The Light

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What does it really mean to love Jesus above everyone and everything else? In Luke 14:26, Jesus uses strong language to teach His followers that their devotion to Him must come before every other relationship, desire, and priority. He is not calling us to hate our families; He is calling us to love Him so completely that every other love is secondary. Following Jesus means denying ourselves, taking up our cross, and choosing Him above our own desires.

It is possible to call ourselves devoted followers of Christ while allowing other loves to slowly take His place. Family, friendships, careers, comfort, success, and even self-love can compete for the affection that belongs first to Jesus. When our love for Christ is our highest priority, however, every other relationship can be put in its proper place. Loving Jesus more changes the way we love our spouses, children, friends, neighbors, and even ourselves. His invitation is not simply to believe in Him, but to follow Him with wholehearted devotion.

Highlights

• What Jesus meant when He said His followers must “hate” their families in Luke 14:26
• Why loving Jesus first does not mean neglecting or hating the people we love
• What it means to deny ourselves, take up our cross, and follow Christ
• How other relationships, desires, and priorities can quietly compete with our love for Jesus
• Why our passion and obedience to Christ can sometimes grow weaker over time
• How putting Jesus first helps us establish healthier priorities in every other relationship
• Encouragement to return to our “first love” and pursue Jesus with wholehearted devotion

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Full Transcript Below:

Loving Jesus More 

By Cindi McMenamin

Bible Reading:
“If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters—yes, and even his own life—he cannot be my disciple.” - Luke 14:26

Have you ever stumbled over these words? Why would Jesus seem not to want any followers by telling others they have to hate their own father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, and even their own life in order to be a devoted follower of His?

Certainly, Jesus wasn’t telling us to hate others. In fact, He told a teacher of the Law that the greatest commandment was to love the Lord our God with all our heart, mind, and strength. And the second greatest was to love our neighbor as much as we already love ourselves (Matthew 22:37-39). 

No, Jesus wasn’t telling us to hate others or neglect them in any way, especially those in our own households. He was telling us that our love and dedication to Him must be so strong that it’s as if we hate any other family memb

Jesus taught two parables about prayer.

Fall can bring beauty, but for those grieving the loss of someone they love, changing leaves can also stir painful memories. Seasons, places, and familiar routines can remind us of the people who are no longer beside us. Yet even in grief, we can find God beneath the fallen leaves. Through Jesus’ sacrifice, we have the hope of healing, comfort, and eternal life beyond death.

The death of a loved one is one of life’s deepest pains. While Christians can have hope that death is not the end, that hope does not erase the sorrow of missing someone we love. During seasons of grief, 1 Peter 2:24 reminds us that Jesus understands suffering and willingly carried our sins and wounds on the cross. His love remains constant even when life does not unfold as we hoped. When grief resurfaces, we can turn toward Christ and trust Him with our pain, remembering that He is near to the brokenhearted and offers comfort that will ultimately outlast our sorrow.

Highlights

• Why seasonal changes can bring painful memories of loved ones who have passed away
• How Christians can face grief while holding onto the hope of eternal life
• Why the death of a loved one can be more difficult to process than our own mortality
• How Jesus’ wounds on the cross demonstrate His deep love for us
• Why grief does not mean God has abandoned us
• How to make the most of our time with the people we love
• Encouragement to bring grief, pain, and heartbreak to Jesus for comfort and healing

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Full Transcript Below:

Finding God Beneath the Fallen Leaves
By Vivian Bricker 

Bible Reading:
“‘He himself bore our sins’ in his body on the cross, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; ‘by his wounds you have been healed’” (1 Peter 2:24). 

As the fall time approaches, I often start feeling more depressed. My mom passed away in the fall time and each year this season passes, it reminds me of the days she spent in the hospital. All I wanted was to take her out of this terrible situation and bring her home, but that was not an option. 

When the leaves begin to change and fall to the ground, I often start reflecting on the brevity of life. None of our lives are very long, even if we live to be one-hundred years old. And for most of us, when it is time for us to go, we do not want to go. 

Watching our loved ones pass on from this world to the next is a depressing experience. Although we may know they are in Heaven, it still pains us to see them go. They are no longer beside us as we drive to new destinations; they are no longer present when we get home; and when we call them, nobody answers.

It was not supposed to be this way, yet this is now ou

Dr. Stanley teaches the most common reasons we waver in our faith during life's trials or periods of unanswered prayers. 

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