We’re all alive but we’re heading for death. When we take our first breath, we are inching toward our last. We know we’re on a collision course with the grave. It’s a fact of life and death. Every day we’ve been given to live is a gift to live for Christ. If we live for anything else, are we even truly living?
As believers, we are called to die to ourselves. That death can be very painful as we dislodge our desires from God’s. When we turn our life of self indulgence over to following God, the shackles fall off. When we turn our backs on sin, we gain everlasting life. When we allow our personal desires to be replaced with God’s will, we live in surrendered peace. When we die to ourselves, we live only for God.
And whatever you do or say, do it as a representative of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through him to God the Father. Colossians 3:17
Paul had been thrown into a prison in Rome. Oh. He hadn’t committed any crimes and he hadn’t been formally charged, but he found himself in prison anyway. There had also been a death threat against Paul because of his teachings. And those who disagreed with his teaching that Jesus had risen from the dead were replacing truth with doubt when they told their story in the courtroom. They were calling him a troublemaker, but they didn’t charge him with any crimes. They knew he wasn’t guilty of any crime but they wouldn’t set him free. By keeping him locked up, the Roman leaders thought they were appeasing the Jewish leaders. And Paul wouldn’t take a lesser plea just to get out of prison.
Paul knew he was unlawfully placed in prison. He knew he was being wronged, and he suffered for someone else’s wrongdoing. But his faith didn’t waver. He preached the gospel to governors who kept him locked up for years. He proclaimed his innocence when others tried to hijack his case. He even shared his testimony in front of a king who claimed he was out of his mind. He demanded to face trial in front of Caesar. That’s how he found himself in Rome. He had appealed to the highest court.
Paul didn’t fear death, because his hope was in Jesus Christ.
For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. Philippians 1:21
I recently watched a short video where a man who searches for truth said that most people will do anything to survive. They’ll survive at any price. So he asked what was the right price to accept to remain alive. He asked. Is it ten million dollars? Twenty million? One hundred million? Then the next sentence he said stunned the audience. He said that if you are a truthteller, the price must be your life. Otherwise, you are for sale. And if you are for sale, then you’re not looking for the truth.
This man said that if I follow my conscience, I may die. But I can lie, and I will live. Truthtellers are strong. Liars are weak. Courage is contagious and intimidating at the same time. To those who are willing to take up the badge of courage, there are as many others who are afraid of those who speak truth. So have no fear. If your life is your price, then take pride in that fact but let it humble you at the same time.
And he’s right. If we can be paid off for keeping silent about the truth, then we’re not really looking for the truth. We’re looking for safety. We’re looking out for number one. Ourselves. But if the price is our life, then we’re willing to forfeit all we have to do the right thing. Telling the truth is costly. Oh. Not always. But in today’s world, the truth is spun so fast that what spills out looks nothing like truth. And it isn’t truth. It’s lies manufactured to make you safe and to put others out of the reach of safety. When if the truth were told, it would be the other way around. Your life could be at risk and others would be saved.
We know that death is not defeat to the Christian. The result of death is a win for those whose sins have been wiped clean. Death ushers forgiven souls into the presence of Jesus Christ for eternity.
Consider Daniel’s three friends. When commanded to bow before an image of the king, they refused. They said no. They would bow only to the God of the universe. So when they were given a second chance to bow, they still refused. Their punishment? They were thrown into a fiery furnace where the flames leaping out killed the ones tossing them in. But God honored their faithfulness, and they survived. Before being thrown into the fire, they said they would not recant their faith in God even if they didn’t survive the fire. Their faith was their priority in life and in the possibility of death. Their life was the price they were willing to pay for truth.
Read the story of Daniel’s friends in Daniel 3.
There was a life that was sold. Except the owner of the life didn’t make the financial exchange. It was one of his twelve closest followers. This follower was obviously living on the fringe. And in a moment of utter weakness, he approached the enemy and offered the life of the man he called Lord. And he sold that friendship for thirty pieces of silver. And when the guard came to collect their prize, Judas kissed Jesus on the cheek as a sign he was theirs for the taking.
Oh. The man who received the kiss knew the betrayal was coming. He knew his life was on the line. During the three years of his ministry, he spoke the truth plainly but eloquently to anyone who would listen. And he offered to them free of charge the gift of salvation and eternal life. It was his physical life that was on the line, though, as the sacrifice for the gift he offered. And as he hung on the cross, he paid the ultimate price. The truth of his message wasn’t silenced by his death. It spread like wildfire around the world, and it’s still spreading today.
The loss of the physical life of Jesus was our gain. Jesus’ death on the cross paved the way for our sins to be forgiven and our worth redeemed. Jesus paid it all. All to him I owe.
You can find the story of Judas Iscariot’s betrayal of Jesus in Luke 22:47-53.