The Paradox of Dying to Live

 Resurrection means for something dead to become alive.  

Jesus taught in paradoxes.  

A paradox is something that seems to be absurd that under investigation is proven to be true.  

This is a paradox that Jesus taught...

 

Mark 8:35

Christian Standard Bible

35 For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life because of me and the gospel will save it.

 

This is what culture teaches...self-preservation, self-promotion, self-indulging.  

If you do these things, you're going to loose.   

Jesus teaches self-sacrifice.  

You'll never know if Jesus's paradoxes work unless you do it.  

If you don't, you'll never understand.   

 

Jesus teaches to die to self on a cross. 

 The cross is a place of execution and torture, but you can't have a resurrection without a death. 

Jesus is talking about surrendering your desires to God.  

 

1. We must die to self which means to surrender to the will of God. 

Paul taught...

 

Galatians 2:20

Christian Standard Bible

20 I have been crucified with Christ, and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body,I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

1 Corinthians 15:31

New King James Version

... I die daily.

2.  We must die to our flesh which is the death of our emotions through worship.  

Paul taught...

Galatians 5:24

New King James Version

24 And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.

 

To worship, we can turn on a worship song and let it tame our emotions within.   

Paul taught of this struggle...

Galatians 5:17

New King James Version

17 For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish.

 

3.  We must die to the world by conforming our minds to God's Word, the Bible.  

 

John 17:14-17

New King James Version

14 I have given them Your word; and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. 

15 I do not pray that You should take them out of the world, but that You should keep them from the evil one. 

16 They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. 

17 Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth.

 

God doesn't want us out of the world, but to impact our world.  

 

Galatians 6:14

New King James Version

14 But God forbid that I should boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.

 

Let apply this message for the next 7 days by...

Spending 5 minutes each day by surrendering our wills to God through prayer.

Then, spending 5 minutes by surrendering  our emotions to God through worship.

Then, spending 5 minutes in the Bible and conform our minds to God's will as explained in the Bible.