July 28
DebDay 136: Death to Self
I'm not a fan of persecution. Especially if the persecution is directed toward me.
Suffering I know, as do you. I am currently having a physical reaction to a pharmaceutical I am taking. Having had enough of this personalized version of suffering, I am choosing today to discontinue the daily dosages. I am choosing to endure one discomfort to eliminate another.
But none of us run toward persecution; persecution that results from no other reason than singular allegiance to Jesus.
We would all rather do what our neighbors do - indulge ourselves for glory. We fear missing out on something fun, or the upgraded next new thing.
In contrast to any time in the previous history of Christianity, we are the self-pampered ones. We are systemically comfortable. And we defend our comfort with our lives.
There is no visible reason to persecute us, the now comfortable ones. Our lifestyle poses no threat. Our beliefs may even appear indiscernible from anyone else's.
In John 12:24-26, the words of Jesus would say otherwise. "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit. Whoever loves his life loses it, and whoever hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. If anyone serves me, he must follow me; and where I am, there will my servant be also. If anyone serves me, the Father will honor him."
Jesus is referencing the death He would endure. He calls us to do the same. Follow Him. Die. For life, for Him, for ourselves and potentially others.
We western world Christians know how to talk the talk. We know, at least in part, how to do church - up to the point that it becomes inconvenient. We give verbal ascent to Kingdom mission - until it demands sacrifice. At which point we come to a dead stop.
This is why Jesus said, in Matthew 7:21, "Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.'"
What is the Father's will. That we die. To self.
The Father wants us to, both internally and externally, evidence the family resemblance.
Isaiah 66:2 tells us, "All these things (heaven and earth) my hand has made, and so all these things came to be, declares the LORD. But this is the one to whom I will look: he who is humble and contrite in spirit and trembles at my word."
Humble and contrite (in response to our sin and God's holiness.) And trembles at His Word (that tells us we must die to self.)
I don't like suffering. I certainly do not invite persecution, physical, verbal, emotional or otherwise.
But I've been called to die to self - to regard Jesus over my desires to avoid suffering and persecution, to seek comfort, to live undetected.
To die to myself, in order to be absorbed with Jesus; to allow the Holy Spirit to use me to put the future on display in advance.
And to allow people to see in me a glimpse of the Kingdom of Heaven.
All it requires is my death. My death to self.
-Mike Rydman, Lead Pastor, Radiant Church | Juneau
