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Accepting Martyrdom

We are still in the season of Easter as we await its culmination in what is known as Pentecost. There is another event in the Church which we commemorate at the forty-day mark of the Easter season where many denominations recall the “Ascension” of Jesus Christ.

Mark 16:19-20, “After the Lord Jesus had spoken to them, he was taken up into heaven and he sat at the right hand of God. Then the disciples went out and preached everywhere, and the Lord worked with them and confirmed his word by the signs that accompanied it.”

This event marked by the Church is also stated in the Apostles’ Creed: “…He ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of the Father.” When Jesus ascended to Heaven after rising from the dead, He promised us that we would never be left all alone here on earth to “fend for ourselves.” We have the Holy Spirit of God always with us.

John 14:16, “And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever….” We will never be left alone. However, we better not get too comfortable as this doesn’t mean that we can grab an ice-cold lemonade and go kick back on the hammock or in the recliner as if God is going to do all the work. We are given the Holy Spirit in order for us to do our share of work to advance the Kingdom of God and to spread the Gospel.  

We must give witness to the world that Jesus is the Son of God. John 15:26-27, “He will bear witness on My behalf. You must bear witness as well.”  Jesus expects us to welcome the Holy Spirit to empower us to bear witness for Him. Acts 1:8, “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

When we witness for Jesus, we will increase the possibility of leading many to Christ which, in turn, transforms the world. However, not everyone will accept our witness. Some will reject Jesus and reject us. Some will even persecute us by expelling us from our churches and possibly even putting us to death.

John 16:2, “They will put you out of the synagogue; in fact, the time is coming when anyone who kills you will think they are offering a service to God.”  By doing these horrible things to us, they will proudly and falsely claim they are actually serving God in the process.

The word in Greek for “witness,” which originally meant “someone who testifies in court,” came to be the word for “martyr.” So when we are born again and receive the Holy Spirit, we become, by definition, witnesses, that is, “martyrs.”

Perhaps, there could be a Christian who might want to be filled with the Holy Spirit, but not want to “go all the way” to be a martyr. However, the two concepts go together. The cost of Easter, the Resurrection, Ascension, and Pentecost is the cross of martyrdom. We may stubbornly wish to just have the Spirit without the cost, but that will leave us losing both. Refusing to be a martyr can suppress the Spirit’s work in our life which is something we should not do. 1 Thessalonians 5:19, “Do not stifle the Holy Spirit.”

As the Easter season concludes and we look forward to the celebration of “Pentecost” let us commit ourselves and decide to be a martyr-witness. Live a life of confession, pardon, and forgiveness so that you can receive and welcome the Holy Spirit to be empowered for living in ways that are glorifying to God the Father.

Philippians 1:29, “For you have been given not only the privilege of trusting in Christ but also the privilege of suffering for him.” Colossians 1:24, “I am glad when I suffer for you in my body, for I am participating in the sufferings of Christ that continue for his body, the church.” Let us be powerful witnesses by accepting our martyrdom.

 

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