Five “Callings” of Jesus that Changed the World – #4 Die with Me
#1 Come out and live
“When (Jesus) had said “these things”, He cried out with a loud voice, “Lazarus. come out!”
His call to Eternal Life
“He who believes in the Son has eternal life; but he who does not obey the Son will not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him.” John 3:36
His call to Abundant Life
“The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they (His sheep — us) may have life, and have it abundantly.” John 10:10
His call to a Selfless Life of Serving
“So if I, the Lord and the Teacher, washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet.
For I gave you an example, so that you also would do just as I did for you.” John 13:14-15
#2 Rise Up and walk
(Jesus to the paralytic) “Rise, take up your bed and walk.” John 5:8 This story appears in all four Gospels.
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- Paralysis of Analysis
- Paralyzed by Fear
- Paralysis of the Sluggard
#3 Abide in Me
“Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself unless it abides in the vine, so neither can you unless you abide in Me. “I am the vine, you are the branches; he w’ho ad/des in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit, for apad from Me you can do nothing. “If anyone does not abide in Me, he is thrown away as a branch and dries up, and they gather them into the fire and they are burned.”
#4 Die With Me
“And the one who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me. The one who has found his life will lose it, and the one who has lost his iike on My account will find it.” Matthew 10:38-39
“Then Jesus said to His disciples, “If anyone wants to come after Me, he must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow Me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it; but whoever loses his like for My sake will find it.” Matthew 16:24-25
JESUS and His Disciples: Their Attitudes toward dying with or for Jesus.
The Apostle Thomas (the doubter)
“So Jesus then said to them plainly, Lazarus died, and I am glad for your sakes that I was not there, so that you may believe; but let’s go to him. Therefore Thomas, called Didymus said to his fellow disciples, “Let’s also go, so that we may file with Him!”’ John 11: 14-16
The Apostle Peter is known for being the most bodacious of the twelve disciples. Jumped out of the boat to walk on water to Jesus, cut off the servant’s ear when the Romans came to arrest Jesus in the Garden. But his most famous braggadocios assertion is recorded in all four Gospels. He said he was willing to die with Jesus.
Then Jesus *said to them, “You will all fall away because of Me this night, for it is written.’ ‘I WILL STRUE THE SHEPHERD, AND THE SHEEP OF THE FLOCK WILL BE SCATTERED. But after I have been raised, I will go ahead of you to Galilee.” But Peter replied to Him, “Even if they all fall away because of You, I will never fall away!” Jesus said to him, “Truly I say to you that this very night, before a rooster crows, you will deny /Ue three times.” Peter ”said to Him, “Even if I have to die with You, I will not deny You!” All the disciples said all same thing as web/. Matthew 26:31-35
Their actions spoke louder than their own words:
“At that time Jesus said to the crowds, Have you come out with swords and clubs to arrest Me as you would against a man inciting a revolt? Every day I used to sit within the temple grounds teaching, and you did not arrest Me. But all this has taken place so that the Scriptures of the prophets will be fulfilled. Then all the disciples left Him and fled.” Matthew 26:55-56
We know the history of some of the Apostles. Peter, James, John … the rest of their stories is extra- biblical history in which we are told that all died martyrs deaths (except of course Judas). If that is true, then all of them ultimately did what they pledged to do. It just took that a while … and the power of the Holy Spirit.
Now it is our turn in the crucible. Jesus command to die with Him applies to us today, whether physical death or dying to self. Following the words of Jesus, we find application in the words of the Apostle Paul.
“I affirm, brothers and sisters, by the boasting in you which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord, that I die daily.” 1 Corinthians 15:31
“I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me.” Galatians 2:20
In closing, I want to put three questions in front of us to help determine our willingness and obedience.
- Has understanding the death of Christ changed your life … how you live?
- In your heart of hearts, are you willing to lay down your life for the sake of Christ should our culture deteriorate to that point as it has in many countries? (Martyrs)
- Do you “take up your cross daily” in the defense of the Gospel despite the consequences for doing so? Job, family,
The Invitation (Thee questions all must answer at some point in your life)
- Do you know why Jesus came to die for you and me?
- Has it caused you to rethink your (eternal) position in life or before God?
- If not, will you repent of your sins and receive Jesus as your Savior today?
For Christ’s sake,
