Victory In Death

Just like any little boy born since the 1940s, I grew up a fan of superheroes. They had super strength and super speed, and they were always there to protect the people of their city. The only way to really be a superhero was to be selfless and put others before yourself, and a true example of this kind of selflessness was none other than Captain America. He fought Hitler. He wore the red, white, and blue, and had a really cool shield made out of an indestructible metal called vibranium that would come back to him no matter where he threw it.

But to really understand the man, you’d have to see who he was BEFORE he donned the stars and stripes. Growing up in New York City, Steve Rogers was an undersized and feeble man. He dealt with all kinds of physical and health issues, but he still wanted to serve his country and fight the nazis in the war. Unfortunately, despite multiple tries, he was consistently denied entry into the armed forces. That was….until he met a scientist named Dr. Abraham Erskine, a German refugee who had created a serum that could turn a man into a super soldier. In order to keep that from the evil nazi regime, he escaped to the US. Upon meeting Rogers, Erskine asked him to be part of a program that would give him the opportunity to serve his country.

Steve began training with other soldiers who were in the program and consistently underperformed. He just didn’t have the strength or the athleticism of the other men. One day, during a training exercise, Col. Chester Phillips was talking with Dr. Erskine about how pathetic Stever Rogers was and stated, “You win wars with guts.” then proceeded to pull the pin and throw a hand grenade into the midst of his soldiers. Immediately, all the soldiers ran for cover….except one. Rogers, in an instant, jumped on the grenade and told everyone to get back. Luckily for him, the grenade was a dummy grenade used for training purposes, otherwise, he would’ve surely been dead. That didn’t deter him from serving his fellow soldiers, though. He was more than willing to lay his life down to protect those around him and serve his country.

“Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.”
Jn 15:13.

These were the words of Jesus as he told his disciples that he considered them His friends. Considering most of us know what was going to happen shortly after this on that cross, it shows the intense amount of love Jesus had for his friends. How many of us, given the opportunity, are willing to lay our lives down for others? Would we shrink back? Could we pay the ultimate price? This kind of sacrifice can only come from one place….love. That’s why Jesus surrounded this sentence with a lesson on love for his disciples.

“This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do what I command you. No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you. You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you. These things I command you, so that you will love one another.”
John 15:12–17

This whole section of scripture really makes you feel good about the mission we have, and it’s covered in love. How much better could that be? Jesus has given His disciples the knowledge given to Him by His Father. He has passed down all He knows to these men, and now they are to go teach others, so that they may abide in God. It sounds so easy; that is, until He continues the conversation.

“If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. Remember the word that I said to you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they kept my word, they will also keep yours.”
John 15:18–20

Hold up a second! Jesus is saying that we’re going to be hated and persecuted? This doesn’t have that rainbows and butterflies feeling anymore. Truth be told, to follow Christ means you have a willingness to endure the flaming arrows that Satan will heave your way, and he will do it using people. When you speak the truth of Christ in love, there will always be people who will not accept it, and they may even reject you as a result. Can you stand up against that? Are you willing to lose your popularity to further the cause of Christ? This IS the call of the disciple.

“If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.”
Matthew 16:24–25

Imagine today if someone told you that you would need to pick up your electric chair and follow them, or your noose, or your guillotine. You’d probably look at them as though they were crazy. However, that’s essentially what Jesus is saying. He’s telling them that the world will hate them, and hate them so much that they may be put to death. Are you willing to make the ultimate sacrifice? Christian literally means “little Christ.” This means we are to walk, talk, and act like Jesus. Do not fear though. 

“I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”
John 16:33

Hope is one of the greatest tools of the Christian. It is with hope that we continue on in hard times. It is with hope that we realize this world is not our home. (John 15:19) This hope tells us that death is not the end, it is only the beginning of an eternity with God. With that hope, we can boldly go forth with the willingness to lay it all on the line, because our greatest victory is in death.