The Mystery

“Then Jesus said to His disciples, 'If anyone desires to come after Me, let Him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it. For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul? For the Son of Man will come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and then He will reward each according to his works.' " (Matthew 16:24-27)

"When He had called the people to Himself, with His disciples also, He said to them, 'Whoever desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake and the gospel's will SAVE it.' "(Mark 8:34,35) "For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words in this sinful and adulterous generation, of him the Son of Man also will be ashamed when He comes in the glory of His Father with the holy angels."(Mark 8:38)

"Then He said to them all, 'If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will SAVE it.' "(Luke 9:23,24)

“But Jesus answered them, saying, 'The hour has come that the Son of Man should be glorified. Most assuredly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it produces much grain. He who loves his life will lose it, and he who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. If anyone serves Me, let him follow Me; and where I am, there My servant will be also. If anyone serves Me, him My Father will honor.' " (John 12:23-26)

"To me, who am less than the least of all the saints, this grace was given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ, and to make all see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the ages has been hidden in God who created all things through Jesus Christ; to the intent that now the manifold wisdom of God might be made known by the church to the principalities and powers in the heavenly places, ACCORDING TO THE ETERNAL PURPOSE WHICH HE ACCOMPLISHED IN CHRIST JESUS OUR LORD, in whom we have boldness and access with confidence through faith in Him.” (Ephesians 3:8-12)

Paul writes that "God, by revelation, made known to me (him) the mystery, by which, when you read, you may understand my (his) knowledge in the mystery of Christ." (Ephesians 3:3,4)

Paul understands the mystery because he was good ground for the seed of His words: a hearer and a doer! It is a mystery how one loses his life, for Christ's sake, to save it. But the Father will show you if you are willing to ask.