Introduction
We may think we’re invisible, and will live forever, but before God, our lives are short. How we live our life before God now counts, and we will be rewarded as such when we return to heaven. Let’s live life not with our standard or the world’s standard, but with the gospel standard. The gospel standard doesn’t mean doing our best not to sin, means completely concluding our lives in Jesus Christ. The gospel standard means living for God’s special calling he gave to us to save the world with the gospel of Jesus Christ. Time flies by so fast that the time to think about our lives seriously has to be now.
1. The Death and Resurrection of Christ Must Be Our Standard
“The Son of Man is going to be delivered into the hands of men, and they will kill him, And when he is killed, after three days he will rise.” (31)
The world standard tells us to do whatever makes us happy. What makes us happy is what is right. You be you. Follow any religion. The world also tells us to succeed. Marriage is a good example of following the standard of the world. So many people follow the standard of looking for someone good looking or rich, but don’t take even a moment to follow the standard of the gospel. In the standard of the gospel, our education, career and everything we considered priority is secondary. However, there are so many standards of the world that are imprinted within us and they block us from God. Jesus died for us to fulfill the wrath of God, reconcile us to God, to give us abundant life and true freedom from Satan. Are we enjoying that abundant life?
The disciples understood that there was to be a suffering servant and a glorious messiah who would come, but they understood them as two different beings. The disciples cannot understand what Jesus is saying because he is telling them that they are both one. What are we investing our time on? Let’s invest our time in Christ through worship, and in our personal spiritual system. The restoration of worship restores everything else in our lives.
2. Learning To Be The Servant Must Be Our Standard
The disciples are arguing amongst themselves like children about who is better. Their interests were not in the gospel but in themselves. Jesus turns their worldly standard upside down by telling them “if anyone would be first, he must be last of all and servant of all.” (35) The Israelites considered themselves superior and other nations as dogs, but when we love the gospel, we can be the most humble. When we were dead, Jesus lowered himself to us, and died for us. Let’s lower ourselves to
3. Let Us Have the Standard of Christ’s Honor and His Kingdom
“‘Teacher, we saw someone casting out demons in your name, and we tried to stop him because he was not following us.’ But Jesus said, ‘Do not stop him, for no one who does a mighty work in my name will be able soon after to speak evil of me. For the one who is not against us is for us.’” (38-40)
John here is not upset about someone else casting out demons in Jesus’ name, but he’s mad that this man is not on their team. So many of us look at other Christians judge whether or not they have the gospel or if they belong. Our allegiance is not to one person or organization or church, but to Christ. There are disciples all around us that God has hidden. We need to prepare our ministry so that we can embrace all people.
“For truly, I say to you, whoever gives you a cup of water to drink because you belong to Christ will by no means lose his reward” (41)
Everything counts. God sees everything will do and will reward us.
Conclusion
Don’t give up. If you fall, get up again and run the race God set you on. Establish a prayer system that connects to the Triune God, through which you can continuously live by the gospel standard. Let’s live with the standard of Christ and his kingdom. Find a time to lay down your thoughts and burdens and turn to the word, and God will renew your minds.