A little while and you will no longer see me, and again a little while later and you will see me. John 16:16 NABRE
Jesus seems to be speaking to His disciples in riddles, their reaction is to question what He means. He says in a little while they will no longer see Him but again later they will see Him. We think today Jesus is speaking about His death and resurrection. Jesus is crucified and rises on Easter to life, a new glorified life. It seems to be the crescendo of Jesus’ mission, as if He came only to die and rise again. Of course this thinking ignores so much good that Jesus has shown. In fact there is a way to look at everything Jesus has come to do as death and resurrection. We are challenged to surrender to Jesus, calling it dying to self. If we let go; of our ego, pride, selfishness, greed, much of what has come to be known as a sinful nature, we are available for resurrection, born again from above (John 3:3.) We must die to be resurrected and it is not a onetime event, it was not for Jesus. Though He is divine He still has moments when He would have to totally give Himself over to do the will of the Father, to follow the commands of the Father. It is natural for us to want to do things our way, to be proud of what we accomplish, but it is not the way. Jesus way is truth, doing the will of the Father, dying, resurrecting, made new.
They no longer see Him, and when they see Him again they do not recognize Him. He is born a new from above, glorified by God. We too must die and be born anew, into the Kingdom of God. We are not promised a life without suffering and pain, but we are promised life. Doing the will of God, following God’s commands, dying to self, we are glorified, unrecognizable, resurrected as often as we die.
Do you die to your own selfishness? Have you recognized rebirth in your life?
We are not promised a life without suffering and pain, but we are promised life. Doing the will of God, following God's commands, dying to self, we are glorified, unrecognizable, resurrected as often as we die. Click To Tweet#bible #godisgreat #jesus #christianity #dailybibleverse @youversion #BeAnEncourager #death #resurrection #John #everybodyalways #god #jesuschrist #jesussaves #godisgood #dailydevotion #biblestudy #scripture #bibleverse #verseoftheday #cross #last #Matthew #loveeachother #godisgreat #thisVineyard #youversion #everythingalways