Today would have been Trey’s 8th birthday. As important as April 13, 2006 was for Trey, the most important date in his life, was January 8, 2013, which was the day he gave his life to Jesus Christ and asked Jesus to be the “boss of his life.” So while we grieve today, we also rejoice, knowing that Trey is in presence God! He suffered temporarily on earth, but now he lives in the glory of heaven for all of eternity. HALLELUIA!!!
The sermon that I’m preaching today is in his honor, and may be one of the most important messages I’ve ever given. Pray that I will be able to clearly communicate all that God has put on my heart. I want to be like the Apostle Paul was said, “Lord, I want to know You and the power of Your Resurrection and the fellowship of Your suffering.” Many people want the crown without the cross…they want resurrection without the crucifixion…and it just doesn’t work that way. Just as Jesus’ crucifixion had to happen, in order for His Resurrection to happen, so does a Christian have to take up their cross and die to self, in order to truly live! In others, following Jesus always involves some level of trial, suffering, and cost. But as James said, “Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, for when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life.” If we want to share in Christ’s glory, we must share in His sufferings.
Trey was an example of this to me, but Christ is my ultimate example! Lord, today be glorified! I’ll leave you with this passage…my ultimate reminder today:
“But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us. We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies. For we who live are always being given over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh. So death is at work in us, but life in you. Since we have the same spirit of faith according to what has been written, “I believed, and so I spoke,” we also believe, and so we also speak, knowing that he who raised the Lord Jesus will raise us also with Jesus and bring us with you into his presence. For it is all for your sake, so that as grace extends to more and more people it may increase thanksgiving, to the glory of God. So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.” (2 Corinthians 4:7-18)
pastorjfreeman 