“But God proves his own love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” - Romans 5:8 (CSB)There is a subtle danger whenever we talk about sacrifice.We can easily turn the cross into a motivational speech.“Be more sacrificial.”“Try harder.”“Love deeper.”And while those statements sound spiritual, they can quietly drift into moralism. They turn the cross into a model to admire ...  Read More

“No one takes it from me, but I lay it down on my own.” - John 10:18a (CSB)When Jesus says the greatest love is to lay down one’s life, He is not describing tragedy.He is describing decision.The cross was not an unfortunate turn of events. It was not fate. It was not chaos winning. Jesus was not overpowered. He was not cornered.He chose.In John 10, Jesus says plainly, “No one takes it from me.” Th...  Read More

“No one has greater love than this: to lay down his life for his friends.” - John 15:13 (CSB)Jesus does not suggest what love might be. He defines it. “No one has greater love than this…”That means love has a ceiling. There is a highest expression. There is something Jesus calls the greatest love. And by implication, there are lesser loves.That confronts us immediately.Our culture treats love as e...  Read More

“But love your enemies, do what is good…” -  Luke 6:35a (CSB)By now, you know what Jesus is asking.He is not asking for tolerance.He is not asking for politeness.He is not asking you to simply avoid retaliation.He is asking you to move.Love in this passage is active. It is directional. It moves toward people who do not deserve it. It initiates. It refuses to wait for better conditions.This is wher...  Read More

“Forgive, and you will be forgiven.” - Luke 6:37b (CSB)Most of us do not carry a physical notebook of wrongs. But we carry a mental one.We remember tone. We remember slights. We remember who apologized and who did not. We remember who owes us. And even if we do not say it out loud, we quietly keep score.This is the ledger.It feels reasonable. It feels protective. It feels like justice. But the led...  Read More

“But God proves his own love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” - Romans 5:8 (CSB)By now, loving the unlovable should feel impossible. That is intentional.If Jesus had simply said, “Love your enemies,” and left it there, the command would crush us. We would either lower the standard or drown in guilt. But Jesus does not merely command radical love. He embodies it.The ...  Read More