2 Corinthians 4:14-18 (ESV)
[14] knowing that he who raised the Lord Jesus will
raise us also with Jesus and bring us with you into his presence. [15] For it
is all for your sake, so that as grace extends to more and more people it may
increase thanksgiving, to the glory of God.
[16] So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self
is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. [17] For this
light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory
beyond all comparison, [18] as we look not to the things that are seen but to
the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the
things that are unseen are eternal.
Today
is Good Friday. It is the day that we remember the death of our Lord. It is the
day that we recall the horror of the crucifixion. There is nothing good about
what happened that day, and yet—in hindsight it is a good day because it is the
day our salvation was purchased. Because we know the end of the story, it is
the day that we look forward to the resurrection. Because we know the end of
the story, it is a day that we do not lose heart as Jesus friends and family
did. Because we know the end of the story, it is a day that we call good.
Jesus
died and rose again for our salvation. In light of the resurrection he is
calling us to face daily death that others may come to know him as well. “as
grace extends to more and more people it may increase thanksgiving, to the
glory of God. So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away,
our inner self is being renewed day by day” (2 Corinthians 4:15-16). Americans
are obsessed with staying young, with staving off death as long as possible.
Yet, the church is called to die so that others might hear that Good Friday is
indeed a good day. Who have you shared the Good News with? For whom are you
dying to serve with the love of Christ?
Our
salvation is not for our personal comfort any more that Jesus life on this
earth was for his. He came for us. Now he calls us to die for others that they
too might live. Because the resurrection follows death, we don’t give up hope.
Because his death bought our life, and our death brings the message of life to
those around us, we don’t give up hope. The Apostle Paul understood this. He
was willing to give his life that the Corinthians might know Christ. He was now
calling them to give their lives that others might come to know the life of
Christ as well. He understood what Jesus meant when he said, “If anyone would
come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me”
(Luke 9:23).
Comments
Post a Comment