Day 16 – Journey to the Cross – Pastor Kevin Lautar
Hello First Family!
What a great weekend we had with our friends in church and afterwards! Friends just seem to make life a little sweeter. They are a true blessing from God!
Today’s Code word on our Journey to the Cross is Friend. O.S. Hawkins recalls Jesus’ words from John 15:13, “Greater love has no man than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends.” Friendship is a unique type of relationship in which all parties choose to be part of the relationship. In a friendship, there is give and take, yielding and compromise, and needs met. Jesus teaches that there is no greater love than when one friend chooses to sacrifice themselves for the friendship. In this act, these friends are exhibiting great humility and love by not demanding their own needs be met first. Instead, they are also looking out for the needs of others. Philippians 2:4 commands, “Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others.” If we truly desire to be like Christ, then, this is the type of friends that we will be. Jesus literally laid down His life for His friends, you and me.
Today’s focus verse says it all and is found in 1 John 3:16, “By this we know love, because He laid down His life for us.” Ponder the “greater love” of Christ today as you interact with your friends. See ya tomorrow on our Journey to the Cross.
Pastor Kevin
I stand on the old saying that if you want a friend you have to be a friend.
Remember the One that wore the “Crown of Thorns”