Is it hard for you to lay down your life for others? To give “preference to one another,” as the Word says? To put your needs second rather than putting yourself first?
The manner in which Jesus, our supreme example, lived His life—and gave up His life for all—runs counter to all human reasoning. It flies in the face of the predominant human tendency to put our needs and our agendas above everyone and everything else.
Even so, this is the challenge Jesus places before each of us: laying down our lives.
A Familiar Passage
Dick’s comments: If you were to ask anyone—even a passerby on the street—to quote John 3:16, they could probably recite it fairly well. “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” But if you were asked to quote 1 John 3:16, could you do it?
This passage is somewhat a companion verse to the most famous verse of the Bible. It appears in the first letter from the same author, John, who penned the Gospel bearing his name. Here is the verse: “By this we know love, because He [Jesus] laid down His life for us. And we also ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.” (Other versions of the Bible render “brethren” as “our brothers and sisters” or “our fellow believers.”)
The logic of the verse is unmistakable. In gratitude for Jesus giving His life for us, what is the best way we can follow His example? By laying down our lives for others.
Our Reasonable Service
Philip’s comments: Dick and I were recently ministering in Argentina, and the theme for some of the services where we spoke was Romans 12:1. A major principle of that verse fits exactly with the topic of this letter. “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable [rational] service.” This means laying down our lives.
Once again, the logic is unmistakable. Paul even makes this point by saying that this is our “reasonable [rational] service” to the Lord. It makes total sense! What is the appropriate response to Jesus sacrificing His life for us? We lay down our lives for Him.
Practical Outworkings
Philip and Dick: In the remainder of Romans 12, Paul builds upon this concept of presenting “your bodies a living sacrifice.” In very practical language, the Apostle Paul teaches us the various ways we can respond in obedience, laying down our lives.
Paul sets the tone in verse 3 for what he will say throughout the rest of this chapter with a reminder to stay humble. He says every believer should not “think of himself more highly than he ought to think.” How does that apply to laying down our lives?
Clearly, if we are to follow the example of Jesus, who deliberately gave up all His rights—“His prerogatives as God’s equal” (as the Phillips version translates Phil. 2:6)—it will require an attitude of humility and selflessness on our part. Otherwise, we won’t be able to obey verses like Romans 12:10: “Be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love, in honor giving preference to one another.” We must lay down our lives!
The Love Connection
In one of the messages from week three of a radio series on “The Love of God,” Derek Prince makes a vital connection. In his final segment called “Love Lays Down Its Life,” Derek establishes the link between love and laying down our lives.
In my talk today I’m going to share with you another distinctive aspect of love’s behavior. This is stated for us, first of all, in the New Testament by Jesus Himself. The aspect of love’s behavior that I’m going to speak about is summed up in this phrase—love lays down its life.
Jesus Himself set the pattern, and He gave it as a commandment to His disciples. It is stated in John chapter 15:12 and 13 (NIV): “My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.”
First of all, we need to see that for us as Christians, love is not an option. It is not something we can decide whether we wish to do or not. There are many things in the Christian life which are optional. We may or may not do them. But love is no option. For those who accept Jesus as Lord and Savior, love is a command. Jesus says, “My command is this: Love each other.”
Also, the degree and the kind of love we are required to have is not left to us to decide. Jesus set the pattern, and He has never authorized us to change it. “Love each other.” How or how much? Jesus says, “. . . as I have loved you.”
That is the command. “Love each other as I have loved you.” In the next verse, He goes on to explain the way love will act. “Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.”
So, the essence of this kind of love is that it lays down its life.
Asking for Help
To accomplish what we are proposing in the theme of this letter, we definitely need the Lord’s involvement. It doesn’t come naturally for us, so we need to ask Jesus for His supernatural help to humble ourselves and lay down our lives. Let’s ask Him now.
Dear Jesus, we give thanks to You for Your willingness to come to the earth, take human form, live a life of service and sacrifice, and finally die on the cross as the supreme act of Your love. You laid down Your life, and we thank You!
We understand now that the appropriate response to Your example of sacrifice and humility is for us to do the same. Lord, we readily recognize that it is totally contrary to our way of thinking to do this. We need Your help, Jesus.
Please forgive us for our pride and egotism in thinking of ourselves more highly than we ought, and for expecting special treatment. By Your grace, we commit ourselves to giving all that up. Help us to lay down our lives. Amen.
We Can Count on the Lord
We can have great confidence that the Lord has heard our cry for help. When we come to Him in humility, admitting our weakness, He is quick to respond and help us.
All of us at Derek Prince Ministries want to be of help to you as well. This matter of laying down our lives is not easy for any of us, so we need all the encouragement and help we can get. We would suggest that a great initial source of inspiration for you will be “The Love of God,” the full week of messages from which we took Derek’s quote.
Providing this and other great teaching from Derek Prince is the core purpose for the work we do here at DPM. It is not only our job. It is our joy to partner with you in your spiritual growth. Please request this great series, knowing that we are glad to provide it for you—just one small way to thank you for your prayers and support.
‘Tis the Season
We haven’t forgotten that we are in December, the month in which we celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ. His coming to earth changed history forever. Hallelujah!!
In Luke 4:18–19, the prophetic passage from Isaiah 61 which Jesus used to announce His ministry, we read some of the reasons why He came. He was anointed to preach the gospel to the poor, to heal the brokenhearted ones, to proclaim liberty to the captives, to give sight to the blind, and to bring deliverance to all who are oppressed.
All this Jesus did—and so much more. Even so, as much as we celebrate His coming in this season as our Messiah and our Lord, performing marvelous, miraculous works throughout His life, we must remember the real reason He came. Ultimately, Jesus came to lay down His life as a sacrifice for all humanity. We see this so clearly from His own words, spoken in Mark 10:45: “For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.”
Jesus spoke these words to His disciples as they were arguing over who would be the greatest among them. The Lord quickly reminded them that the greatest would be the one who would be willing to serve and give up his life—just as He did.
What is the mandate Jesus gives to each of us? We must lay down our lives.
Sincerely in Christ,
Philip Wyns
President, DPM-USA
All the best,
Dick Leggatt
Executive Consultant/Senior Editor
