I am an oldest child as is my husband. I am constantly reminding Amelia and Thomas that we have this in common by sharing stories from my own childhood. As their younger siblings have come into their own and want only to be with the big kids doing exactly what they’re doing, I’ve tried to help them see that offering Timothy or Ezra something in exchange for whatever they’re wanting is better than grabbing from them or whining to mom. Still, learning to accept a no requires more than most preschoolers can muster. A toddler’s take on sharing fairly mirrors culture. This tells me one very important thing. Without the clarity that faith in Christ affords, we will never stop grasping for more, even when our arms and our pockets are full to overflowing.
By His message and His perfect life, Jesus taught us the importance of self sacrifice. He offers us a rich and satisfying life of abundance by taking sin and death and the wrath of God upon Himself once for all time. In return, He demands a surrendered life of obedience. My life is not my own whether I choose surrender or continue in rebellion. Recognizing who Jesus is and what He accomplished for me at the cross, I choose life.
“Then Jesus said to his disciples, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross, and follow me.
If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it.
But if you give up your life for my sake, you will save it.”
Matthew 16:24-25 NLT
https://bible.com/bible/116/mat.16.24-25.NLT
“He personally carried our sins in his body on the cross so that we can be dead to sin and live for what is right.
By his wounds you are healed.
Once you were like sheep who wandered away.
But now you have turned to your Shepherd, the Guardian of your souls.”
1 Peter 2:24-25 NLT
https://bible.com/bible/116/1pe.2.24-25.NLT
Jesus said, “I am the good shepherd.
The good shepherd sacrifices his life for the sheep.”
John 10:11 NLT
https://bible.com/bible/116/jhn.10.11.NLT
“The thief’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy.
My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life.”
John 10:10 NLT
https://bible.com/bible/116/jhn.10.10.NLT
As Christians, it can be tempting to believe that we bring something to the table when we serve or sacrifice. If we look at our resources, our possessions, even our time and talents as our own, we mislead ourselves and the watching world.
“What do you have that God hasn’t given you?
And if everything you have is from God, why boast as though it were not a gift?
For the Kingdom of God is not just a lot of talk; it is living by God’s power.”
1 Corinthians 4:7, 20 NLT
https://bible.com/bible/116/1co.4.20.NLT
“But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners.
And since we have been made right in God’s sight by the blood of Christ, he will certainly save us from God’s condemnation.
For since our friendship with God was restored by the death of his Son while we were still his enemies, we will certainly be saved through the life of his Son.
So now we can rejoice in our wonderful new relationship with God because our Lord Jesus Christ has made us friends of God.”
Romans 5:8-11 NLT
https://bible.com/bible/116/rom.5.8-11.NLT
“And this is his commandment: We must believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and love one another, just as he commanded us.
Those who obey God’s commandments remain in fellowship with him, and he with them.
And we know he lives in us because the Spirit he gave us lives in us.”
1 John 3:23-24 NLT
https://bible.com/bible/116/1jn.3.23-24.NLT
“God, for whom and through whom everything was made, chose to bring many children into glory.
And it was only right that he should make Jesus, through his suffering, a perfect leader, fit to bring them into their salvation.
So now Jesus and the ones he makes holy have the same Father.
That is why Jesus is not ashamed to call them his brothers and sisters.”
Hebrews 2:10-11 NLT
https://bible.com/bible/116/heb.2.10-11.NLT
“Therefore, since we have been made right in God’s sight by faith, we have peace with God because of what Jesus Christ our Lord has done for us.
Because of our faith, Christ has brought us into this place of undeserved privilege where we now stand, and we confidently and joyfully look forward to sharing God’s glory.”
Romans 5:1-2 NLT
https://bible.com/bible/116/rom.5.1-2.NLT
My brother and my sister in Christ, we have the same Father. We are joint heirs with Christ in His glorious inheritance. A new heaven and a new earth awaits.
“And you are living stones that God is building into his spiritual temple.
What’s more, you are his holy priests.
Through the mediation of Jesus Christ, you offer spiritual sacrifices that please God.”
1 Peter 2:5 NLT
https://bible.com/bible/116/1pe.2.5.NLT
“For you know that God paid a ransom to save you from the empty life you inherited from your ancestors.
And it was not paid with mere gold or silver, which lose their value.
It was the precious blood of Christ, the sinless, spotless Lamb of God.
Through Christ you have come to trust in God.
And you have placed your faith and hope in God because he raised Christ from the dead and gave him great glory.
You were cleansed from your sins when you obeyed the truth, so now you must show sincere love to each other as brothers and sisters.
Love each other deeply with all your heart.
For you have been born again, but not to a life that will quickly end.
Your new life will last forever because it comes from the eternal, living word of God.”
1 Peter 1:18-19, 21-23 NLT
https://bible.com/bible/116/1pe.1.18-23.NLT
Jesus said, “I have loved you even as the Father has loved me.
Remain in my love.
When you obey my commandments, you remain in my love, just as I obey my Father’s commandments and remain in his love.
I have told you these things so that you will be filled with my joy.
Yes, your joy will overflow!”
John 15:9-11 NLT
https://bible.com/bible/116/jhn.15.9-11.NLT
What would you give for a rich and satisfying life filled with joy that overflows? Jesus gave His life so that it can all be yours. Give Him your yes today. Even that is from Him.
“For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him.”
Philippians 2:13 NLT
https://bible.com/bible/116/php.2.13.NLT
If you have never received God’s gift of forgiveness and renewed fellowship in Jesus, today is the day of salvation.
“For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.”
John 3:16 NASB1995
https://bible.com/bible/100/jhn.3.16.NASB1995
“If we claim we have no sin, we are only fooling ourselves and not living in the truth.
But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness.”
1 John 1:8-9 NLT
https://bible.com/bible/116/1jn.1.8-9.NLT
“…to all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God.”
John 1:12 NLT
https://bible.com/bible/116/jhn.1.12.NLT
“Jesus paid it all
All to Him I owe
Sin had left a crimson stain
He washed it white as snow” https://youtu.be/Dj5qmooaPwE?si=KKDdPle5wzXUHFud
A Fitting Reply 