Something Worth Dying For

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This is a message that relates to the International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church. Using a slogan that was recently launched by the Nike Corporation in an advertising campaign, this sermon focuses on much more important issues than "selling athletic shoes." Are we Christians who are sincere enough about our faith to die for it? 

Romans 5:8 ^(NKJV) But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

Introduction:

An international corporation recently launched an advertising campaign with a slogan that reads:

(MONEY magazine website) Sports agents with experience negotiating corporate contracts for football stars tell MONEY Kaepernick’s deal could be worth millions of dollars a year — which is unique because he isn’t actually playing in the NFL.

So, a serious question arises: “Just how much how much did Colin Kaepernick sacrifice?”

Based on what I’ve read, some people feel that he has been shunned by the NFL owners and teams because of the controversy, and therefore he has “sacrificed a job in the NFL because of what he believes.” 

Is it really a sacrifice though; to land an advertising gig worth millions? Is it really sacrifice to get all the media attention he has received?

Is it really a sacrifice for Nike? MONEY mag article estimates that Nike/Kaepernick received about $43 million worth of media coverage.

Somehow, the slogan in this ad rings a little hollow. 

What about some other examples that do a much better job preaching the message?

John 15:13 ^(NKJV) Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one's life for his friends.

The men and women of the armed forces have literally put their lives in jeopardy and, in some cases, surrendered their lives for the safety and security of their beloved country.

Nike may not have chosen a soldier to advertise their product, but in my opinion, every soldier has exemplified the Nike slogan far more than any athlete has.

Next Sunday is Veteran’s Day and we will pause to give some recognition to them in our worship service next week.

Another example of one who exemplifies the slogan far better than any athlete is Jesus Christ.

Hebrews 12:2 ^(NKJV) looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. 

This text and others in the NT demonstrate the willingness of God’s Son to enter our world and lay down His life, so we could be redeemed. He believed in the value of saving a lost world, even though it meant sacrificing everything.

Consider what Jesus sacrificed for our salvation.

Php. 2:6-8 ^(NKJV) who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, ⁷ but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. ⁸ And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross. 

He sacrificed the glory of heaven to come to earth.

He sacrificed the approval of men to teach the truth.

He sacrificed His own life and shed His blood to save our souls from hell.

Persecuted Christians represent the slogan well also. 

 

This photo represent converts being baptized in a country where there is a real risk of being persecuted for their faith.

These people chose to be baptized even though for many of them it will mean sacrifice of safety, comfort and perhaps even life itself.

Luke 14:33 ^(NKJV) So likewise, whoever of you does not forsake all that he has cannot be My disciple. 

(Uganda) Malik and his wife were thrown out of his family’s house after he told them they were Christians. But he refuses to return to Islam, even though his father has offered to let them re-join the family if he would do so. Malik was a Muslim for a long time, but he struggled to understand Muslim traditions. When an evangelist shared the gospel with him, Malik readily accepted Christ. He kept his Christian faith to himself at first but eventually told his family. They immediately began to threaten the couple, even telling his wife’s family they would kill her. Finally, the couple was thrown out of the family home, and they left everything behind. Since then, Malik has been growing in faith. “Malik is doing major progress as a Christian,” a VOM worker said. Pray that Malik and his family will remain strong in faith. (His mother also has later come to faith in Christ.)

This couple is just one example of those who continue to believe in something, even though it costs them everything.

They all need our support and prayers.

Do you and I believe is something strongly enough that we still believe even though it may cost us everything?

People say they’re willing to die to keep their Bibles, yet they go days and weeks without opening it.

People say they’re willing to die for the right to pray, yet they aren’t willing to sacrifice food or sleep to intercede for the lost.

People say they’re willing to die for the right to assemble for worship, yet they allow the smallest thing to keep them from meeting with their brothers and sisters in God’s family. 

It is no longer astounding to hear some of the excuses people use to absent themselves from God’s house.

Let’s face it friends, far too many of us have said we’re willing to die for things that we cannot even be counted on to do anymore.

Is it only athletes who are willing to “believe in something, even if it costs everything?”

Is it only Christian believers living in restricted nations who are willing to “believe in something, even if it costs everything?”

What about you and me? 

Have we found something to believe in to the extent that we are absolutely willing to sacrifice everything in order to live according to our beliefs?

Conclusion:

Today, the first Sunday of November, is the annual day of prayer for the persecuted church.

After we sing our closing song, we are going to close with prayer, and we want to especially remember our brothers and sisters in the faith who are suffering today because of their commitment to Jesus.

Our closing song is: Stand Up, Stand Up for Jesus.

For most, if not all of us, our decision to serve Christ hasn’t really cost us much. But it may become more costly if the trends in our society keep going the way they seem to be going.

Are you willing to stand up for Jesus?