Before Peace there is a Sword; Before Unity there is Division; Before the Crown there is the Cross; Before Life there is death. Are we ready to lay down our lives for Him just as He laid down His life for us? When we are, there’s no turning back.
Overview
Bible Passages: Matt 10:34-39 Luke 12:49-53;John 12:25
Before Peace there is a Sword
Before Unity there is Division
Before the Crown there is the Cross
Before Life there is death
Objectives
To understand:
- The path to finding life
- The cost of finding life
- The joy of finding life
Bible Passage
Matthew 10:34 “Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword.
Bible Passage (Cont’d)
Matt 10: 35 For I have come to turn “‘a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law—
36 a man’s enemies will be the members of his own household.’
37 “Anyone who loves their father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves their son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. 38 Whoever does not take up their cross and follow me is not worthy of me. 39 Whoever finds their life will lose it, and whoever loses their life for my sake will find it.
The Messiah
The much anticipated Messiah was to rule, brThe Messiahing peace, overthrow kings and their oppressive reigns, make the world a better place.
The real Messiah had to die to achieve this. His followers also needed to similarly give up their life to live for Christ and perhaps even die
Jesus sets expectations
Life demands death – Death to Satan’s ways
Life in Christ’s path
Life to the full – in this world and the next
Before Peace there is a Sword
Jesus says “I have not come to bring peace but a sword”.
The big enemy is not the big kings or kingdoms, it is Satan in control of the leaders of world. Christians have been victims of slaughter more than any other religion.
But just as the blood of Christ reconciles us with God. The blood of saints continues to unleash the power of God to bring righteousness to many
Before Unity there is Division
Starting from the closest unit the family. Even family ties will blow up on this one issue of alignment with Christ.
Before the Crown there is a cross
Loving Christ above all is not a condition but a result of our following Him. Only the Holy Spirit can give us this kind of love.
Before Life there is Death
Matt 10:39 Whoever finds their life will lose it, and whoever loses their life for my sake will find it.
And what a life it is – in this world and the next. Worth more than all the sorrows or joys in the world put together.
He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose. Jim Elliot
Losing our life
What is losing our life?
Letting go of:
- Sin
- Bad habits
- Over – indulgences
- Pride
- Desire for honour
- Security, etc
-
Denying ourself the pleasure of things that displease God. Even excess of a good thing can be bad.
Losing our life
Why do we often fail here? It’s because we are trying to externally impose self-denial rather than allow the Holy Spirit to cleanse and work from within.
Self discipline along with the Holy Spirit results in effective denial as Christ expects.
This occurs when we begin “finding our life”
Finding our life
The process of losing our life has to be coupled with finding our life – Our efforts with the Holy Spirit’s guidance and inspiration is the classic combination.
It includes filling our life with the:
- Word
- Service where the Lord leads
- Constantly praising and giving Him the glory for all things
- Realizing our complete dependence on Him
Discussion
1.How can we lose our life daily?
2.What help do we need? From ourselves? From others? From God?
3.What benefits do we gain in this world?