Lose Your Life to Find it

Lose Your Life to Find It

Matthew 16: 21-25

In this passage Jesus tells his disciples, he must travel to Jerusalem and suffer at the hands of those in power. As Jesus predicts his death, we find Peter unable to accept that fate. When Peter rebuked the Lord saying, “Never shall this happen to you,” Jesus responded with strong words. “Get behind me Satan; you are a stumbling block to me; you do not have in mind the things of God, but the things of man.”

How many times do we think we know better than God?

It is promising to see even Peter, someone who saw the miracles of Jesus and the direct power of God, question his vision of the future.

Even here when Peter’s personal or selfish desires are by nature “good” they can still be outside the will of God. Jesus still calls those thoughts “stumbling blocks” to His will. It is easy to follow our own heart’s desire when they appear to be “good” or the “right” thing to do.

As Jesus continues in verse 24, he gives specific instructions to those longing to follow Him.

They must deny themselves. (selfish desires, even wholesome desires outside His will)

Take up their cross and follow him.

Verse 25

“For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for Me will find it.”

This charge is figuratively asking us to give up our personal desires for the desires of God. We will find purpose in having a deeper relationship with Him, giving to those in need, and loving others just as Christ loved us.

Lose YOUR life to find HIS!