the death on the cross because of His love for humanity.
In John 3:16, we read: "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." This verse encapsulates the cost of Jesus' love. God gave His Son, and Jesus gave His life. It was a cost paid not in gold or silver, but in blood and sacrifice.
Implies a cost for us, His followers: In Luke 9:23, Jesus says, "Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me." The cost for us is to deny our selfish desires, our worldly ambitions, and our sinful nature. It is to take up our cross, which symbolizes the challenges and sacrifices we might face in our walk with Christ, and follow Him.
A liberation: By paying the cost, we are freed from the bondage of sin and death. We are given a new life, a life in Christ. This is the beauty of the cost of Jesus' love. It is a cost that brings freedom, peace, and eternal life.
A demonstration of His commitment to us: In a world where commitments are often broken and promises are frequently unfulfilled, Jesus' love stands as a beacon of steadfastness and faithfulness. He paid the cost not because He had to, but because He wanted to. He wanted to show us the extent of His love, a love that is willing to pay the ultimate price.
Consider the cost we are willing to pay to follow Him: Are we willing to deny ourselves, take up our cross, and follow Him? Are we willing to live a life that reflects His love and sacrifice? These are questions that we must ask ourselves as we seek to understand and appreciate the cost of Jesus' love.
The power of Jesus' love is a force that transcends human understanding and yet is intimately personal ... View this full PRO sermon free with PRO