The Crucified Life

John 10:16-18 (New International Version)

16I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also. They too will listen to my voice, and there shall be one flock and one shepherd. 17The reason my Father loves me is that I lay down my life—only to take it up again. 18No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again. This command I received from my Father."

As has been stated before, there are 2 sides to the cross. One side is death and termination, and the other is resurrection life and glory! The Lord Jesus is our main example in living a life of service, and a life of sacrifice, a life of death to self.

There is an extraordinary key found in John 10 that the Lord has shown me today. So let's take a look at it. The Lord says in this excerpt that the Father, the Father of glory, the Father of lights, loves Him because He lays down His life. This is amazing if you have the eyes to see it and a heart to understand it. A laid down life, or a life of death to self, is a life of sacrifice and a life of love. So in essence, what the Lord was saying here, was that the Father loves the Lord because of His loving heart! The heart that lays down its own agenda and own plans is the heart that knows the love of the Father.

What's even more amazing in this passage is the authority of the Lord. It is written that the Lord lays down His life...ONLY to pick it back up again. And this is exactly what happened on the cross. He laid down His life, His life was not taken from Him. But He laid down His life, only to take it back up again! If you can see this, rejoice, because you can see how great He is!