Christianity Oasis Forum

[cimi]

December 28
Friday


DYING
TO LIVE

READ:
Matthew 16:21-28
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Whoever desires to save
his life will lose it, but
whoever loses his life
for My sake will find it.
__ Matthew 16:25
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Western Michigan is plagued by snowy winters, requiring that salt be put on road surfaces to make them safer to travel. The problem is that salt eats away at a car's metal body. So, going to a car wash is a frequent winter ritual.

Recently I was sitting in a car-wash facility near the end of the washing process when the machines began to spray a special liquid all over the car. The sign said it was a "drying agent," but that struck me as odd. Wetting something down to dry it seems contrary to what you'd expect. Yet that is precisely what those chemicals are designed to do. It is counter-intuitive thinking__a paradox.

Jesus also dealt in counter-intuitive thinking when presenting His kingdom message to His followers. In Matthew 16:25, He said, "Whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it." That doesn't sound right. To save your life, you have to lose it? That seems like saying, "To dry something, you wet it down!" Yet, it is absolutely true. Only as we die to self, entrusting ownership of our lives to Christ, can we learn what it means to really live.

"Dying to live" may seem counter-intuitive, but it is the heart of the Christian experience. __ Bill Crowder
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~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Less of self and more of Jesus,~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~More and more each day like Thee;~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Just to live in full surrender~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~For my Lord who ransomed me. __ Wonder~~~~~~~~
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To live for Christ, we must learn to die to self.

**************Today's Bible Reading __ Matthew 16:21-28***********

21 From that time Jesus
began to show to His
disciples that He must go to
Jerusalem, and suffer many
things from the elders and
chief priests and scribes,
and be killed, and be raised
the third day.

22 Then Peter took Him
aside and began to rebuke
Him, saying, "Far be it
from You, Lord; this shall
not happen to You!"

23 But He turned and said
to Peter, "Get behind Me,
Satan! you are an offense to
Me, for you are not mindful
of the things of God, but
the things of men."

24 Then Jesus said to His
disciples, "If anyone desires
to come after Me, let him
deny himself, and take up
his cross, and follow Me.

25 For whoever desires to
save his life will lose it, but
whoever loses his life for
My sake will find it. 26 For
what profit is it to a man if
he gains the whole world,
and loses his own soul? Or
what will a man give in
exchange for his soul?

27 For the Son of Man will
come in the glory of His
Father with His angels, and
then He will reward each
according to his works.

28 Assuredly, I say to you,
there are some standing
here who shall not taste
death till they see the Son
of Man coming in His
kingdom."

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>INSIGHT<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<

"From that time" (Matt. 16:21; cf. 4:17) marks a decisive phase of
Jesus' mission. Prior to this, Jesus intimated His mission in symbols
(Matt. 9:15; 12:40-41;16:4; John 2:19; 3:14; 6:51). But after Peter's
divinely inspired declaration that He was the Christ, the Son of the
living God, Jesus henceforth spoke plainly (Mark 8:31) about His
impending suffering, death, and resurrection (Matt. 16:21; 17:22-23;
20:17-19; 26:2). __SKT
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I have a question about one verse in the passage above. In Matthew 16:28 it says that assuredly some standing there would not taste death
till they see the Son of Man coming in His kingdom. Obviously those standing there with Jesus are long dead. Any takers for this one?