We are headed for Easter- commemorating the greatest event in the history of man and the most important of all holidays to the disciple of Christ. Of course, I despise saying we are "headed for" or "getting ready" for Easter. We talk the same way about Christmas. These holidays are but reminders of truths that should be alive and well in our hearts all year long. It seems its the commercialized part of the holidays that we all succumb to "get ready" for. I digress.
"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. In the true context, the text is referring to the impending crucifixion of Christ. His death, burial, and resurrection will inspire a revival of belief and conversion like none other. His death will bring true life-eternal life. The world would never be the same.
God etched this truth "dying to live" into the design of life. Like many other teachings in the book of John, Jesus used ordinary elements of life to teach deep truths, applicable even today. In this case, a plant seed must perish as a plant seed to make more seeds. It must die to its self to bring new life. "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will find it. What good will it be for a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul? Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul?"(Matt.16:24-26) John 12:25 helps us understand the truth. We have a choice to "love" our lives or "hate" our lives. Love for God must be such that all other loves are, by comparison, hatred. To love one's life here and now-to concentrate on one's own success-is to lose what matters. Supremely, this principle is seen in the cross of Jesus.
Cutting to the chase of our application from this study, our activities, interests, hobbies, occupations, goals, passions, relationships- they all need to die. They all need to be offered up as a living sacrifice to God. Our selfish, worldly ambitions, attitudes, and perspectives pertaining to the things we are involved in need to die. They need to be crucified to have God bring resurrected life back into them. He has a way of taking those ordinary things and making them holy and sanctified, set apart for His use to fulfill His purposes and for Him to receive the glory. Otherwise, the temptation is there for us to get so wrapped up in our involvements that they become idols or unhealthy obsessions. We can end up wasting a lot of energy, time, and resources, building a selfish, worldly kingdom. Pride is insidious. It is extremely deceptive and difficult to even grasp its depths and trickiness. It is so quick to bring dissolution and to wreak havoc. Our activities need to be put in their place. Our time here is short. We have a choice to spend it for ourselves or for our King. When we get to heaven, I doubt we will be lamenting about not living more for ourselves. Truth is, these activities, belongings, and involvements are very temporary. God is always moving people and things in, out, and around. He is continuously at work, opening and closing doors of opportunity. We should have very healthy, positive attitudes about such things, that we would "make the most of every opportunity". (Eph. 5:16)
One worldly pull is the attraction of fame, fortune, or popularity. Let it go. It's all vanity, as we will discover in our Ecclesiastes study this Summer. In fact, we should pray that we are immune and insulated from the negative effects those things can bring, should the Lord bring such into our lives. Indeed, He will prepare us for the platform of influence He directs us to work in. May we remember where we came from and what life is about. All of our abilities, talents, gifts, capabilities, belongings, platforms, involvements, capacities- everything we have is from God and is intended to be for God. Everything truly belongs to Him. "I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God made it grow." (1Cor. 3:6) I encourage you to do a side-study on fruit in the Bible. It would be a good motivator on this subject.
We are going to be molded or conformed by some influence or another. What will your source be? What will you allow yourself to be submitted to? "Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is - His good, pleasing and perfect will." (Rom. 12:2) Be careful who or what you let influence you.
"If anyone is ashamed of me and my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will be ashamed of him when He comes in His Father's glory with the holy angels." (Mark 8:38). Let this sink in. If I'm more concerned with fitting in or pleasing men in this world than I am about pleasing God, He will be ashamed of me. This is a huge side note of truth in this study for me. Moving around a lot as a kid had a rattling effect on me. As a new kid in town, I always had to prove myself, felt pressure to perform, and figure out how to please others to fit in. It definitely shaped some of my character, growing up, and created some pretty deep wounds in the process. I was never allowed to remain in one place long enough to relax, progress, and find confidence. I lacked that stable environment needed to develop a solid foundation. Fast forward many years and I can now see the Lord's work and progress in this. He has become my foundation. He has become my confidence. He is who I long to please. He is my identity and defines who I am. He determines my value. He is the source of my self-esteem. I depend on His strength and direction. I've had to learn to trust Him, even when I'm uncertain. Indeed, I offered to Him my brokenness, weakness, and wantonness, and He has brought healing and maturity, over time. It hasn't been easy, but the fruit is there. He continues to allow me to see this fruit, by His grace, and it truly makes me thankful. He helped me see my great need and has encouraged me to let that stuff in the past die, that He would infuse power and purpose into a resurrected life. Amen.
What is it in your life that you need to let die that it might produce fruit for God's glory?
