03 24 08 Holy Week V(It’s Monday)


“If anyone wants to become my follower, he must deny himself,
take up his cross daily, and follow me.
For whoever wants to save his life will lose it,
but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it.
For what does it benefit a person if he gains the
whole world but loses or forfeits himself?
For whoever is ashamed of me and my words,
the Son of Man will be ashamed of that person
when he comes in his glory and in the glory of the Father
and of the holy angels.”
(Luke 9:23-26 NET)

So Resurrection Day comes and goes. We are all excited, humbled maybe, even rededicated to do more, be more, pray more. So IT’S MONDAY. He is risen! He lives… but does He live within us?

It’s one thing to have the knowledge of Jesus the Christ…the Messiah. We need faith…active faith. Faith, not in a fact, but in a person! While it is proven fact that Jesus lived, died, was buried, and physically rose from that grave, my faith is still in the person of Jesus Christ, God in the flesh!

But now IT’S MONDAY. How does my faith become living and active? Jesus laid it out very simply in the passage from Dr. Luke above. I am not important anymore. It’s all about His will for me and the needs of others around me. It’s about God, others, then me. I live to honor God. I live to serve others. It’s my cross…my burden…my commitment to my Savior. My needs will be taken care of as I care for others. It’s promised in His word here from the apostle Paul:

“...For I have received everything, and I have plenty. I have all I need…And my God will supply your every need according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus…” (Philippians 4:18-19 NET)

Jesus’ brother James and Paul would agree that once we place our faith in the Christ, we begin to reflect that faith in what we do, how we live, and the things we need. My experience tells me that my needs change as I serve others. I don’t need as much as I thought I needed, because I see the desperate needs of others. I am indeed RICH! If I decide to continue to live for myself and keep my faith tucked away in my back pocket, as if I was ashamed or embarrassed of Jesus, than what right do I have to claim a space in heaven (through His blood sacrifice on His cross).

So IT’S MONDAY. Jesus is alive. Is He alive in you and in me?