Jesus said, “Those who try to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for his sake, and for the sake of the gospel, will find it.” What was he talking about?
When Jesus talked about trying to save your life, he was talking about living to avoid problems. He was talking about living in fear of losing something important. There are many things that might fit that description, but the most common are possessions and the approval of others. John Piper said the two main idols of this world are possessions and praise. We fear running out of money. We fear being judged by other people. It’s nice to have enough money. It’s nice to have people speak well of us. We don’t want to intentionally impoverish ourselves nor ruin our reputations. However, when we are driven by fear, we make bad choices. Ironically, when we live in fear of loss, we wind up with poorer lives.
When Jesus talked about finding your life, he was talking about finding your calling. He was talking about discovering the reason God put you on this planet. How do we make that discernment? Part of the answer is contained in Jesus’ words. When we let go of our apprehension about our possessions, or the approval of others, or whatever else preoccupies us, then we can see more clearly our purpose.
In our sermon this Sunday we will talk about losing and finding our lives.