“I assure you: Unless a grain of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains by itself. But if it dies, it produces a large crop. The one who loves his life will lose it, and the one who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. If anyone serves Me, he must follow Me. Where I am, there My servant also will be. If anyone serves Me, the Father will honor him." John 12:24-26
It seems I am being inundated with the idea of risk and suffering. It seems that everything I have read in the past few months is pointing towards the principle of suffering for the gospel. But, before we can suffer for the gospel we must be willing to risk for the gospel.
I believe that safety and security are good things. I have five children and I find it an achievement that I can provide for them. However, you can make an idol out of anything. Several years ago I left the pastorate to return to prison ministry. My greatest fear had been of being involved in a forced termination. The church in America has terminated far too many ministers for trivial reasons. To avoid any chance of a forced termination I sought a safe place to do ministry. Ironically, I found the safest place to be prison - hahaha! However, after a year long process of working through some tough spiritual issues I sense that I have taken something that was a good thing - safety and security for my family - and turned them into an idol. An unhealthy spirit of fear had consumed my life!
I have spend time this year reading books like Risk is Right by John Piper, Follow Me by David Platt, Ten Who Changed the World by Daniel Akin, The Insanity of God, and The Insanity of Obedience.
These books have challenged me in a new found manner. Are we willing to put EVERYTHING on the line to see the gospel advance EVERYWHERE? Or, has the western mindset so invaded our lives and way of thinking that we have been convinced that our possessions, wealth, safety, security, and health are more important than the expansion of the Kingdom of God.
I believe that Satan is using the conveniences, freedoms, and wealth of the west to lull us into dismissing our need to go to the nations or in my case to be willing to serve in the face of risk. I am struck by this comparison - many have been willing to sacrifice their lives for the gospel and I haven't been willing to have crummy insurance, a smaller salary, or face a forced termination.
According to the passage above we must die - sometimes to our flesh - sometimes physically - to see a spiritual harvest. But, for sure we must hate this life. I think most in the west have become complacent with our "stuff." We see all that is important to us, but if we were to compare it to the worth of changing the world it isn't even important stuff. In reality or in a biblical sense, the things we find so important in this world are really junk, trash, rubbish.
Would you risk your life for the gospel? Are you willing to sacrifice, suffer, face persecution, or even death for the advancement of the gospel and the expansion of the Kingdom of God. I am reminded of a thought in The Insanity of God...He called us to go...He didn't say we were to come back.
If you can read the stories of Carey and Judson and are not moved to wanting to see the world exposed to the gospel...well, you might need to check your spiritual condition. The nations need to hear, your neighbor needs to hear, your family needs to hear...and we must be willing to sacrifice all to afford people the chance to hear.
I am growing in my willingness, through faith, to risk whatever God desires. I am confident that God is sovereign and when He speaks we must be willing to hear His call and respond in an affirmative way - whether He calls us to go overseas or across the street.
