The Flood - The Death That Brings Life
January 12, 2025
In our quest for fulfillment and meaning, we often cling to familiar sayings about life. "Live and let live," "Live your best life now," or "You only live once" are phrases we use to encourage ourselves and others to make the most of our time on earth. But what if true life - abundant, purposeful, and eternally significant - actually comes through a kind of death?
This paradoxical concept is woven throughout the Bible, from Genesis to Revelation. It challenges our human logic and invites us into a deeper understanding of God's upside-down kingdom principles.
Consider the story of Noah and the flood. In a world consumed by wickedness, God found one righteous man - Noah. Through Noah's obedience and God's grace, a plan for salvation emerged. But this plan required the destruction of the old to make way for the new. The flood waters that brought death also ushered in new life and a fresh start for creation.
This pattern of death bringing forth life is echoed in Jesus' words: "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone. But if it dies, it bears much fruit" (John 12:24-25). Jesus goes on to say that whoever loves their life will lose it, but whoever hates their life in this world will keep it for eternal life.
At first glance, this teaching seems counterintuitive, even harsh. But it reveals a profound spiritual truth: to truly live, we must be willing to die to our old selves, our selfish ambitions, and our worldly attachments.
This principle of surrender and letting go runs contrary to our natural instincts of self-preservation and control. Yet it's at the very heart of what it means to follow Jesus. When He called His disciples, He didn't offer them an easy path or promise worldly success. Instead, He said, "If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me" (Matthew 16:24).
This paradoxical concept is woven throughout the Bible, from Genesis to Revelation. It challenges our human logic and invites us into a deeper understanding of God's upside-down kingdom principles.
Consider the story of Noah and the flood. In a world consumed by wickedness, God found one righteous man - Noah. Through Noah's obedience and God's grace, a plan for salvation emerged. But this plan required the destruction of the old to make way for the new. The flood waters that brought death also ushered in new life and a fresh start for creation.
This pattern of death bringing forth life is echoed in Jesus' words: "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone. But if it dies, it bears much fruit" (John 12:24-25). Jesus goes on to say that whoever loves their life will lose it, but whoever hates their life in this world will keep it for eternal life.
At first glance, this teaching seems counterintuitive, even harsh. But it reveals a profound spiritual truth: to truly live, we must be willing to die to our old selves, our selfish ambitions, and our worldly attachments.
This principle of surrender and letting go runs contrary to our natural instincts of self-preservation and control. Yet it's at the very heart of what it means to follow Jesus. When He called His disciples, He didn't offer them an easy path or promise worldly success. Instead, He said, "If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me" (Matthew 16:24).
"If I want to be elevated, I have to submit."
The early disciples took this call seriously. Peter, Andrew, James, and John left their fishing businesses behind. Matthew walked away from his lucrative but corrupt career as a tax collector. They risked social ostracism and faced potential persecution for aligning themselves with Jesus. But in losing their old lives, they found something far greater - a living relationship with the Son of God and a purpose that would change the world.
This radical commitment challenges us to examine our own lives. How tightly are we holding onto our possessions, our status, our comfort, or our plans? Are we willing to loosen our grip and trust God with every aspect of our lives?
The good news is that this "dying to live" principle isn't about asceticism or misery. It's actually the gateway to experiencing the fullness of life that Jesus promises. When we surrender our lives to God, we find:
- Rest for our souls (Matthew 11:29)
- A hundredfold blessing in this life and the next (Mark 10:29-30)
- Abundant life (John 10:10)
- The peace of God that surpasses understanding (Philippians 4:7)
- Joy unspeakable and full of glory (1 Peter 1:8)
This surrendered life allows us to become like a "city on a hill" (Matthew 5:14), shining brightly for all to see. It empowers us to be "more than conquerors" (Romans 8:37) and to live as new creations in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:17).
But how do we practically apply this principle of dying to live? The imagery of baptism provides a powerful illustration. When we're baptized, we're symbolically buried with Christ and raised to new life. This outward act represents an inward reality - we die to our old selves and are resurrected to walk in newness of life through the power of the Holy Spirit.
This process begins with repentance - not just feeling sorry for our sins, but making a 180-degree turn away from our selfish desires and towards God's will for our lives. It involves daily choosing to "crucify the flesh" (Galatians 5:24) and live by the Spirit instead.
As we embrace this upside-down kingdom principle, we may find that God calls us to lay down things we once thought were essential. It might mean reevaluating our career ambitions, our use of time and resources, or our relationships. But whatever we're asked to surrender, we can trust that God's plans for us are far better than anything we could devise on our own.
This journey of dying to live isn't a one-time event, but an ongoing process of transformation. It requires courage, faith, and a willingness to step out of our comfort zones. But as we do, we'll discover a life marked by purpose, peace, and the tangible presence of God.
The invitation is open to all of us. Will we cling to our limited understanding of what makes for a "good life," or will we dare to die to ourselves and find true life in Christ? The choice is ours, but the promise is clear: those who lose their lives for Jesus' sake will find them (Matthew 10:39).
As we reflect on this paradoxical truth, let's challenge ourselves to loosen our grip on the things of this world. Let's ask God to show us areas where we need to surrender more fully to Him. And let's embrace the adventure of living in God's upside-down kingdom, where the path to true life leads through death to self.
In doing so, we may find that we become like that grain of wheat - dying to our old selves but bearing much fruit for God's kingdom. And in that fruitfulness, we'll discover a life more abundant and purposeful than we ever imagined possible.
This radical commitment challenges us to examine our own lives. How tightly are we holding onto our possessions, our status, our comfort, or our plans? Are we willing to loosen our grip and trust God with every aspect of our lives?
The good news is that this "dying to live" principle isn't about asceticism or misery. It's actually the gateway to experiencing the fullness of life that Jesus promises. When we surrender our lives to God, we find:
- Rest for our souls (Matthew 11:29)
- A hundredfold blessing in this life and the next (Mark 10:29-30)
- Abundant life (John 10:10)
- The peace of God that surpasses understanding (Philippians 4:7)
- Joy unspeakable and full of glory (1 Peter 1:8)
This surrendered life allows us to become like a "city on a hill" (Matthew 5:14), shining brightly for all to see. It empowers us to be "more than conquerors" (Romans 8:37) and to live as new creations in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:17).
But how do we practically apply this principle of dying to live? The imagery of baptism provides a powerful illustration. When we're baptized, we're symbolically buried with Christ and raised to new life. This outward act represents an inward reality - we die to our old selves and are resurrected to walk in newness of life through the power of the Holy Spirit.
This process begins with repentance - not just feeling sorry for our sins, but making a 180-degree turn away from our selfish desires and towards God's will for our lives. It involves daily choosing to "crucify the flesh" (Galatians 5:24) and live by the Spirit instead.
As we embrace this upside-down kingdom principle, we may find that God calls us to lay down things we once thought were essential. It might mean reevaluating our career ambitions, our use of time and resources, or our relationships. But whatever we're asked to surrender, we can trust that God's plans for us are far better than anything we could devise on our own.
This journey of dying to live isn't a one-time event, but an ongoing process of transformation. It requires courage, faith, and a willingness to step out of our comfort zones. But as we do, we'll discover a life marked by purpose, peace, and the tangible presence of God.
The invitation is open to all of us. Will we cling to our limited understanding of what makes for a "good life," or will we dare to die to ourselves and find true life in Christ? The choice is ours, but the promise is clear: those who lose their lives for Jesus' sake will find them (Matthew 10:39).
As we reflect on this paradoxical truth, let's challenge ourselves to loosen our grip on the things of this world. Let's ask God to show us areas where we need to surrender more fully to Him. And let's embrace the adventure of living in God's upside-down kingdom, where the path to true life leads through death to self.
In doing so, we may find that we become like that grain of wheat - dying to our old selves but bearing much fruit for God's kingdom. And in that fruitfulness, we'll discover a life more abundant and purposeful than we ever imagined possible.