RTW October 8
Die to Live
“If you refuse to take up your cross and follow me, you are not worthy of being mine.”
Matthew 10:38
My Takeaways
Something Old
Would I follow Jesus if He said to me, “But beware! For you will be handed over to the courts and will be flogged with whips in the synagogues. You will stand trial before governors and kings because you are my followers.” Matthew 10:17-18 ?
Something New
Dying to live requires:
- Death to our desires.
- Death to our dreams.
- Death to our directions.
Die to this life, resurrect to His life in me.
Lose to find, die to live.
Something to Do
Die to live… to live the life Jesus died to give me.
“Do you believe …” (Matthew 9:28); “…refused to believe in him” (Mark 6:3; Matthew 13:57); “because of their unbelief…” (Mark 6:4; Matthew 13:58); “And he was amazed at their unbelief” (Mark 6:6)…. Lord, help my unbelief – my lack of faith, my unfaithfulness and my faithlessness.
We can limit God by our unbelief??? I’m wrestling with this one “As long as God chooses to work in concert with human agency, developing our ability to partner with Him, our unbelief can and may hinder the work of God”. It doesn’t render Him powerless – He is Sovereign after all … but what role do I play in receiving His blessings? “There is much to have by faith an much that is never received because it is never grasped with faith.”
Take up your cross = TOTAL COMMITMENT to Christ. I struggle with the concept of letting go of this life, my desires and dreams. Does that mean we are not supposed to want anything? No – but I believe if we want it MORE than Christ, that is the problem.
Wow! Every time Jesus came in and out of Jerusalem He saw Golgotha – the place He would die – I never thought about this until Wendy mentioned it in the lesson. He HAD to know, right? He would look up and KNOW – that’s where I will save the world?!?!
“Whenever you enter a town or a village, search for a worthy person…” Matthew 1:11
Would I be considered a worthy person?
“He was amazed at their unbelief.” Mark 6:6 We usually see him amazed at belief, so this was interesting.