The Post I'm Afraid to Write.

If anyone wants to come after me, he must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it.

Mark 9:34-35

These verses have been popping up left and right in the last few months. It was the key verse of day 3 at camp, as well as the theme of Alpha Phi’s Bible study this semester. The Lord has beat me over the head with it countless times to point out the ways I need to die daily. Die to pride. Die to fear. Die to my own desires.

I’ve been reading a lot lately (no surprise there), and interestingly enough, everything I’m reading revolves around the theme of death. “Through Gates of Splendor”, which tells the story of Jim Elliot’s death while preaching the gospel in a remote village in Ecuador. Foxe’s Book of Martyrs, an exhaustive list of the persecutions of the early church. Acts 7, which details the stoning of a Christ Follower named Stephen. See a pattern here? It all leads me to a rather intimidating question:

What if He calls me to actually die, not only to myself, but a literal, physical death?

The first time I read the story of the Apostle Andrew, it literally moved me to tears. Though Andrew is one of the lesser mentioned disciples, he was known as “the inviter”, as he was constantly inviting others, including Peter, to meet this man named Jesus. During one of many persecutions in Rome following Christ’s ascension, Andrew was called before Aigeatis, the governor of Patros, to be reprimanded for preaching the gospel. When told to renounce his teachings or face death by crucifixion, Andrew confidently responded, “I would not preach the gospel of the Cross of Christ with such fervor if I was not willing to die on a cross of my own.”

So much for being the quiet guy in the background. Andrew was taken to be executed, where he continued to preach the gospel for three days until he died. Foxe tells us that many heard his teaching from the cross and believed.

The single greatest passion of my heart is the story of the Cross of Christ. But am I prepared to die for this message if thats what the Lord calls me to? I can honestly think of no better way to go. Its a difficult request to make, because human instinct makes us want to keep living. Its only natural. Father, make me willing if that’s what you want.

I could die for this cause, and you might be the reason.