God
is the living and true God.
He
gave the Son who was in His bosom for the world (Jn 1:18),
and even gave the Son’s life for the world (Jn 10:11).
Jesus became our Savior
according to God the Father’s will (Jn 6:38-40),
not by His own strength (Mk 15:34).
God’s will is that His life and eternal life be given through
His blood and flesh. So He came in the flesh and died (Jn 1:36).
The One who came as man did not chose a natural lifespan.
He was punished on behalf of humanity (who deserved to be punished) (1 Pet 2:24).
Jesus’ suffering had nothing to do with His own will (Mk 1:12),
but He suffered according to God’s will.
The Lord commanded, “If anyone wants to follow Me, they must deny themselves
and take up their cross and follow Me” (Mt 16:24-25).
If you reject God’s will, this is Satan,
and this corruption will stop you seeing the Lord Jesus again (Mt 16:23).
Jesus suffered by the command He received (Jn 10:18).
Our faith is to live according to God’s commands.
Therefore, we must deny ourselves in order to follow Him.
○ We should regard our suffering for Jesus’ sake with joy.
We received God’s command by receiving baptism.
Those who are baptized do not own their lives. It belongs to the Lord.
○ Taking up your cross is not the way of asceticism.
It is the way of obeying God’s will.
The suffering you receive by God’s command is grace.
○ Following the Lord is the narrow gate,
and it is a hard path headed for the sign of the first resurrection.
The Holy Spirit works so that we can become martyrs.
※ People’s thoughts are Satan’s thoughts.
The thoughts of the flesh are enemies of the Lord.
Let’s love the Lord Jesus and take up our cross and follow Him.