I recently received this message: “If someone wants to save his life, he will lose it, and if he loses his life for my sake, he will find it. (Jesus speaking to His disciples) We interpret this figuratively, but I’m not sure Jesus meant it that way. After all, it turned out to be very literal for His disciples. The cost of following Him meant an early death. Worth pondering, don’t you think?” ¹

Jesus’ words here are a paraphrase of verses found in the books of Matthew, Mark and Luke. ² Translations differ a bit at the end with Jesus saying, for My sake, for me, or because of Me. Mark also added the gospel or Good News here.

Following my instructions, I pondered all of this, especially the meaning of the Greek words translated in all three books as want, save, life, find, and lose. What I discovered was an intensity of responsibility I had never noticed before.

Jesus warns us of what we could lose.

Want. The Greek word refers to a deliberate decision arising from personal desire. The corresponding Hebrew expression means to delight in. Save. The Greek means to deliver, protect, preserve, or do well. Life. The word here, much like its Hebrew counterpart, literally means breath and figuratively refers to life, mind, and soul.

Find. This word means to obtain with perception, awareness, insight, appreciation, understanding, and knowledge. Lose. The Greek word used here, in my opinion, reflects the intensity of what Jesus was saying to His disciples long ago…and to each of us today.

That word is apollumi and does not mean to simply lose, misplace, fail, be without, miss, or be rid of. It’s about fear and hopelessness, the kind that can strike our hearts and shake our foundation. Apollumi lies at the center of Jesus’ warning to those who do not follow Him, for it means to utterly, completely and forever…destroy.

He gives His promise of what we will find.

So, what was Jesus’ warning? If you focus on your life…delighting in it, protecting it, preserving it, to do well in the eyes of the world…you will destroy your life.

And His promise? But if you destroy your lives for Me and My sake, choosing to believe in and follow Me, loving and encouraging one another, your neighbors, strangers, and enemies, you will have the abundant Eternal Life I promised you.

Worth pondering, don’t you think?

 

Ciloa Forever!

 

Chuck

 

 

 

Chuck Graham is Founder and Executive Director of Ciloa, an international ministry devoted to sharing God’s encouragement and teaching others how to “encourage one another as long as it is called Today!” He is also an author, speaker, teacher, and encourager. Chuck and his wife, Beverly, live in Lawrenceville, Georgia, USA. You can learn more about Chuck and Ciloa at www.Ciloa.org.

 

 

Footnotes: (1) I received this message from my buddy, former pastor Darrell Pruitt. I slightly edited it because I just can’t help myself. (2) Read Matthew 16:25; Mark 8:35; and Luke 9:24.

Pictures: Banner: Matthew 16:25, from “Devotional Thoughts” by David Wilkerson (7-15-2023), World Challenge, worldchallemge.org. (1) Illustration of Proverbs 2:6, artwork created by Heartlight, heartlight.org. (3) John 14:15, image created by Bible.com.