Continuing in Matthew 16 (first section here), finishing the chapter with verses 24-28. I found that it flows remarkably with the theme of the previous verses (13-23) that I discussed in my last post (here). Our last thoughts there left us with the question of what to do now. How do we remedy our misuse of authority?
After continuing on, I believe Jesus gives us the answer. We used our authority, which was given by God, to argue for our sinful desires. We choose to value our impurities over the thoughts of God. How do we overcome this? Only by laying down our own agenda and picking up a heavenly one. Many of us have heard this snippet from Scripture several times, but it came to life when I saw this connection to the rest of what Jesus says [Quick aside: Context Is Everything]. Denying ourselves shifts our purpose from our selfish desires to God's plans. Our thoughts are replaced by Kingdom thoughts.
Jesus highlights this by bringing everything back to the cross. The cross is the focal point of our faith. Without the cross we are still condemned. Paul writes that if there is no resurrection, made possible through the cross, then we as Christians are to be pitied for how foolish we have become. But there is the cross! Jesus did defeat death! Thus his words here have power.
Christ also mentions the concept of losing one's life. Here it would seem He is referencing the change between living out of the flesh and living for the Kingdom of God. To save a life that has its mind set on things of this world is to forever make impossible a life devoted to the things of God. Furthermore, on the same line of thinking, Christ asks the obvious rhetorical question "What will profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul?" here Jesus refers to the man who has his mind set on earthly things. Christ points out that even gaining everything a man can gain in this world will not satisfy. They were not created to do so. Only things of the God are worth gaining, and to do so one must forfeit his own desires and deny his earthly thoughts in favor of heavenly ones.
Someday Jesus will come back to get us. Eternal life is our heavenly reward. For now, we must seek the Kingdom by laying down our own desires and picking up the yearnings of the Kingdom.
That's my prayer today. That God would enable me to deny myself.
Yet You Oh Lord, You are Father.
We are clay, and You are the potter.
We are all the work of Your hands.
Is. 64:8.
Mold us into whatever You desire, Lord. Make us whatever You need us to be so that Your Kingdom and Your Name would be glorified. My life is Yours. Mold me.
-matt
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