Growing to look like Jesus is the essence of true discipleship. When Christ enters our hearts through faith, He begins a transformative remodeling process that affects every area of our lives. This transformation develops His character within us - grace, compassion, patience, faithful love. Being rooted in God's love enables us to understand His deep love for us and empowers us to love others in the same way. This complete transformation requires giving Jesus access to every part of our lives, resulting in visible representations of His character to the world.

Grow like Jesus. The world needs to see Him through you!

This week marks the start of a new series examining the core values, focus, and vision that fuels EDFBC. It all starts with "Jesus First."

The supremacy of Christ demands that He be central in every aspect of life. As the image of God and creator of all things, Jesus holds authority over all creation and sustains everything through His power. When He takes His rightful place at the center of our lives, our values and actions align properly, leading to genuine transformation and positive impact on others. This alignment requires regular evaluation of priorities, intentional time with God, and practical steps to ensure Jesus remains preeminent in all areas of life.

When Jesus spoke His final words on the cross, 'It is finished,' He was declaring the completion of God's divine plan for humanity's redemption. The Greek word 'tetelestai' carried significant meaning in ancient culture, often used to mark completed tasks, ended military service, or fully paid debts. Through His sacrifice, Jesus fulfilled three crucial aspects: complete obedience to the Father's plan, full revelation of God's heart for humanity, and total redemption from sin and death. This wasn't a partial victory - it was absolute and final! Understanding the completeness of Jesus' work transforms our relationship with God. We no longer need to strive to earn our salvation or approach God through religious rituals. Instead, we can live in the freedom of Christ's finished work, accessing His resurrection power in our daily lives. This truth challenges us to stop trying to earn God's favor through our own efforts and instead trust fully in what Jesus has already accomplished!

Complete trust in God transcends surface-level confidence, requiring us to place our entire lives in His hands. Jesus demonstrated this perfect trust throughout His ministry, culminating in His final moments on the cross. The supernatural darkness that covered the land during His crucifixion and the miraculous tearing of the temple curtain were powerful demonstrations of God's sovereign control and the removal of barriers between humanity and God.Jesus' unwavering trust, even in His most challenging moments, teaches us vital lessons about faith. His example shows that we can trust God completely, even in our darkest times, and that God is trustworthy with every aspect of our lives. Through this level of trust, we can accomplish more than we imagine and inspire others to seek God. This kind of faith challenges us to identify areas where we're holding back and surrender them completely to God's control.

Jesus's declaration of "I thirst" on the cross was more than just a physical need - it carried deep spiritual significance. This moment fulfilled ancient prophecies and demonstrated both His complete humanity and divine purpose.

Everything Jesus did was purposeful and to complete His mission. By refusing initial pain-relieving wine but later accepting sour wine that prolonged His suffering, Jesus showed His commitment to fully completing God's plan.

Everything Jesus did brought the Word into context and focus. The use of hyssop to deliver the wine connected His sacrifice to Passover traditions and cleansing rituals, establishing Him as our perfect sacrificial lamb.

Even this seemingly insignificant detail, that Jesus was thirsty, shows us who Jesus is so that we can follow.

Jesus's cry of 'My God, why have you forsaken me?' on the cross represents a pivotal moment where He experienced the full weight of human suffering and separation from God. By quoting Psalm 22, Jesus demonstrated both His human anguish and divine purpose. This moment revealed His role as the ultimate sacrifice, bearing humanity's sins and experiencing genuine separation from the Father. Through His suffering, Jesus provided complete payment for sin and assured victory over death, offering hope and comfort to all believers who face their own trials.

Jesus's actions on the cross demonstrate perfect compassion, even in His darkest moment. While suffering, He ensured His mother's care by entrusting her to John, showing that true compassion extends beyond mere sympathy to practical action. This divine compassion differs from human compassion by being both specific and universal, holistic in addressing both physical and spiritual needs, and sacrificial rather than self-preserving. As followers of Jesus, we're called to mirror this comprehensive care by taking concrete action to help others, even when it costs us something.

In Jesus' second words from the cross we see salvation. Two criminals crucified beside Jesus faced the same circumstances but responded differently, revealing crucial truths about salvation. While one mocked Jesus despite wanting rescue, the other demonstrated true repentance by acknowledging his guilt and Jesus' divinity. Through the repentant criminal's simple faith, we learn that salvation comes immediately through genuine belief and acceptance of Jesus, not through works or waiting. This powerful encounter demonstrates that anyone who humbles themselves and trusts in Jesus can receive eternal life.