Soft

"Then he called the crowd to him along with his disciples and said: “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me and for the gospel will save it. What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, yet forfeit his soul? Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul? If anyone is ashamed of me and my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will be ashamed of him when he comes in his Father’s glory with the holy angels.”
Mark 8:34-38

Mogos Hagos Kiflom was a Christian in the country of Eritrea (a small North African country bordering Sudan). He was a house church leader in a predominantly Sunni Muslim area. Mogos was unjustly arrested and placed in the vile Mitire Military Confinement Center. His crime - simply being a follower of Jesus. I've used the past tense in my description of brother Mogos, because he is no longer with us. Mogos was tortured to death after countless requests to recant his faith were unsuccessful.

Unfortunately, stories like Mogos' are not unusual in our world. In fact, I recently heard it said that more Christians were martyred for the sake of Christ this past year than any year in the history of the world - including Nero's Rome!

I suspect that Mogos' friends and family, and the brothers and sisters of his house church would likely read Jesus' words above in a slightly different way than most of us North American Christians. To deny oneself and to carry the cross of Jesus is very much a call to endure the same physical suffering as Christ should the LORD require it. For many North Americans to deny oneself and to carry the cross of Christ is merely to turn down a prime Sunday AM tee time at the local course and attend the local church with stadium seating instead.

For many persecuted Christians, when Jesus says, "whoever loses his life for me and the gospel will save it," they truly know that they may be asked to actually die for the sake of Jesus and His gospel. For most North American Christians these words are often spiritualized and sung without thought on Sunday AM.

For many persecuted Christians, when Jesus asks - "What good is it for a man to gain the whole world and forfeit their soul?" They would answer, well, that's not good at all. We are just passing through this world which is not our home. The things of this world are insignificant in the grand scheme of things. For most North American Christians, we do our best to have our cake and eat it too - we endeavor to gain the whole world, our soul, and heaven as well. We work very hard to hold on to the things of this world as if we were meant to spend our eternity here.

Now, admittedly, I've been a little harsh on North American Christians today (of which I am one). Some might say, I've portrayed us to be a soft, unfocused lot, particularly in comparison to our persecuted brothers and sisters in the rest of the Church. Rightly or wrongly, I'll let you be the judge.

I suppose that I read these words of Christ this morning and was left challenged. How easy it is to gloss over them. I want to be a follower of Jesus in every sense. I want to carry my cross and follow Him. I don't want to follow only when it's convenient for me or comfortable.

Where we in the church today seem to do everything we can to make following Christ seem as easy as possible to seekers, true discipleship (as required by Jesus) is incredibly difficult - in fact, it costs your life.

Please spend some time praying today for our persecuted brothers and sisters throughout the world.

www.persecution.com

be God's, Scott