“Here and Now” (Revelation 8:6-12)

Boiling Frog Syndrome 
Have you heard of the boiling frog syndrome? It describes a frog slowly being boiled alive. The premise is that if a frog is placed in boiling water, it will jump out, but if it is placed in cold water that is slowly heated, it will not perceive the danger and will be cooked to death. Some biologists say the premise of the story is not literally true. However, regardless of the behavior of real frogs, the boiling frog story is useful as a metaphor in many ways.

C. S. Lewis warns Christians of the subtlety of the methods used by Satan in seeking to recapture them in his snare in his book The Screwtape Letters. In one letter, senior devil Screwtape advises his nephew Wormwood to avoid anything that would hurry a man he has been tempting to awaken to a sense of his real position. Screwtape explains that the man “must be made to imagine that all the choices which have effected this change of course (carrying him out of his orbit around the Enemy [God]) are trivial and revocable.” He adds that he is almost glad to hear that the man is still a churchgoer since “(a)s long as he retains externally the habits of a Christian he can still be made to think of himself as one who has adopted a few new friends and amusements but whose spiritual state is much the same as it was [before].”[1] Screwtape then concludes his letter as follows: “Indeed the safest road to Hell is the gradual one – the gentle slope, soft underfoot, without sudden turnings, without milestones, without signposts.”[2]

Trumpet Visions 
Today’s passage, in fact the entire Book of Revelation, is written to awaken the church – particularly awaken sleeping Christians who have grown too comfortable with this world and its values. Today’s passage, the first four trumpet visions, somehow reminds us of the Exodus plagues in the Old Testament.[3] The first trumpet brings hail and fire, mixed blood. The second trumpet sees a great mountain burning with fire… thrown into the sea, and a third of the sea becomes blood. The third trumpet makes a great star fall on the waters, which become wormwood and poisoned water. With the fourth trumpet, the light of the sun, moon, and stars is darkened. Here we see these trumpet judgments patterned after the plagues of Exodus. So then, what was the purpose of the Exodus plagues? The ultimate purpose of the plague signs was that God should be glorified. Through the ten plague signs God punished Egyptian’s false gods and idols, and let them know that God alone is the Lord (cf. Ex. 7:5). In the same way, through the trumpet judgments God strips away false security, earthly security, temporary security, and awakens sleepers – both believers and unbelievers. By this, some of them will be awakened, repent, and come back to God, so that God may gain glory.

The Call to Repentance 
So today’s passage is a wakeup call to repentance. Why did God bring his judgment on Egypt over a series of the plagues, rather than just once for all? It was because God was patient and he wanted them to come to repentance (cf. 2 Peter 3:9). At first, there were some who were sitting on the fence. They thought they believed in God, and at the same time, they enjoyed what Egypt was offering. But as God brought his judgment one by one, they had to choose. Either they ought to repent or they ought to harden their hearts. In a similar way, in Revelation God brings a series of the plagues, trials, and tribulations, rather than one big final judgment. Why? Because God is patient and wants all to come to repentance. As Jesus opens each seal, and as the seven angels blow each trumpet, everything becomes crystal clear. And there are only two groups of people left on the earth – either those who are marked with the seal of God, or those who have the mark of the beast. It would become impossible to stay in the gray zone. Either we repent, or we harden our hearts.

The trumpet visions, along with many other visions in Revelation, are not literal, but figurative. We need to remember that the trials and tribulations written in today’s passage are executed throughout various parts of the world at all times. In other words, the trials and tribulations in Revelation happen today. So every time trials come, it’s a wakeup call for us to repent in our own lives. We may not see hail and fire, mixed with blood, but we may see the slow deterioration of mind and body. We may not see a great mountain burning with fire and the sea becomes blood, but we may see the pains of a growing cancer. We may not see a great star fall on the waters, and the waters become wormwood, but we may see ourselves become a burden for our family and friends. We may not see the light of the sun is darkened, but we may see ourselves forgetting recent events and the names of visitors. When we see these trials, it’s time for us to wake up and repent.

Then, what does repent mean? It means to “turn around” – to turn from “my ways” and turn to God wholeheartedly. There is a mime on “turn around”: A man was straining to open one of the three doors in the room where he found himself. He pushed and pulled at the doorknobs, but none of the doors would open. Then he kicked with his feet against the wooden panels of the door, but they didn’t break. Finally, he threw his full weight against the doors, but none of them yielded. It was a ridiculous, yet very hilarious sight, because the man was so concentrated on the three locked doors that he didn’t even notice that the room had no back wall and that he could simply walk out if he would only turn around and look![4] Often we find ourselves so occupied with many things and worry about many things until they wound ourselves. But God stirs up our nest and says, “Turn around, and follow me! Set your heart on my kingdom. I will make you fish for people!”

Nevertheless at Your Word 
One day Jesus came, stirred up Peter’s nest and said, “Put out into the deep water and let down your nets for a catch.” And Peter said, “Master, I have worked hard all night and caught nothing. Nevertheless at your word I will let down the net.” And this time his nets were so full of fish they began to tear! When Peter saw this, he said, “Leave me, Lord! I am a sinful man!” Then Jesus said to him, “Don’t be afraid. From now on you will catch men.” And as soon as he landed, he left everything and followed Jesus (Luke 5:4-11). This is what repentance looks like. A repentant heart is a childlike heart – a humble, teachable heart. A repentant heart says “YES” to God’s new invitation, new possibilities each morning and follow him with joy and gratitude. So today when we hear God’s voice, when we see God stir up our nests, let us wake up and repent. Let us look at our lives from above. Let us turn around and follow him with singing:

Lord, you have come to the lakeshore
Looking neither for wealthy nor wise ones;
You only asked me to follow humbly.
O Lord, with your eyes you have searched me,
And while smiling have spoken my name;
Now my boat’s left on the shoreline behind me;
By your side I will seek other seas.

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[1] C.S. Lewis, The Screwtape Letters (Harper San Francisco, 1996) 57-8.
[2] Ibid. 60-61.
[3] G. K. Beale, Revelation: A Shorter Commentary (Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co. 2015), 171.
[4] Henri J. M. Nouwen, Here and Now: Living in the Spirit (The Crossroad Publishing Company, 1994) 60.

“Why Pray?” (Revelation 8:1-5)

An Unfamiliar World 
We have studied a third of the Book of Revelation so far. To many of us, Revelation is a difficult book. It is filled with bizarre images, symbols and numbers. We see angels and demons, lions and lambs, horses and dragons. Seals are broken, trumpets blown, and the contents of seven bowls poured out on the earth. Some of us may have found it fascinating, some may have been confused, and some have been lost. But although it’s a challenging task to understand, we just cannot neglect this book, because it is the revelation of Jesus Christ, given by God to his servants (1:1). In other words, the Book of Revelation is as important as, as God-breathed as the four Gospels.

The Book of Revelation is given to us, to open the eyes of our hearts, so that we may see things from heavenly perspective, and so that we may live as citizens of heaven, God’s people, children of God. So far we have learned something about the church, worship, suffering, security, and so on. And today’s theme word is “PRAYER.” What is prayer? Why pray? Or why not pray? One of the top reasons people don’t pray is because they don’t believe that prayer makes any difference. But today’s passage does bear witness to the power of the prayer. Before diving into the text, I would like to show you a skit about what payer really is: Lord's Prayer Skit

Real Talk with God 
Prayer shapes us. At first, we are the ones who shape our prayer. But then as we pray, as we really talk with God, prayer begins to shape us. Prayer changes us. Prayer transforms our lives.

So why pray? The primary purpose of prayer is not to change the circumstances. The primary purpose of prayer is to change us. Prayer changes us, so that we may become more like Christ. Prayer changes us, so that we may truly and fully abide in Christ, and Christ in us – “oneness with Christ.” That’s the ultimate purpose of prayer. Fanny J. Crosby’s hymn, “I Am Thine, O Lord,” says it all:

I am thine, O Lord, I have heard thy voice,
and it told thy love to me;
but I long to rise in the arms of faith
and be closer drawn to thee.

Draw me nearer, nearer, blessed Lord,
to the cross where thou hast died.
Draw me nearer, nearer, nearer, blessed Lord,
to thy precious, bleeding side.

The more we pray, the closer we are drawn to God. The more we really talk with God, the more we become like Him. In today’s passage we see the prayers of all the saints are answered. Their prayers are written in 6:10: “Sovereign Lord, holy and true, how long will it be before you judge and avenge our blood on the inhabitants of the earth?” They cried out for God’s justice and righteousness here on the earth. And finally, the time comes when God brings his justice and judgment. The prayers of the saints have been heard. But that’s not the end. In Revelation 19-22 they are then invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb. And they shine like the sun and reign with Christ. Most importantly, they are united to Christ forever and ever.

Like the saints in Revelation, today we cry out to God, “How long, O Lord? Will you not revive us again, that your people may rejoice in you?” “How long? Will you not save my family, my children, my grandchildren, so that they may rejoice in you?” “How long? Will you not heal my disease, so that I may rejoice in you?” Yes, God hears our prayers – but not necessarily on our terms in our time. But much more importantly, as we pray, God changes us. God draws us closer and closer to Him, so that we may abide in him, and he in us.

The Exchanged Life[1] 
As I close, I would like to share the story of Hudson Taylor, a missionary to China, because this past week I was greatly encouraged and able to learn what prayer really is and why pray through the life of Hudson Taylor.

Hudson Taylor was a man of prayer. Every time he was troubled, he prayed. When doors of ministry didn’t open, he prayed. When the riots occurred where he served, he prayed. When he suffered from poor health and depression, he prayed. When he lost the sweetest and brightest 8-year-old daughter Gracie, he prayed. Although he always prayed, his prayer was mainly centered on his immediate needs and petitions – prayer for healing, deliverance, perseverance, breakthrough, and so on. But it was kind of one thing after another. In fact, his life situations seemed to get more and more difficult. His own position became continually more and more responsible.

Mr. Taylor eventually reached the point where he felt he was far beyond his ability to endure. He cried out to God for faith. But it didn’t come. His heart was heavy and his soul was weary. Around that time God used a man named John McCarthy who wrote a letter that transformed Taylor’s life. The letter said: “How does the branch bear fruit? Not by incessant effort for sunshine and air… it simply abides in the vine, in silent and undisturbed union, and blossoms and fruit appear as of spontaneous growth… But how to get faith strengthened? Not by striving after faith, but by resting on the Faithful One.” While Taylor was reading the letter, he experienced the scales of his eyes removed. He said, “As I read, I saw it all! I looked to Jesus, and saw and when I saw, oh, how joy flowed!” His life changed – from a life of praying hard to a life of abiding in Christ. Mr. Taylor called it the exchanged life – the life that is indeed “No longer I, but Christ lives in me!”

Mr. Judd, another missionary colleague, said, “Mr. Taylor was a joyous man now, a bright happy Christian. He had been a toiling, burdened one before, with latterly not much rest of soul. It was resting in Jesus now, and letting Him do the work - which makes all the difference. Whenever he spoke in meetings after that, a new power seemed to flow from him, and in the practical things of life a new peace possessed him. Troubles did not worry him as before. He cast everything on God in a new way, and gave more time to prayer. Instead of working late at night, he began to go to bed earlier, rising at 5 A.M. to give time to Bible study and prayer (often two hours) before the work of the day began.”

At the end of the book Mr. Taylor says that the hardest part of a missionary career is to maintain regular, prayerful Bible study. He says, “Satan will always find you something to do.” He commends his fellow Christians (and us) to take time – to be silent, listen, wait on God, to read God’s word, and to pray God’s word. And he concludes with the following words:

There is a needs-be for us to give ourselves for the life of the world. An easy, non-self-denying life will never be one of power. Fruit-bearing involves cross-bearing. There are not two Christs - an easy-going one for easy-going Christians, and a suffering, toiling one for exceptional believers. There is only one Christ. Are you willing to abide in Him, and thus to bear much fruit?[2]

So why pray? My prayer is that as we pray, we may experience the wonderful exchanged life – a life of abiding in Christ and Christ in us – that God may get the glory. “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me” (Gal 2:20, NIV). Amen.

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[1] Dr. and Mrs. Howard Taylor, Hudson Taylor's Spiritual Secret, 142-52
[2] Ibid., 226.

“Worthy Is the Lamb” (Rev 7:9-17)

Who Am I?

Who are you? What defines your identity? On what foundation are you building your sense of self? Perhaps you identify yourself by your lineage or ethnicity, by your gender or age, or by your health condition. Perhaps you define who you are by your personality types, by your political stance, or by your job history. But in each case, they are like looking at yourself in distorting mirrors. Your true identity is who God says you are. To be precise, through the Bible, the God the Creator, tells us who we really are.

Last week we learned from Revelation 7:1-8 that we, the Church, are the true Israel – the 144,000. And the two implications are: (1) we are the sealed people of God, and (2) we are the army of God. Now in today’s passage, Revelation 7:9-17, John sees the same community of God, the Church, from a different perspective. In verse 9 he describes the church in this way: “After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands.” Then, the Bible does zoom in to identify who the great multitude is in verse 14: “These are the ones coming out of the great tribulation. They have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.” According to today’s passage we can define our Christian identity in two ways.

“Great Tribulation”

First, Christians are those coming out of the great tribulation. What image comes to your mind, when you hear the phrase, “great tribulation”? Many of us have a tendency to think the great tribulation is yet to come. We believe that it’s something people would experience in the end times, but not in our times. But in fact, when Paul uses the word “tribulation,” 21 times out of 23 it refers to a present reality. In other words, the Bible identifies the entire church age, including our present age, as the time of the “great tribulation,” though the forms may vary.

The Book of Revelation, particularly from chapters 13 to 18, exposes the three different forms of the great tribulation, that is, physical persecution, intellectual/materialistic false teaching, and moral compromise. First, the beast out of the sea represents a persecuting power (13:1-10). This beast is given power to persecute the church. Then and now, many of the Christians brothers and sisters have been facing physical persecution, enduring. Second, the beast out of the earth represents false prophets (13:11-18). This beast looks like a lamb, masquerading as a counterpart to Christ the Lamb. And he deceives and leads many astray by performing miracles and makes them worship the first beast. This beast has many different names in different times, including Gnosticism, pragmatism, humanism, materialism, and so on. Third, Babylon the prostitute represents moral compromise (chs. 17-18). She is described as “the great city.” The kings of the earth have committed adultery with her, and she gets drunk with the blood of the saints. These are the devil’s three strategies: physical persecution, intellectual false teaching, and moral compromise. In every church age Christians face this great tribulation.

In our context the devil’s tactics today are mainly intellectual and moral. Earlier I mentioned about several “–isms,” such as, pragmatism, humanism, and materialism. They have one thing in common. “Self” is at the bottom. So the purpose of life is my happiness. The foundation of life is my well-being: I believe in “useful” God. I accept Jesus, so that I can to go to heaven. I worship God, so that He may give me peace and joy. I do good works, for it makes me feel good. I serve God and get involved in religious service, for God will do me good. In all of this, God is a means to an end. And at the bottom of all this there is self – making much of me. The devil makes Christianity all about me – my happiness, my well-being, my feelings, etc. Christians today are called to battle against this false religion and be faithful. Christians are those coming out of this great tribulation. This is the first Christian identity.

“In the Blood of the Lamb”                                            

The second is that Christians are those who have washed their robes in the blood of the Lamb. How can we, Christians, keep our way pure and holy in the midst of all this tribulation? How can we win the fierce battle against the devil’s subtle but powerful attacks? How can we be delivered from ourselves? Referring to the Second World War, Chuck Colson notes that “many soldiers died to bring about the victory in Europe. But in the Kingdom of God, it was the death of the King that assured the victory.”[1] Our victory rests on the finished work of Christ. We keep our way pure, we win the battle, we are delivered from ourselves, by the blood of the Lamb! Christians are those who have been justified and made righteous in the blood of Jesus. So we worship Christ, because He deserves our worship. We do good works, because it pleases Christ. We love Him, obey Him, and serve Him, simply because He is worthy to be loved, and obeyed, and served! Here at the bottom there is Christ – making much of Christ.

There is one particular sermon, that I read over and over again. I keep it in my sermon folder. Its title is “Ten Shekels and a Shirt” based on Judges 17 and 18, preached by Paris Reidhead. In that sermon he shares his story when he went to Africa as a missionary. He didn’t think it was right for anybody to go to Hell without a chance to be saved. So he went to give poor sinners a chance to go to heaven. But once he got there, he realized that they had no interest in the Bible and no interest in Christ, and they loved their sin and wanted to continue in it. So pastor Paris just wanted to quit and come home. One day he poured out his heart before God, then he heard God say, “I didn’t send you to Africa for the sake of the heathen, I sent you to Africa for My sake. They deserved Hell! But I love them! And I endured the agonies of hell for them! I didn’t send you out there for them! I sent you out there for me! Do I not deserve the reward of my suffering? Don’t I deserve those for whom I died?” That changed everything. Pastor Paris said, “I was there not for the sake of the heathen. I was there for the Savior who endured the agonies of Hell for me. But He deserved the heathen, because He died for them. My eyes were opened. I was no longer working for the happiness of man, but I was serving a living God.”[2]  

Worthy Is the Lamb!

Why should we come to the cross? Why should we come to worship God this morning? If the answer is, because we will get joy, or peace, or blessing, or victory (though we will have them), then that means we are still at the bottom and we love to be made much of. But from today’s passage we clearly see why Christians come to the throne and worship the Lamb. It is simply because He is worthy! They obey Him, love Him, and serve Him day and night in His temple, because He is worthy! So for Christians, the bottom of their joy is Christ and His glory, and making much of Christ. That’s the difference – what’s at the bottom.

Two young Moravians heard of an island in the West Indies where an atheist British owner had 2000 to 3000 slaves. The owner had said, "No preacher, no clergyman, will ever stay on this island. If he's shipwrecked, we'll keep him in a separate house until he has to leave, but he's never going to talk to any of us about God. I'm through with all that nonsense." Three thousand slaves from the jungles of Africa brought to an island in the Atlantic, there to live and die without hearing of Christ. Two young Germans in their 20's from the Moravian community heard about this island. They sold themselves to the British planter for the standard price for a male slave and used the money they received from their sale to purchase passage to the West Indies. The Moravian community came to see the two lads off, who would never return again, having freely sold themselves into a lifetime of slavery. As members of the slave community they would witness as Christians to the love of God. Family members were emotional, weeping. Was this extreme sacrifice wise? Was it necessary? As the ship slipped away with the tide, the young men saw the widening gap. They linked arms, raised their hands and shouted, "May the Lamb that was slain receive the reward of His suffering!"[3]

“Worthy is the Lamb who was slain,

to receive power and wealth and wisdom

and might and honor and glory and blessing!”

“To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb

be blessing and honor and glory and might forever and ever!”

Amen.

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[1] Craig S. Keener, Revelation (The NIV Application Commentary Book 20, Zondervan), 248.

[2] Paris Reidhead, “Ten Shekels and a Shirt,” HeavenReigns.com

[3] Ibid.

“Israelites R Us” (Revelation 7:1-8)

The Eagle Story

A story is told of a man who found an eagle’s egg. He put it with his chickens and the mother hens. Soon the egg hatched. The young eagle grew up with all the other chickens. Whatever the chickens did, the eagle also did. He thought he was a chicken, just like them. Since the chickens could only fly for a short distance, the eagle also learnt to fly a short distance. He thought that was what he was supposed to do. So that was all that he thought he could do. And that was all he was able to do. One day the eagle saw a bird flying high above him. He was very impressed. “Who is that?” he asked the hens around him. “That’s the eagle, the king of the birds,” the hens told him. “He belongs to the sky. We belong to the earth – we are chickens.” So the eagle lived and died a chicken, for that’s what he thought he was.

I shared this story because the main point of Revelation is about who we are meant to be in Christ and how we are supposed to live as God’s people. So my prayer is that as we study the Book of Revelation, God may open the eyes of our hearts, so that we may see things from heavenly perspective and begin to live eternal, abundant life as God’s people now!

Who Are the 144,000?

Today’s passage, Revelation 7, is an interlude between the 6^th and 7^th seals. And it’s also an answer to the question, “Who is able to stand God’s wrath?” at the end of chapter 6. So the answer is the 144,000 who are sealed out of every tribe of the people of Israel. Then, who are the 144,000? Here the numbers are symbolic, rather than literal. As we continue to read the second half of the chapter 7 (vv. 9-17) and also chapter 14, we find that the 144,000 represent the entire people of God through the ages. Multiplying the 12 tribes in the OT by the 12 apostles in the NT equals 144. Then, multiplying that figure by 1,000 reinforces the notion of completeness.[1] The 144,000 are the church of all ages, including our church. In chapter 7 John sees two visions – the vision of the 144,000 of Israel sealed (1-8), and the vision of the great multitude from every nation (9-17). At first sight they seem to be two distinct groups, but in fact, both are the same community of God. In other words, Israel is the church from every nation in every age. Israel is us. The implication is this: the story of Israel is not just the history of Israel, but it’s our story. Today’s passage, the vision of the 144,000 of Israel, is all relevant to us, to our life today. But how is it relevant?

The Sealed People of God

The first implication is that we – Christians, the true Israel, the church – have spiritual protection from all kinds of sufferings and persecutions. In verse 3 an angel says, “Do not damage the earth or the sea or the trees, until we have marked the servants of our God with a seal on their foreheads.” God doesn’t promise physical security for His people, but He does promise their spiritual protection. God sustains, upholds, protects the believers’ faith and salvation. God has protected the 144,000 from the previous six disasters, and he will protect them from the seventh seal and its coming judgment. Psalm 91 says to the 144,000, God’s people, “You who live in the shelter of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty… A thousand may fall at your side, ten thousand at your right hand, but it will not come near you.” (1, 7) Psalm 37:24 also says, “Though we stumble, we shall not fall headlong, for the Lord holds us by the hand!” (24) This is who we are, and who we are meant to be in Christ!

Regarding the seal of God, one of the best images I’ve found in the Bible is the image of the Passover. In Exodus 12 God commanded the Israelites to take the blood of the lamb and put it on the doorposts, and said, “The blood shall be a sign for you on the houses where you live: when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and no plague shall destroy you when I strike the land of Egypt” (13). Just as God protected the Israelites from the 10 plagues because of the blood of the lamb, God will protect the church from all evil, all harm, all danger, because of the blood of Jesus both now and forever. In verse 13 the Bible tells us who the 144,000 are from a different perspective: “These are they who have come out of the great ordeal; they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.”

O the blood of the Passover Lamb
Is applied to the door of my life
No power of darkness could ever withstand
The force of the blood sacrifice
Though Satan will bring accusations
I let him know right where I stand
For now there is no condemnation
I’m under the blood of the Lamb

I’m under the blood of the Lamb
That covers the guilt of my past
By the mercy of God,
holy and righteous I stand
I’m under the blood of the Lamb
I’m safe and secure from the enemy’s plan
No weapon formed against me will stand
I’m under the blood of the Lamb!

Remember you are safe and secure under the blood of the Lamb!

Soldiers of Christ

The second implication of being the 144,000 is that we are called to be soldiers of Christ. In verses 4-8 the census is taken from 12 tribes of Israel. In the Old Testament the purpose of the census was to organize a military force to do battle. So those numbered in verses 4-8 are the army of God. We are called to be soldiers of Christ. What does it mean to be a soldier? In 2 Timothy 2:4 Paul says, “No one serving in the army gets entangled in everyday affairs; the soldier's aim is to please the enlisting officer.” So the soldiers of Christ have one aim. It is to please Christ. That’s our aim. That’s the church’s aim.

Our next question is about the manner of our fighting. How do we battle with the enemy? How do we conquer the world? The answer is “by suffering,” because that’s the way Jesus conquered the world. Christ bore our sins and purchased our forgiveness – and he did it by suffering (1 Peter 2:24). Christ defeated death – and he did it by suffering death (Heb 2:14-15). Christ disarmed Satan – and he did it by suffering (Col 2:14-15).

The Call to Suffer

Paul says to Timothy, his spiritual son, as follows, “Join me in suffering like a good soldier of Christ Jesus” (2 Tm 2:3). Paul also says to the Philippian Christians, “I want to suffer with Christ, sharing in his death” (3:10).

Perhaps some of you may remember the film Braveheart. It’s based on the life of William Wallace, who led the Scots in the first independence war against England. Before the battle, William Wallace made a battle speech in front of those in fear and trembling: “Sons of Scotland, I am William Wallace… I see a whole army of my countrymen here in defiance of tyranny. You have come to fight as free men, and free men you are. What would you do with that freedom? Will you fight?... Aye, fight and you may die. Run and you'll live – at least a while. And dying in your beds many years from now, would you be willing to trade all the days from this day to that for one chance, just one chance to come back here and tell our enemies that they may take our lives, but they'll never take our freedom!!!”

Friends, we are meant to be free men and women in Christ. That’s who we are. The Bible says Christ came to destroy the devil who holds the power of death and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death (Heb 2:14-15). And now, we are called to be soldiers of Christ and suffer with him. Then, what does it look like sharing in his sufferings? What does it mean? Though various forms are possible, in essence it means to choose Christ at any cost whenever we are called upon to choose between anything in this world and Christ. It means to treasure Christ above all things, above home, above security, above family, above comfort. By doing this, we suffer. But our Lord Jesus Christ promised that we are safe and secure by his blood forever. So let our hearts be stirred by Paul’s battle speech: “Join me in suffering like a good solider of Christ Jesus. No one serving in the army gets entangled in everyday affairs; the soldier's aim is to please the enlisting officer.” Amen.

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[1] G. K. Beale, Revelation: A Shorter Commentary (Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co.), 149.