THE CROSS (Book Discussion)
Tuesday, Apr 06, 2021
Week One
Sunday, April 4, 2021 – Saturday, April 10, 2021
Questions for Chapters 1-4
- What three statements in chapter one meant the most to you?
- Have you ever faced the situation with your loyalty to GOD and loyalty to your family conflicted? Tell us about it.
- What did Jesus mean when he told us to hate our lives?
1. There were a few but her are 3; “The cross is our center…” “…He {Jesus} was actually prophesying blessing over his upcoming crucifixion.” “Battles are won by teaching soldiers how to die, not how to avoid dying.”
2. I believe that when Jesus told us to hate our lives, we are to turn away from what we think we have built. There was a popular saying some time ago that when one identified with something of value or that brought them joy, one would say “That outfit is giving me life”. Now we know this was not the sustaining life that is enjoyed because of Christ. It did however speak of a culture that associated life giving meaning to something that is temporal. Since Jesus came that we might have life and that more abundantly, we are not to hate the life that He has given us but rather what we have built this idea of “life” to be. All that we have attained – to only bring us gain and pleasure- should be hated. Leaving the old life behind, we are essentially gaining by losing for Christs’ sake. In all, our “hate” is a rejection of what we have built that transfers into an acceptance of our new life only found and given in Christ.
The3 statements in chapter1that Meant a lot to me were1.
We’re chosen and we can’t get away from it
2.No Cross, No Jesus
3.
Without it you have nothing
But with it you have everything
To hate our lives to me means we are to disregard our fleshly desires and to seek and be obedient to God’s will for our lives
The 3 statements he meant the most to me were: The cross is or center because it’s His center, The cross of Christ is the crux and A crossless Christianity is a farce, a sham, a fake, a scam! WOW
Wow!!! A powerful read! I want to respond to the question, ‘What does Jesus mean when He told us to hate our life?’. I chose this question because it was so powerful and challenging. I can see areas in my life that I don’t hate for HIM.
I believe what Jesus meant we should chose a life in Him over a life that is ‘world centered’. Being on this earth can cause one to be world centered, self-centered and take our eyes from GOD.
GOD’s selfless love through the cross shows us the value of hating our lives. This great act of love opened the door for salvation until His return. Hating our lives enables us to become selfless. We can serve HIM and others when this becomes true in our lives.
1. What three statements in Chapter one meant the most to you?
The three statements in Chapter one that meant the most to me were:
“The cross is God bridging every divide and bounding every hurdle to get to you with His salvation.” page 5
“Calvary signifies there’s no escaping the fixated gaze of an irreversibly invested God.” page 7
“Just as Jesus was blessed through His cross, the blessings of the Beatitudes are also bestowed on those who take up their cross and follow Him.” page 9
2. Have you ever faced the situation with your loyalty to GOD and your loyalty to your family conflicted? Tell us about it.
Yes, I have faced several situations of this nature down through the years. There were times that various family events/functions I decided not to attend because the values of my family did not align with the values that GOD had outlined for my life. No, I’m not coming to your birthday party at the club. Please stop texting me nude pictures that you think is funny. No, I can’t come to your weekly barbeque that’s Sundays at 12pm.
3. What did Jesus mean when he told us to hate our lives?
Christ’s simply means that he wants us to love our new life in Him. We have to reorient our thinking to be Kingdom citizens.
The 3 statements that meant the most to me were
1. The cross calibrates us
2. The cross is our center because it’s His center
3. The cross of Christ is the crux – The most important matter at hand
2. To hate our lives means to lay down our wants and desires so that His wants and desires can be fulfilled in us. Yes, he will give us the desires of our hearts but only if they align with His will.
The 3 statements that stuck out the most for me are
1. The cross is the Alpha and omega of worship
2. Staying centered on the cross means war.
3. We need to be recalibrated over and over.
I can see this book being a life changing experience as I focus on what’s been the most important thing this entire time but allowing it to go unnoticed, The Cross.
3 statements….. that meant the most to me:
1. Without it (the Cross) you have NOTHING, but with it you have EVERYTHING!!!!!!!!!
2. The cross is the CENTRAL PILLAR of our faith.
3. If you have a message that has no room for the cross, we have no room for YOUR MESSAGE.
There are so many nuggets that blessed me, but when Minister Sorge said…
1. It was Jesus’ pathway to the Father, and it’s ours, too.
2. It is the genesis of our faith, our love, and our life.
3. The Cross is God’s most memorable event ever. (WOW)
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