It may seem as though I am a couple weeks behind, but I can’t stop reflecting on the message of Easter, so indulge me…….
Anywhere worth going carries a price tag. Jesus chose to endure torture, mocking, humiliation, and an excruciating death. He did this even though He could have stopped it at any moment. Jesus stayed so committed to His mission that He allowed weaker men to seize Him, arrest Him, and crucify Him. For Him, paying the price for your sins was worth the pain of the cross.
Jesus compared His own death to a grain of wheat, falling to the earth, dying, and bearing much fruit. He then applied this concept to us. He said, “I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds. The man who loves his life will lose it, while the man who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life.” (John 12:24,25)
Jesus gave up His life so we could have ours back. He died like us so we could live like Him. In doing so, He not only pleased His Father, but received us as a reward. As in all things, Jesus is our model. His death gave us the example to follow if we desire to please God and to have the greatest reward. What does He ask of us? To die to self in order to live for Him. This means we give Him our love, our obedience, and come to a point where we are willing to follow Him no matter where He leads us because we know it is the best possible way for us. Is this too much to ask? Is this too much to give? Only when we die to self can we really live.
Please comment below or email me at csonger@new-communitychurch.org
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