Atlanta Bethel Community Church meditated on the meaning of cross for the first Sunday service of Lent. From this week until Easter Sunday, pastor will deliver the message from John 13 through 18.

Pastor started from John 13:1-2, opened attendees’ hearts to understand ‘the heart of God’ for his son, Jesus’ cross.

“First, let’s think about the death of Jesus. Cross of Jesus, what is this meaning? Did he die or was he killed? Some say he must die because we get a salvation through his death. But this is half right but half wrong. When we say Jesus must die, then Judas who sold Jesus, should receive the greatest reward in heaven. He made a great contribution. But that’s not true. Jesus was killed.

God is painful because of the evil but not a creator of the evil. Death of Jesus is like this. Who is Jesus? He is the son of God. Do you think when God sent him to the world, he said ‘You must die on the cross miserably’? No, that’s not true. Jesus came to the world to build the kingdom of God. Satan sowed weeds on it. So Jesus was killed. However, this precious death didn’t become meaningless. God fulfilled his will through the resurrection beyond the death. God opened the way of salvation for us through this precious death on the cross. So this cross is victory.”

He also explained the situations of Jesus and his disciples in many other verses and challenged people to check their heart is for Jesus or just for themselves. Although it was just a beginning the series of the path of the cross, many members were touched and shared reflections on the life of cross.

Fellowship was prepared as a potluck. Some members brought dishes and mothers prepared everything just right. Mothers volunteered to do it every month.

After service and fellowship, Atlanta Elim prayer team set a time for campus prayer and mothers also had short but powerful prayer time.