Sunday, February 13, 2022

Taste of Death

 DEVOTION

THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO MATTHEW

TASTE OF DEATH

Matt 16:24-28

24 Then Jesus said to his disciples, "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. 25 For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will find it. 26 What good will it be for a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul? Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul? 27 For the Son of Man is going to come in his Father's glory with his angels, and then he will reward each person according to what he has done. 28 I tell you the truth, some who are standing here will not taste death before they see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom." 

NIV

Having considered taking up our cross and following Jesus and either gaining or losing our life, we should ponder on what Jesus said about Jesus going to come in his Father’s glory with his angels. What makes this a bit difficult to understand is that Jesus also told his disciples that some of them will not taste death before they see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom. First, we think Jesus is speaking about that last day of judgment in that he said that each person will be rewarded according to what he has done. We know he is not speaking about how many, or how good of deeds we have done, for that would mean that one Christian might be rewarded better than another. This could not be the case for we know God does not show favoritism. It would also cause a sense of competition about Christians to see who could outdo the other in doing the best or larger number of deeds to gain a bigger crown with more jewels. That is so against all of scripture, even the idea of jewels in a crown is never mentioned. Yes, there are crowns, such as the crown of life, or crown of glory or righteousness, but that is for all who overcome and are faithful to the end.  The reward is our salvation, while those who did not accept Jesus will be rewarded with perishing. It comes down to whether we are in or out, or whether we gained or lost our lives, as to whether we gained the world, yet forfeited our soul, or we lost our lives by taking up our cross and following Jesus. As far as those who that are standing there with Jesus, his disciples not tasting death before they see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom, we cannot see that as the same day as the Day of Judgement, as it would not fit the context. However, Mark and Luke make it clearer in that they record Jesus saying the kingdom coming in power. This little band of believers except for Judas would see the Day of Pentecost and the kingdom of God explode through the power of the Spirit. In fact, John would see the Jewish nation scattered, the temple destroyed, and the gospel spread throughout Asia, Greece, Rome, and across the known world. The kingdom would continue to expand more and more beyond their lifetimes. However, tasting death, if we are believers, is just a momentary experience, for we will be resurrected onto life and life everlasting. We do not think that Jesus was making death a bad thing, but simply something that we would taste. There are many things that taste very good, and some that taste bad, such as the second death. But although we will taste death, it will be good tasting because it is flavored with eternal life. Therefore, for us, we look forward to the taste of death. Besides, it is just a taste, we are not having the whole meal. 

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