Truth and love are the Gospel threads that unite Christians and secure us in Christ

- so we must walk in them

- so we must reject lies and those who teach lies

Jesus faithfully endured the cross, shame, and hostility from sinners because His endurance would give way to great joy for Him and us

Jesus faithfully endured the cross, its shame, and the hostility He received from sinners who rejected rather than received Him

There is no greater priority that comes at a greater cost with the promise of a greater reward than enduring to follow Jesus until the end

Without the cross, there would be no crown, the path to eternal life passes through death

A. Jesus’ death as the payment for our sin and victory over death

B. Our death in repentance from sin to follow Jesus in faith

By God’s power, the Gospel preserves us in this present moment as it prepares us for our glorious future

- Our Faith is in God’s power and His Gospel

All that can be gained through the flesh is great loss, but what we are given through faith in Jesus Christ is great gain

- Religious systems can’t make our worship acceptable to God

Christian, it is in our affliction that we can finally see that God alone is the source of our comfort and mercy.

- Affliction teaches us to look to God alone for comfort

- God's comfort teaches us that He is the Father of mercy

We were created to feast in the presence of our Lord, but today we fast as we anticipate our reunion with Him

- As Christians there is a time for feasting

Because we know and believe the truth about Jesus, we know we have eternal life and all of its abundant blessings