Luke 18:28-34 – Promise and Death

Our Lord holds out to believers a glorious and satisfying promise. This is a promise for all who make sacrifices for Him. He promises that the believer will find in Christ the equivalent of anything he has to give up. He will find such peace, and hope, and joy, and comfort, and rest, that his losses will be more than made up for by his gains. Our Lord is no man’s debtor. If we lose anything for Christ’s sake, Christ will make it up to us even in this present world.

Jesus makes a very clear prediction about His own death. He knows that His death is the main reason He has come into the world. He is to give His life as a ransom for many, taking our place, bearing the punishment for our sins, giving His body and blood for our life. The love of our Lord Jesus Christ for sinners is shown in His steady purpose of heart to die for them. All through His life He knows that He is about to be crucified. But He never swerves from His path for a moment. This love is beyond understanding, and we can rest on that love without fear. If Christ so loves us before we think of Him, He will surely not stop loving us after we have believed.

The calmness of Christ in contemplating certain death should be a pattern to all His people. The man or woman that has faith in the Lord Jesus has no reason to be afraid of the grave. For us Christ has overcome death – it is a conquered enemy.

The disciples do not understand what Christ is talking about, but even today we are surrounded by those who do not understand or value Christ’s death. For the Christian though, Christ crucified is the foundation of our own hopes, and Christ’s atoning death for sin is the life of our souls.

Questions
1. What promise does Christ make?
2. Why should the believer have no fear of death?

Prayer Points
1. Give thanks that Christ has conquered death.
2. Use prayer points from your congregation.
3. Pray for family matters.