I found my life when I laid it down

Last night I was blessed to baptize my good friend Gregory Massey!

I’m here this week at the City of Children in Ensenada, Mexico.  This place is special & for those who have traveled across the border to walk inside the gates it is holy ground.  Home to more than 80 children currently, they provide these kids with the love & support they need to grow.  And even more, the home provides a spiritual foundation on which they can stand.  I’m so thankful for this place, the people who live here & work here every day, the many people who come & visit & who support the home prayerfully & financially.Every afternoon & evening we get to play with the children.  We eat meals with them.  We provide a VBS for them where we talk about Jesus & His great love.  It’s a chance for us to step out of our comfort zones & into a place where others have to come first.

And last night Gregory decided to put Jesus first, to make Jesus the Lord & Savior of his life.  It was amazing!

Baptism is such a perfect picture of the life God is calling us to live.  As we step into the water Jesus calls us to lay our lives down, to die to ourselves.  This won’t be the last time He makes this request of us.  In fact, He asks us to lay our lives down daily.  But it all begins here.  In faith we step into the water where our Father can wash away our sins & give us His Holy Spirit.

At His birth, we remember that God is with us.  At the cross, we know that God is for us.  At baptism, we believe that God is in us.

And before we ever stepped into the water, Jesus was already there.  Before we choose to lay down our lives for Him, Jesus laid down His life for us.

As we gathered on our first night here with our mission team at the City of Children, I wanted to remind our group that we know exactly who is right in front of us leading the way.  It’s none other than Jesus.

In Deuteronomy 31, Moses is 120 years old.  He’s about to pass the mantle of leadership to his protege Joshua.  And the people he lead out of Egypt are about to walk into the promised land.  But before they do Moses has these words for them…

“So be strong & courageous!  Do not be afraid & do not panic before them.  For the LORD your God will personally go ahead of you.  He will neither fail you nor abandon you.”
Deuteronomy 31.6

What a great truth from scripture about our God.  The Lord goes before you.  He will never fail you or abandon you.

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Before you got out of bed this morning, Jesus was awake.

Before you went to work this morning, Jesus was on the way.

Before you stepped into that meeting, Jesus was present.

Before you set foot on campus, Jesus was there.

Before you walked up to the check out line, Jesus was waiting.

Before you…, Jesus was…

He’s already gone before you.  He’s prepared the way for you.  He’s at work creating spaces & places for you to live out of & into who He has called you to be.  He’s called you to follow Him.  And the only way you can truly follow Him is if He is out in front of you.

All week we’ve been singing these words in English & Spanish as we worship with our friends here in Mexico.  They come from the song “Whom Shall I Fear?” by Chris Tomlin, Ed Cash & Scott Cash.

I know who goes before me, I know who stands behind.
The God of Angel Armies, is always by my side.
The One who reigns forever, He is a friend of mine.
The God of Angel Armies, is always by my side.

Here’s the thing.  Before Jesus went before you today, He went before you years ago to another place He is calling you to go.  He came from Heaven to Earth. He came & dwelled among people just like you here on planet earth.  And then he went before you when He went to the cross.  Then He says, if you want to follow me, really, take up your cross & follow me.  He says, if you want to find your life, real life, abundant life, you have to lay your life down.

Paul reminds us of this simple truth in Ephesians 5.1-2 when he says, “Imitate God, therefore, in everything you do, because you are his dear children.  Live a life filled with love, following the example of Christ.  He loved us & offered himself as a sacrifice for us, a pleasing aroma to God.”

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Jesus laid his life down for you & for me.  And He’s calling you to lay down your life for Him & for others.  He promises if you lay down your life you will find it.  When you take up a cross then you become a follower.  Because He’s out in front carrying a cross, laying down His life still, leading the way for us.

God is with you.  God is for you.  God is in you.

He will never fail you.

He will never abandon you.

He laid down His life for you.

The challenge before you & I is simple yet profound.  How can we lay down our lives today for the sake of others?

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There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.  You are my friends… – Jesus
John 15.13-14