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DIE WITH JESUS AND LIVE (LENT DAY 26)

SCRIPTURE READINGS
JEREMIAH 31:31-34
HEBREWS 5:5-10
JOHN 12:20-33

The normal order of our existence on this earth is that we live to die, however, the theme of the day indicates to us that we die to live. This is only possible through Jesus Christ. The theme for our reflection is “Die with Jesus and Live”

We shall examine the theme under the following three points:
1. That we can only live and be beneficiaries of the New Covenant when we die with Jesus.
2. That Jesus is the high priest who intercedes on behalf of those who have died with Him and are now living in him.
3. That serving and sacrificing one’s life for the sake of Christ is a sign of dying with Christ and seeking eternal life.

Firstly, beloved in the Lord, Our first scripture reading Jeremiah 31:31-34 foretells Jesus as the sign and fulfilment of the New Covenant God promised His people of which you and I are part. The coming of the New Covenant is evident in Luke 22:19-20 when Jesus “… took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” 20 And likewise the cup after they had eaten, saying, “This cup that is poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood.” Jesus’ blood represents the sign of the New Covenant, anyone who comes to believe in Jesus Christ and dies spiritually with him is made to resurrect spiritually with Jesus through the sacrament of baptism. That is why Paul says in Galatians 2:20, “I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.”

Unlike the hard laws which were often broken by the Israelites and were the terms of the Mosaic covenant, the New Covenant guarantees that Christ lives in us and we live in him. He represents the logos of God, which can be translated as the Word of God. That is why John 1:1-5 empathically tells us that “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not anything made that was made. In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.

Beloved in the Lord, due to the fact in the New Covenant we died and resurrected with Christ we now know and do the will of God. It is to this effect that Jeremiah said in Jeremiah 31:33-34, “For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the LORD: I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts. And I will be their God, and they shall be my people. 34 And no longer shall each one teach his neighbour and each his brother, saying, ‘Know the LORD,’ for they shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest, declares the LORD. For I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.”

Dear friend, if you have not yet experienced dying with Christ and resurrecting with him through the forgiveness of your sins then you are far away from the grace and life that the New Covenant offers. Most of us claim that we are believers yet Christ does not live us and sin continues to rule over our lives. The good news is that God assures us in Jeremiah 31:34 that anyone who becomes a beneficiary of the New Covenant He will “forgive their iniquity, and He will remember their sins no more”. Beloved in the Lord, the choice is yours to die with Jesus and live according to the promises of the New Covenant. The Lent season is a perfect time to make a decision, reflect on your relationship with God and ask Jesus to come and live in your heart so that you will continually live under the New Covenant.

Secondly, the second Scripture reading, Hebrews 5:5-10, assures us that Jesus is the greatest High Priest who continually intercedes for us those who died with Him and now live in him. The joy of being in Christ is that we have the hope and faith that when we obey Him, He will continually intercede on our behalf. Because we live in Him, we can always come to God in prayer. Hebrews 5:9-10 reassures us, “… Jesus being made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation to all who obey him, 10 being designated by God a high priest after the order of Melchizedek.” My dear friend in the Lord, many have relied on fellow fallible human beings and deities for their strength, health and success in life but for we who have died and resurrected with Christ spiritually, we have a dependable intercessor and High Priest, when we call on Him any time and any day he will respond because He lives with us and in us. Jesus assures us of his presence and intercession in Matthew 28:20 when He said “…behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

Thirdly, beloved in the Lord, the third Scripture reading, John 12:20-33, makes it abundantly clear that as believers we can indeed demonstrate our love and allegiance to Christ through our service and sacrifice. It means we are ever willing to die with him to achieve eternal life so that when He is lifted we shall also share in his glory. It is sad to see many perish for the sake of corruption and the love of money and wealth. Jesus says in John 12:25-26 that “Whoever loves his life loses it, and whoever hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. If anyone serves me, he must follow me; and where I am, there will my servant be also. If anyone serves me, the Father will honour him. In other words, whoever dies with him will live and will be honoured by the Father in Heaven.” Jesus again admonishes us in Mark 8:36-38, “For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul? For what can a man give in return for his soul? For whoever is ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him(or her) will the Son of Man also be ashamed when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.” My dear friend choose today who will serve, if you choose to serve and die for the Lord, your life will never be the same, you will share in the salvation and everlasting glory that He offers.

In summary, we can only live and be beneficiaries of the New Covenant God has made with humanity when we die with Jesus. Secondly, Jesus is the High Priest who intercedes on behalf of those who have died with Him and are now living in Him. Thirdly, Serving and sacrificing your life for the sake of Christ is a sign of dying with Christ and seeking eternal life. May His grace and mercy continue to abide with us. Amen