Seeking Gods Will--Part 12 Message by a brother in Christ, who is a layman, from Salem Lutheran Church in Toledo, OH First, Jesus asked the question we all must answer: Once when Jesus was praying in private and His disciples were with Him, He asked them, Who do the crowds say I am? They replied, Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, that one of the prophets of long ago has come back to life. But what about you? He asked. Who do you say I am? Peter answered, The Christ [Messiah] of God. [In Matthew 16:16, Simon Peter answered, You are the Christ, the Son of the living God. ] Second, Jesus warns His disciples that following Jesus will cost them [and us] sacrifice and suffering: Jesus strictly warned them not to tell this to anyone. And He said, The Son of Man [Jesus] must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders, chief priests, and teachers of the law; and He must be killed and on the third day be raised to life. Then He said to them, If anyone would come after Me, he must take up his cross daily and follow Me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will save it. What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, and yet lose or forfeit his soul? If anyone is ashamed of Me and My words, the Son of Man [Jesus] will be ashamed of him when He comes in His glory and in the glory of the Father and of the holy angels. I tell you the truth, some who are standing here will not taste death before they see the kingdom of God. (Luke 9:21-26) From Peters Letter to the Christian Martyrs in Rome: (1 Peter 3:17-22) It is better if it is Gods will, to suffer for doing good than for doing evil. For Christ died once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. He was put to death in the body, but made alive by the [Holy] Spirit, through whom He also went and preached to the spirits in prison who disobeyed long ago when God waited patiently in the days of Noah while the ark was being built. In it only a few people, eight in all, were saved through water, and this water symbolizes baptism that saves you also--not the removal of dirt from the body, but the pledge of a good conscience toward God. It saves you by the resurrection of Jesus Christ, who has gone into heaven and is at Gods right hand--with angels, authorities, and powers in submission to Him.
Posted on: Mon, 17 Nov 2014 18:30:01 +0000
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