From Death To Life

Even our Lord Jesus—who is God—came into the world to die. Physical death is part of God’s principle and order, and so the Son of God moved within that order. Of course, Jesus’ death carried a meaning unlike ordinary death. Jesus actively went into death. That death was a death to save the world, and a death within God’s will and plan. Seen in merely physical terms, that death may appear no different from any other death or even more miserable—but it was instead the path of life and the path of victory. Because Jesus’ death was within God’s will and plan, and for God’s purpose. Physical death comes to everyone. What matters is whether that death leads into life—and that depends on whether one lives according to God’s will and purpose. Life lived within God’s will and plan is linked to life and resurrection.

Our mortal life ends in death.But for us who believe and know that it is not the end,our life here in this world can be adorned with life, resurrection, victory and glory—if we know the Lord’s will, plan and purpose, and obey it.

The world continually seeks to knock people down;even those already saved by God are placed in positions of stumble. That is the nature, intention and goal of the world. So even for believers, while we live in this world such things constantly happen.

The outward conclusion of every mortal life is the same,but that death leading into the way of life depends on us living in the Lord, following His will, plan and purpose.

And this path is exactly the example of the way of life that the Lord showed us. In other words, a life that ends without knowing the Lord's will, or the Lord’s plan and mission for us—regardless of how successful the person may have been in the world—ends without meaning or fruit.

During the Last Supper, the Lord washed the disciples' feet.Not only did He wash them, He dried them with a towel.And Jesus said, “You also should wash one another’s feet.”While the Lord solves the issues of our sin and weakness in essence, it is up to us to wash, help and care for each other’s weakness.Especially for me as a pastor I have a primary responsibility, yet the Lord calls all believers to this. We are to look after one another’s weakness, wash each other, care for each other, hold one another—that is service and sacrifice.We ourselves must move toward maturity, and our community must become a community of service, sacrifice, and care.

This is the Lord’s will, plan and purpose for us.May the spirit of the Lord’s love, sacrifice and service be full among us.

This is the way of humility and the way of dying, and at the same time the way of life and resurrection. To love others, to serve and help them—this is the Lord’s will, and the way the Lord walked.

Just as the world continually sought to kill the Lord, and even to betray Him for profit, even now the world seeks to kill believers’ lives and destroy faith. Some even use the name of Jesus to exploit believers and profit from them.

Therefore we must stay awake. To not be overcome by that world, to not be deceived, we must remain alert in the Word and the Spirit. We must be discerning and watchful so that worldly minds, ideologies and cultures do not find a place in us. And the only way to do that is through the Word and the Spirit. We must know the heart of the Lord, discern it and follow it.

That is true fellowship with the Lord. While they sat at table with the Lord, yet like Judas who did not partake of the Lord who is the Word and the Bread of Life—may we not be that kind of person.

May we all delight in the Lord who is the Word, love Him, feed on Him, drink Him, live only in Him. Then we will be filled with true life, and we will live to bring life to many, to fulfill the Lord’s will, and to bear abundant fruit.