Casas Church

We may already be familiar with the story of the lost son, but there are many layers and depths to it that we may have missed. It is a radical story of God’s love for us and how He views His relationship with us. His love isn’t about punishment, but about celebration and restoration. God's compassion extends to those who feel completely lost, and it has practical application in our lives today. Rock bottom isn’t too deep for God’s love to reach us. 

Being part of God's family means adopting a spiritual dress code that transcends our earthly differences and divisions. We are called to clothe ourselves with spiritual attributes that reflect Christ's character. These include compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. Above all, we must put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. While conflicts may arise, we're called to bear with one another patiently and forgive as Christ has forgiven us. This spiritual dress code transforms how we interact with others and shapes our identity as children of God. 

Our relationship with God goes far beyond empty religion or worldly values - we are His beloved children. Rather than viewing God as a distant authority figure or basing our worth on achievements, we can embrace our identity as sons and daughters who are fully accepted and loved. This adoption gives us the privilege of calling God 'Abba Father' and living as true heirs in His family. When we truly grasp our identity as God’s children, it transforms how we see ourselves and how we relate to Him. This shift from a performance-based relationship to one of genuine belonging brings freedom. 

Oftentimes we choose to love others because it’s “what a good Christian should do.” And that’s not bad, but as we mature spiritually, we can take a deeper look at what perspective Jesus modeled for us. When we take opportunities in our community to volunteer we become a part of the fabric of the city. It becomes ours. And, as outlined in Jeremiah 29:7, “…if it prospers, you too will prosper.” This is an encouragement to be involved in the city we live in and to be a difference maker where and when we can. 

When we look at Jesus, we get to model our lives after Him. He interacts with people in ways that they feel seen and valued. Jesus does this in two distinct things: He gives love a name and a story. We see this in action with the woman Jesus heals in Mark 5:24. He shows love and care, but doesn’t stop there. He sees the person first. 

In John 2, we are witness to Jesus’ first miracle. He turns water into wine at a wedding, which may seem unusual, but hospitality was paramount in that time and that culture. This first miracle of Jesus has a lot of parallels to Moses’ first miracle. However, there are a lot of differences as well. By comparing and contrasting both miracles, we learn that with Jesus we always have more than enough.