Last weekend was Dare 2 Share, a youth conference designed to help teenagers know and share their faith. The theme was "Survive," focusing on the return of Christ and what we need to do as Christians to be ready for that return.
As I sat there on Friday night during the drama, watching Christians get imprisoned and murdered for their faith, I couldn't help but know that this is what is going to happen. Being a Christian will not only be unpopular, but it will be it illegal.
In 9th grade, I saw a frame sitting on my language arts teacher's desk. It said, "If being a Christian was illegal, would there be enough evidence to convict you?"
Do you attend church? Do you read the Bible? Do you pray? Do you tithe? Do you serve? How do you spend your time? Do you have joy? compassion? self-control? peace? love?
But ultimately, the world will want to know if you are a follower of Christ. And they will just put a paper in front of you with the word, "Jesus" on it. And below will be two check boxes: yes or no. And you will choose.
In 1999, Rachel Scott was put on her knees and was asked this question with a gun to her head at Columbine High School in Colorado. She answered yes. And she lost her life.
Or did she?
Matthew 16:25 says this, "If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake, you will save it." (NLT)
The world can mock you, arrest you, imprison you, judge you, hurt you, even kill you. We saw that happen with Jesus Christ. But like we saw 3 days later with Jesus, God can bring you back to life.
That is what it means to survive.
-NW
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