Food for Friday
Whosoever shall seek to save his life shall lose it, and whosoever shall lose his life shall preserve it. Luke 17:33
Of all the paradoxes in the Bible, today’s text may well contain the largest. The Bible has many paradoxes, from the reference in Proverbs 11:24 about the one who scatters but increases what he has to the reference in Galatians 2:20 in which Paul speaks about being crucified with Christ but having Christ living in him. Today’s paradox is speaking about our lives… trying to preserve our lives for ourselves, or being willing to offer our lives for God. We speak of martyrs who have died for their faith, and proclaim that their sacrifice was not in vain. But would we be willing to do the same?
Notice in our text that Jesus does not speak about those who save their lives, but about those who seek to save their lives. None of us can save our lives if the Lord moves to take our lives. But we can try. Self preservation is the most powerful of all human drives. So it’s natural for us to look out for ourselves. But it is not always spiritual. Never are we to be foolhardy or careless; that is not what Jesus is speaking about at all. What he is referring to here is a willingness to place the things of the Lord Jesus above everything else, even our own lives. And in doing so, we do not risk our lives at all, but will guarantee that He will preserve us for all eternity. Pity the poor sinner who rejects the claims of Christ and loses both soul and life forever. Pity the poor Christian who rejects the lordship of Christ and loses his life in a burning heap of wood, hay, and stubble.
Will the Judgment Seat of Christ be a private audience for each of us, or will we have an audience of other believers? I don’t know. For myself, I would prefer it to be private, knowing that I will have much to be embarrassed about. But there are many dear Saints who have laid down their lives in many ways to whom I would love to hear the Lord Jesus give his wonderful commendation. Valiant martyrs, self-sacrificing missionaries, tireless Gospel workers, persistent prayer warriors, faithful fathers and mothers in the faith… and many more, will discover the reality of the Saviour’s words in today’s text.
We cannot give too much, even if it be our own life’s blood, sweat, toil, or tears. It will be worth it all, when we see Christ. -Jim MacIntosh