“And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.” –John 17:3
Life. This is life –to know Him.
Our VOICE motto is “God is real. Live like it.” I read it often in the mirror when I wear one of my VOICE t-shirts. I look at the logo of the heartbeat beginning with a cross and I realize that true life starts with Christ. Isn’t it interesting that it is a symbol of death by which we, as believers, are recognized?
The cross is a symbol of a terribly cruel and painful death, yet we decorate our homes and buy diamond studded jewelry of it. I think perhaps many have grown a little too accustomed to seeing it, a little too familiar with its shape. So, lest it be trite and meaningless in our eyes, let’s take a moment to recognize what it means again.
Would you climb with me up to Golgotha, the hill on which Christ died? Let’s stand at his broken, bloodied feet. Let’s look up and see a dying Savior, bearing all the sin –all our sin. And, let’s hear him speak these words: “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.” (Matthew 16:24-25)
Do you want to have eternal life? You must know Him. Do you want to know Him? You must die.
The words Jesus spoke in Matthew 16 are significant. He said “take up your cross”. Don’t just wear a symbol of His death –take up YOUR cross! It’s time to die, if you would like to live.
“Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abides alone: but if it die, it brings forth much fruit. He that loves his life shall lose it; and he that hates his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal.” –John 12:24-25
I’m not talking about a future physical death. Right now, you can have eternal life flowing through you like a spring of water that cannot be stopped. How?
- We must stop trying to do “right” things; we must stop living out the goodness of our own hearts. We cannot live for ourselves and also have eternal life.
- We MUST let His Words abide in us and kill off the thoughts of self. We must quit thinking our own thoughts and let His Spirit speak His thoughts in us.
Will you die with me today? More importantly, will you die with Christ, and live?
