The week of Passion - Death

2000 years ago this Friday was 1 week away from the Author of life being murdered by the very ones He created. Perhaps a week of meditation would be beneficial.

John 12:23-24 Jesus replied, "The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. 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.

Before Glory - comes Humility - Maybe not in Dictionary but in real life!

Christ gives a perfect picture of what is about to happen and at the same time leaves with us a principle that if we are willing to understand, can save us much grief.

First: If Christ holds onto His life, how many humans will go to heaven?

1 Cor 15:20-23 But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead comes also through a man.  For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive. But each in his own turn: Christ, the firstfruits; then, when he comes, those who belong to him.

Second: Before the seed can produce "much fruit" it has to die to itself.

So basic and yet we so often miss it. Consider what Jesus taught Nicodemus in John:

John 3:3 Jesus answered and said to him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.”

To be born again means your first existence ended. Remember that is what death is…not cessation… but separation. We must separate ourselves from ourselves! Our dreams, our plans and our works, when we have come to the end of ourselves, we can be born again!  Some love themselves so much they cannot die to self. They hold on to their life so tight they literally hug themselves to death!

Mark 8:35  “For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake and the gospel’s will save it.

Death of any kind is hard to experience. But it can reap plentiful

1 Cor 15:35-38 But someone may ask, "How are the dead raised? With what kind of body will they come?" How foolish! What you sow does not come to life unless it dies.  When you sow, you do not plant the body that will be, but just a seed, perhaps of wheat or of something else.  But God gives it a body as he has determined, and to each kind of seed he gives its own body.

Only after we die to our own thoughts of Who God is then, He is able to lead us to Himself. One of the greatest fruits after Salvation is - no fear – the Truth sets you free!

Even when it comes to our vision of what our life will be – until we allow God to kill it, and resurrect it His way, we will never experience what His plan and purpose for our life will be.

Third: Before death comes - Humility

Phil 2:1-11 If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others. Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death-- even death on a cross! Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Meditation: What about your - dreams, future, idea of success, etc., Are they yours, or His? What are you afraid of separating from? Why? What does that say about how much you trust God? How far out on faith do you walk; far enough to still save yourself or far enough that only God can save you? What are your plans for your life? How committed are you to them? What would you be willing to let them go for? What does your answer show you about yourself?