He who saves his life will lose it, but he who loses his life will live
(2 Corinthians 4:10-11)


Everyone without exception prefers to live rather than die. But there is a principle that surpasses our thoughts. This principle is that if we seek to live we die, and if instead we die to ourselves then we live.

1. The three men who rebelled against the king’s order to worship an idol
1) Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego’s rebellion and the king’s wrath (Daniel 3:13-18)
2) The fourth person who appeared in the pit of fire, Jesus (Daniel 3:22-30)

2. Daniel who was prepared to die to honor God
1) Daniel’s trial (Daniel 6:10, 16)
2) The incident of the lion’s den (Daniel 6:19-23)

3. Jesus who died to save us
1) Jesus, who did not want to die (Matthew 26:38-39, 27:46, Hebrews 5:7-9)
2) If you lose your life you live, if you seek your life you die
-The suffering of the cross, well of eternal life (Mark 10:45, John 12:24, John 4:14)
3) In order to live eternally we must die with Jesus (2 Corinthians 4:10-11)

The cross of Jesus is truth and life. We must die to live, and if we only seek to live then we will surely die. By joining in the death of Jesus, we also follow in his resurrection so that we may live forever.