The Marks of Jesus
(Galatians 6:17-18)
There is a saying, "A tiger leaves its skin when it dies, but a person leaves their name." Many hope that, when they pass away, their name will be remembered with honor and blessing. As Christians, however, our focus should be on leaving behind not our own name or legacy, but the beautiful marks of Christ. Today's message reflects on the life of the Apostle Paul, a faithful servant of God, who throughout his life boasted only in Christ and left behind the marks of Jesus before ascending to his heavenly home.

1. The only boast of the Apostle Paul.
The Apostle Paul was once a leader in the persecution of the church and believers in Jesus. He stood by, approving the stoning of Stephen, the deacon who boldly proclaimed the gospel. As believers were driven out of Jerusalem by persecution, Paul even secured letters from the high priest to pursue and arrest them. However, while on his way to Damascus to persecute the church, he encountered Jesus, who appeared to him in a great light (Acts 9:3). This encounter completely changed his life. From that moment, Paul declared that he would boast in nothing except the cross of the Lord (Galatians 6:14), as he had nothing else to glory in. Similarly, those who have truly met Jesus no longer boast in themselves; instead, Christ becomes their only boast and the one they seek to emulate.

2. The marks of Jesus that the Apostle Paul bore.
　　　In the first century Roman Empire, slavery was widespread, and owners would often brand their slaves to mark them as their property. The Apostle Paul, who considered himself a servant of Jesus, confessed that he bore the marks of Jesus on his body (Galatians 6:17). For the sake of proclaiming the gospel of the Lord Jesus, Paul endured imprisonment, beatings, hunger, exposure to various dangers, and even came near to death after being stoned (2 Corinthians 11:23-27). His body bore the scars of these sufferings, which he described as the “marks of Jesus.” The path of the cross that we are called to walk is one marked by tears and suffering for Christ’s sake, a life lived for the gospel. Through this journey, we, too, bear the marks of Jesus in both body and spirit.
　　　
3. The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ
　　　God pours His grace upon those who bear the marks of Jesus in their lives (Galatians 6:18). Without the grace of our Lord Jesus, we cannot live - not even for a single day or hour. It is only through His grace that we can endure suffering for His sake and walk the path of the cross, accepting pain, loss, and hardship. As the Apostle Paul declared, “By the grace of God, I am what I am” (1 Corinthians 15:10). Like Paul, may we hold firmly to the Lord's grace throughout our lives, living with joy and gratitude, and may we strive to leave behind only the marks of Jesus