When brother James was in jail,[1] he
could see the jail, could see the prison walls, could see the chains, could see
the guards, could see his executioners coming for him, could see the sword,
could see that he was finished his work in the kingdom of God on earth. He saw
all that, but did not live by it.
Within that
appointment with martyrdom, James lived by faith in his Savior, Jesus Christ,
believing Jesus’ words, “I
am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet
shall he live”.[2] His sight told him he was about to die, but his faith told him he
would yet live because Jesus was his very resurrection and his life. If he had
resurrection and life in Jesus, then his impending execution would be his
entrance into paradise. Faith told him that, and so he endured what he saw with
joy in what was ahead.
Paul
put this into a beautiful expression when he declared, “For
to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.”[3] This was a wonderful example of faith. Even though Paul was in
prison at the time he wrote these words, aiming to comfort his brothers in
Christ who were concerned about his well-being, he was confident that for him, “to live is Christ”.
Because
Paul was living for Christ, and in Christ, his chains did not stop him from
declaring the joy of the gospel. He testified to his spiritual family, “I want you to know, brothers, that what has
happened to me has really served to advance the gospel, so
that it has become known throughout the whole imperial guard and to all the
rest that my imprisonment is for Christ.”[4]
In
other words, because Paul was under constant watch by the imperial guard, he
actually had a “captive audience” for sharing the gospel. These guards had come
to understand that Paul was not in prison for any crime against the law, but because
of Christ, or “for Christ”. Jesus had warned that his true followers would face
such persecution, and Paul’s prison comrades came to understand that this was
the truth about his situation.
My
point is that there will be things we see happening around us that may give
indicators of what we are facing in the moment, while our faith still rests
soundly on Jesus Christ and the promises of God. One man’s martyrdom was not
the end of the church. How could it be so when it was one man’s martyrdom, the
death of Jesus Christ, that brought the church to life in the first place?!
The
fact is that James’ martyrdom gives as much glory to Jesus Christ as Peter’s miraculous
release from jail just days later.[5] Jesus is worth dying for, and he is worth living for even under
constant threat of death.
What
all these thoughts came out of was a focus on Jesus’ two parables about the
treasure hidden in the field, and the pearl of great value.[6] Both tell the same story, that Jesus is of such great value to the
human soul that it is worth giving up everything else in life just to have him,
and the life that is in him. Knowing Jesus Christ in that way leads to the
obvious conclusion: “For me to live is
Christ, and to die is gain.” And that is how faith walks through life’s
sight-seeing adventure.
From
my heart,
Monte
© 2013 Monte Vigh ~ Box 517,
Merritt, BC, V1K 1B8 ~ in2freedom@gmail.com
Unless otherwise noted,
Scriptures are from the English Standard Version (The Holy Bible, English
Standard Version Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good
News Publishers.)
[1]
Acts 2
[2]
John 11:25
[3]
Philippians 1:21
[4]
Philippians 1:12-13
[5]
Acts 2
[6]
“The kingdom of heaven is like treasure
hidden in a field, which a man found and covered up. Then in his joy he goes
and sells all that he has and buys that field. “Again, the kingdom of heaven is
like a merchant in search of fine pearls, who, on finding one pearl of great
value, went and sold all that he had and bought it.” (Matthew 13:44-46)
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