Your Wish Is My Command

       

Alexander the Great and a small company of soldiers approached a strongly fortified walled city. Alexander, standing outside the walls, raised his voice and demanded to see the king. when the king arrived, Alexander insisted that the king surrender the city and its inhabitants to Alexander and his little band of fighting men. The king laughed, “Why should I surrender to you? You can’t do us any harm!” But Alexander offered to give the king a demonstration. He ordered his men to line up single file and start marching. He marched them straight toward a sheer cliff. The townspeople gathered on the wall and watched in shocked silence as, one by one, Alexander’s soldiers marched without hesitation right off the cliff to their deaths! After ten soldiers died, Alexander ordered the rest of the men to return to his side. The townspeople and the king immediately surrendered to Alexander the Great. They realized that if a few men were actually willing to commit suicide at the command of this dynamic leader, then nothing could stop his eventual victory. (Wayne Rice)

Think how much power Christ could have in our area with just a portion of such commitment.

Matthew 7: 21

Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.

Luke 6:46

"Why do you call me, 'Lord, Lord,' and do not do what I say?

Romans 2:13

For it is not those who hear the law who are righteous in God's sight, but it is those who obey the law who will be declared righteous.

As fictional as this story may be, it cuts straight to the heart.  These men were willing to die for someone, who within his own can do nothing for them, in terms of their salvation.  Christ will never lead us to our own deaths. Though we will be persecuted for His (Christ) name sake, we'll be richly rewarded in the end.  "True followers of Christ do not wait for truth to become popular.  They accept the cross, agreeing with Paul that "our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory" (2 Corinthians 4:17).  We should choose the right because it is right, and leave consequences with God" (The great hope, 63).  "Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven" (Matthew 5:10). Furthermore in John 14:1-3 Jesus states "let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.  And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also."  We have His promises to hang our hats on.  Our Lord is coming soon, all He's asking is for a little more patience and a little more faith.  Never be afraid in the face of death. Our Lord, Jesus Christ, has power over it all.