THINGS WORTH DYING FOR

Is there something in your life you would be willing to die for? Something so precious, so dear, that you would rather lay down your life than lose?

I’ve read about people like that. Prayer to God was more important to Daniel than being cast into a lion’s den. Faithfulness to God was more important to Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego than being thrown into a burning fiery furnace. Esther said, "If I perish, I perish." Preaching the gospel of Christ was more important to Stephen than being stoned to death, and loyalty to Christ on the part of James outweighed being beheaded. These folks had things they were willing to die for!

One of the most famous stories in Jewish history happened between the time of the Old and New Testaments. Antiochus Epiphanes attacked Jerusalem and tried to wipe out the Jewish faith. Antiochus’ men tried to compel an aged priest, Eleazer, to eat swine’s flesh, which for the Jew is unclean. The old man answered, "No, not if you pluck out my eyes and consume my bowels in the fire" (4 Maccabees 5:28). They bound him and scourged him until "his flesh was torn off by the whips and he streamed down with blood and his flanks were laid open by wounds." The soldiers were moved with compassion and one suggested that he should bring ordinary meat and that Eleazar should pretend that it was swine's flesh and should eat it and so escape. The old man refused the deception and in the end they burned him to death.

Question: If it became necessary, what things do you think are worth dying for? How about "the crown of life?"

Jesus said, "Be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life." John Gibson

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