In Matthew 16, Jesus says, 24 If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. 25 For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it. 26 For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul? 27 For the Son of Man will come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and then He will reward each according to his works.
There must be a few months of sermon material in those verses alone. I have just returned from China with a Global Infusion missions team. I met people there who have seriously counted the cost of becoming a Christian — and I even had the privilege of interacting with several Chinese who are considering becoming a Christian. You see, becoming a Christian in a country like China is not a flippant decision one makes. It radically changes many aspects of one’s life.
The Cross of Christ is not given to us; we must go after it, and take it up willingly. We must reject what the world has to offer so our soul is saved. Every day, the news reminds us that there are plenty of people who exchange their soul for temporary earthly pleasures.
While I have heard these verses in Matthew 16 quoted many times, verse twenty-seven is often left out. Jesus tells us that He will one day reward us according to our works. This is an entirely separate event from the judgment which determines our entrance in to Heaven. What “works” did you accomplish for Christ in 2009? What are you planning to do for Him in 2010? Don’t let the year pass you by. Life will always be full of challenges, and I believe God meets the needs of the righteous — so make a conscious decision to do something for Him today.
