Love Has a Name

This day and age it seems that everyone is looking to fight for something, believe in something and in some instances even die for something.

To be a martyr is not common in the west but in reality there are people all over the world who are executed everyday because of what they believe. To put it more accurately, WHO they believe in!

Jesus tells us in Matthew 10:22 “You will be hated by everyone because of me, but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved.”

In an even more pointed way Jesus tells us in the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 5:10-11:

¹⁰ “Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. ¹¹ “Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. ¹² Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.”

That is pretty clear to me! When I looked back on these verses as a young Christian and now as a person in full-time ministry overseas (ministering to unbelievers, new believers and some older believers) I find myself answering this question: Why would people die for Jesus?

This culture today is about self-preservation, fulfilling self and living to the extreme for as long as possible. Yet, there are people who, myself included, were transformed by the love of Christ and the power of the Holy Spirit. Giving up comforts of life, money, fame and power, in order to believe and become a disciple of Jesus Christ.

BUT WHY!? In my ministry in Southeast Asia I have been seeking an answer that is relevant to today’s youth, easy to understand and still powerful enough to penetrate the hearts and souls of people to whom I minister. It was an incredible reminder for myself as well.

The answer for me came while in the midst of a month long gospel reading marathon. A mentor of mine suggested that I read an entire gospel, everyday, in its entirety for 30 days. This would mean in 30 days I will have read each gospel 7.5 times. Let me tell you, 2 weeks in I was not as enthusiastic to sit for 1.5 or 2 hours and read the same words over and over.

However, the Holy Spirit once again revealed to me the true humanity of the cross of Jesus Christ and why it is that people are able to relate to and ultimately die for Jesus.

The answer to the question above was obvious yet profound. Why would people die for Jesus? The answer… JESUS! This appears on the surface to be a conundrum. Let me expand.

Philippians 2:1-11 shows us that in verses 7 & 8.

Jesus “... emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. ⁸ And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.”

Jesus left heaven in order to reconcile us. He appears on earth and born in a barn in a village, not in a palace where kings and royalty would be born. He gave up limitlessness in order to be limited as a man.

On the contrary Jesus, being full man and fully God, takes the position as a servant and comes to earth, lives a life in perfect harmony with the Father and shares with us, men and women, how to live and how to receive eternal life. Jesus also tells us as mentioned before that we will be ill-treated, beaten and persecuted for faith in Him.

This is an odd promise by an all-knowing and powerful God is it not? It may seem this way to those who do not yet believe, but for myself I see this as truth and freedom. I am not attempting to live or meet a standard that God himself has not first met. He did it, he lived it, he died for it and for us.

Jesus died for me. Jesus died for you. This is not a story, not a parable, not a metaphor. A man, our God, lost his life and was beaten, spat on and ridiculed publicly in order to make a way for us to be reunited with the Father and have eternal life.

Jesus asks us to believe in him and the One who sent him and that this may, most likely will, cause us to be persecuted. However Jesus does not simply come to earth to tell us this, he walks it out.

Our God, Jesus Christ, walks the walk and talks the talk. He was willing to suffer and die a brutal death so that we had an example but also faith and trust that he is who he says he is.

We see in the Gospels that Jesus appears to many people after being resurrected and as a result we know that life after death is possible. Our body may be killed but our soul can be saved. We should not live in fear of man but in fear (reverence and awe – not terror) of God who can destroy both body and soul. (Matthew 10:28)

Would you die for someone who told you and promised you eternal life, yet was unable to achieve this same thing himself? I doubt I could. But knowing Jesus personally, I know that he did and he died for me.

He received eternal life and now offers it to you and to anyone who will believe in the Son of Man. (John 3:16 paraphrased)