Corona Devo 3117
In the midst of miracles (just verses after feeding the thousands with fish and bread), and in the heyday of holy works, like healing the sick and handicapped, and in the throes of His thriving ministry and popularity, Jesus paused to shock the disciples and to tell them of all of it being over.
…of Him being “over” and killed.
From that time on Jesus began to explain to his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things at the hands of the elders, the chief priests and the teachers of the law, and that he must be killed and on the third day be raised to life. ~Matthew 16:21
While Jesus was busy being famous-for-healing and sought-after-for-saving, He abruptly
broke the news to His disciples that this spiritual-season would be cut short.
Life was good, but soon He would be called to a higher good.
The disciples heard Him, but they didn’t get Him. Peter actually argued with Jesus about it:
not because He did not believe Jesus, but because he didn’t want to believe
this (death) about Jesus.
Sidenote: Sometimes we learn things that God has ordained in our life and we don’t
want to accept them. Many times God
calls us to things/people/seasons that are difficult to walk through,
but we must trust Him, and not dispute Him (even in a spiritual way). Peter contested Christ’s announcement and authority and Jesus rebuked him for it.
Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. “Never, Lord!” he said. “This shall never happen to you!”
(23) Jesus turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me; you do not have in mind the concerns of God, but merely human concerns.” ~Matthew 16:22-23
Jesus knew what He had to do. He knew it exactly and down to the detail. Notice how Jesus outlines the order, states the authorities that will be involved, and even the city it will occur in!
and suffer many things at the hands of the elders, the chief priests and the teachers of the law,
and that he must be killed and on the third day be raised to life. ~Matthew 16:21
Short-term sacrifice for long-term blessing.
Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. (25) For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it. (26) What good will it be for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? Or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul? (27) For the Son of Man is going to come in his Father’s glory with his angels, and then he will reward each person according to what they have done. ~Matthew 16:24-28
Jesus lays it out straight, even though it sounds like a
puzzle. “Denying ourselves” and “taking
up our cross” and “gaining the whole world, yet forfeiting our soul” sounds
metaphorical and pie-in-the-sky.
But if we know the Lord, then we know exactly what
this means.
We don’t fit in here.
What the world seeks and prizes and worships…we don't.
What the world reads, views, subscribes-to and seeks…we don't.
The pleasures of the flesh and the fleeting pleasures of this
world…God gives us a high-level view of their brevity and folly, and often:
their harm.
Jesus, in His omniscience and His love for us, asks us: What good is it)
What good will it be for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? Or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul? ~Matthew 16:26
It’s hard to swim upstream today, but just as Jesus knew and told the disciples that his abuse and death would come, and exactly who it would come from (Matthew 16:21)…Jesus also knew and told them (and us) about the choices that His followers will have to make in order to go “next level” (Heaven!) with God.
We can't do what they do, or we will gain what they get. But God has more (for us and them). It will cost us our life, though. We will have to lose the control of our life, and in giving that control and authority to the Lord...we will gain everything.
Defined? No.
Unable to be denied as God reveals Himself in our lives through our daily dependence on Him? Yes.
And Jesus knew and told them (and us) about our prize (if we DO deny ourselves and take up our cross for Him:
For the Son of Man is going to come in his Father’s glory with his angels, and then he will reward each person according to what they have done. ~Matthew 16:27
He will reward each person according to what they have done.
Wow. That’s worth playing for!
What Jesus means by “reward”, I don’t
know, but for the Savior of the world to call something a “reward”: it’s got
to be good!
Live for Him today.
We must deny ourselves today and accept Christ today.
Take up your cross today. (vs 24)
Follow Jesus today.
Let’s lose our lives for Christ today. (Not: “Let’s die for Christ today”, but let’s
lose our will and adopt His in our life today.)
Life might be good, but soon we will be called to a higher
good. Get ready. Live ready.
Hear Jesus and get Him today.
Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. (25) For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it. (26) What good will it be for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? Or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul? (27) For the Son of Man is going to come in his Father’s glory with his angels, and then he will reward each person according to what they have done. ~Matthew 16:24-27
Blessings,
sarah
https://sarahsundy04.blogspot.com
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