Holy Courage

"What is worth dying for?"

One of my sons asked me this question one day as he grappled with life's meaning and what and where to dedicate his life energy to.

I felt like I was on 'Stump the Chump'. The weightiness of that single question did not baffle me...it made me think...seriously think, of what is really worth laying down your life for. "I'll get back to you on that one." I wrestled with that one question for months. I had to be sure that my response matched my own willingness.

"They arrested the apostles and put them in the public jail." (Acts 5:18)

"They made then appear before the Sanhedrin to be questioned by the High Priest." (Acts 5:27)

"When they heard this, they were furious and wanted to put them to death." (Acts 5:33)

"They called the apostles and had them flogged. Then they ordered them not to speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go. The apostles left rejoicing because they had been counted worthy of suffering disgrace for the Name." (Acts 5:40-41)

As personal witnesses of the universal grace of God on display through the Cross upon which Jesus became the Atonement Sacrifice, validating His Lordship and power by being resurrected from the grave, and beholding His ascension into the very heaven from which He came...these 'ordinary' men knew exactly what was worth living and dying for. They staked their lives on making known Jesus as the Christ to their countrymen. They knew full well that the fury of the jealous religious aristocracy awaited them after every act of their obedience to the powerful message of redemption entrusted them went on full display in the lives of those made 'whole'.

These men lived in joy...but also in danger. They lived on assignment, but also under threat. They rejoiced in the awesome grace of God, demonstrated in power and accompanied with the miraculous, and knew that from the very stairs of the national House of Worship they would be arrested, jailed, maligned, beaten and commanded to 'sush'! The 'Name' was worth it all! The 'Name' of the Great 'I AM', Jesus Himself, was being communicated as the God of nearness who offered His own self as the single most supreme act of love ever demonstrated, (read Romans 5:8 for more on this) to every heart and household in every generation for all time, (look at Hebrews 10:11-18 for a more full explanation of this very fact).

This was a message that each apostle, (and many Christians to come) would lay down their own life for before compromising their commission or closing their mouths.

Whatever a person lays down their life for will take courage...in this case, more than a human resolve and beyond the fortitude of true grit kept the apostles moving forward with the full knowledge that they were under a death warrant by their non-compliance. The souls of men were at stake. Could they possibly even consider obliging misguided and intimidated authorities?

"For the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many." Mark 10:45

When you are willing to offer yourself to the God who created you and then redeemed you...that is your act of followship...and it is joyful...but will cost you. It may cost you friendships. It may cost you promotions. It may cost you family. It may cost you comfort. It may cost you advancement, pleasures and the respect of your peers. It may, and very soon...cost you your very life. If you can rejoice in the midst of such threat as you make Him known by your lifestyle and conversation, by your values and choices, by your speaking of the 'Name'...you have Holy Courage.

Stay on assignment today. After all, if is costs you 'everything', being with Him is 'so much better'. And...there are many others full of holy courage and speaking the 'Name' as well.