Sunday Reflection (March 21, 2021)

Christ suffered because he was obedient in choosing to love God and others. Even on the way to crucifixion, Jesus did not become hardhearted and bitter. In all his trials Jesus reverently submitted to God and God’s way of mercy, forgiveness, and compassion, but we humans have a tendency to reject and act violently against mercy and forgiveness. Jesus “learned” obedience (Hebrews 5:7-9).

If Jesus learned obedience, how much more should we? Through the Holy Spirit and by the example of Jesus Christ, God transforms us unto the image of God in Jesus Christ. In this transformation, we learn to obey God to the degree that we do it naturally and instinctively (Jeremiah 31:31-34). We are in the process of “learning” obedience as Jesus learned in the hope that the longer we are Christians, the more Christ-like we will become.