Jesus said, “Whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it.” (Matthew 16:25). This teaching seems counter-intuitive: how can I find my life by losing it? I quite like who I am. Why would I want to give that up? This theme is epitomised during Jesus’ encounter with Nicodemus when Jesus says, “Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again.” (John 3:3). Perplexed by this statement, Nicodemus tried to understand how he could physically be reborn, missing the point of the teaching. Jesus was talking about a spiritual rebirth through baptism – denying our worldly self and beginning a new life in Christ. “In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus” (Romans 6:11). We have been freely given the gift of grace and empowered to live in the freedom of Christ; “For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body ruled by sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin”. (Romans 6:6). Let us not cling to our lives, our belongings or this world, which, while offering the mirage of freedom, leads us towards sin. Instead, let us choose to live in the true freedom which Christ gives us. Open Bible – http://bit.ly/Mat16v25, http://bit.ly/Joh3v3, https://bit.ly/rom6v11, http://bit.ly/Rom6v6 (Jeremy G).
