How often pulpits mistake the call of Christ as they declare:
"Come to Jesus to receive every great thing that life has to offer!"
What does Scripture TRULY tell us Christ offers?
Suffering...persecution...rejection.
His call to those who desire to serve Him?
"Take up your cross..."
The CALL of CHRIST was not to FILL our COFFERS of SELFISHNESS...setting up EARTHLY KINGDOMS which are DOOMED for DESTRUCTION.
The CALL that beckons us is not one of EARTHLY GAIN which will keep us evermore HAPPY...it is a call that TRANSFORMS us to be evermore HOLY.
In so doing...we discover the call to DENY ourselves...to count everything as LOSS that we might know the RICHES of Christ found only in Jesus.
No, Church...Jesus is not calling us to DWELL in COMFORT...He is calling us DIE at the CROSS.
"To live is Christ, and to die is gain."
"Life more abundantly" is not a promise of MORE THINGS to keep us HAPPY on EARTH...but it is a promise of ETERNITY if we will FORSAKE the THINGS of EARTH.
You see...Jesus does not offer us more LIFE on EARTH...but He offers ETERNAL LIFE through Him.
Why?
This EARTH will one day PERISH...and all who set up their KINGDOMS here will find they were so busy purchasing WORLDLY building materials that they forgot to plan for "retirement"...known as ETERNITY.
One day...if we are faithful...we will exchange our CROSS for a CROWN.
Sadly...many in the Church will arive at the ticket booth of Heaven without the PRICE of ADMISSION.
If you want to WEAR a CROWN...then you must BEAR the CROSS.
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