How can understanding Jesus' sacrifice deepen our relationship with Him today? Seeing the Shepherd’s Heart: John 10:15 “Just as the Father knows Me and I know the Father, and I lay down My life for the sheep.” What His Sacrifice Shows Us About Jesus • Intimate Knowledge: The same mutual, eternal knowing that exists within the Trinity is extended toward us. • Voluntary Offering: “I lay down My life”—not taken from Him, but given (John 10:18). • Personal Substitution: “for the sheep” means He died in our place, not merely as an example. How Grasping This Deepens My Relationship with Him Today 1. Assurance of Unbreakable Love ‑ Romans 5:8—“But God proves His love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” ‑ When love is proved at the cross, doubts about His affection lose their grip. 2. Safe Access to God ‑ Hebrews 10:19-22—Because His body was “torn,” we draw near with confidence. ‑ Prayer, worship, confession all flow from knowing the way is open. 3. Motivation for Obedience ‑ 2 Corinthians 5:14-15—“For Christ’s love compels us… that those who live should no longer live for themselves.” ‑ Obedience shifts from duty to delighted response. 4. Pattern for Our Relationships ‑ Ephesians 5:2—“Walk in love, just as Christ loved us and gave Himself up for us.” ‑ Sacrificial service becomes the natural overflow of being loved sacrificially. Practical Ways to Keep the Cross Central • Start each day by rereading John 10:15; personalize it: “He laid down His life for me.” • In moments of failure, rehearse 1 John 1:7—His blood “purifies us from all sin.” • When tempted to self-promotion, recall Philippians 2:5-8 and choose the lower place. • Celebrate Communion thoughtfully; let the symbols remind you of real, historical sacrifice. • Speak of His sacrifice in everyday conversation—gratitude grows as you verbalize it. Linked Passages for Further Meditation • Isaiah 53:5-6 – The prophetic picture of substitution. • John 15:13 – “Greater love has no one than this….” • 1 John 3:16 – Knowing love by His laid-down life. • Hebrews 12:2 – Fixing eyes on Jesus, who endured the cross for the joy set before Him. |
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