Father, there is just so much needless tragedy in our world today. I’m sure Your heart is grieved as well. Bring peace to those who have suffered loss and wisdom to those who need it, too. Amen.
John 19:28-30 (<<click here to read the passage)
One thing that continues to disturb me over the last couple of years, is the overtaking attitude of self-entitlement. A definition I found online reads,
Self-entitlement is when an individual perceives themselves as deserving of unearned privileges. These are the people who believe life owes them something; a reward, a measure of success, a particular standard of living.
That mentality in our society is crippling and what is even more heartbreaking is that it has soundly infiltrated the church, too.
First off, self is the lead-in word of the phrase. If there is any word that stands squarely against the standards that Jesus taught and fleshed out each day that He walked among us, it is the concept of self.
Now there are phrases where the word self factors in in an excellent way with Jesus’ standards…but these phrases are not easy to live up to.
Self-denial and self-sacrifice.
Not too many volunteers to pursue those are there.
Jesus said,
“If anyone wishes to follow Me [as My disciple], he must deny himself [set aside selfish interests], and take up his cross [expressing a willingness to endure whatever may come] and follow Me [believing in Me, conforming to My example in living and, if need be, suffering or perhaps dying because of faith in Me]. Matthew 16:24 AMP
The Apostle Peter struggled at first, but he eventually learned what it meant to truly follow Jesus. He said in 1 Peter 2:11,
Dear friends, I warn you as “temporary residents and foreigners” to keep away from worldly desires that wage war against your very souls.
This world constantly shouts, “I want what’s mine! I’ve got to look out for myself, nobody else is going to! I’m sick of everyone else getting the good stuff, it’s my turn to get what’s coming to me! Nobody can make me do whatever I don’t want to do!”
If anyone was “entitled” it was Jesus. He made everything from nothing. Nothing, absolutely nothing, would be at all, if not for Him. Yet he claimed not one thing, but willingly gave up his very life.
The Amplified Bible states the last portion of verse 30 this way,
He [Jesus] said, “It is finished!” And He bowed His head and [voluntarily] gave up His spirit.
The study notes in the Amplified Bible then goes on to say,
This wording implies that Jesus voluntarily and sovereignly released His spirit from His body in submission to God’s plan.
Jesus claimed no rights. He demanded nothing. He gave everything. My study Bible says that the word finished is the same as “paid in full.”
We don’t deserve everything we want, what we deserve is paying the penalty for our sin. But the very last words of Jesus from the cross?
“It is finished!” …it is paid in full!
Jesus set before us the example of self-denial and self-sacrifice. How are we living our lives?
*Life Application Study Bible New Living Translation
Nov 4th, 2021, Thurs, 8:04 pm
