The Glory of the Cross

The proconsul charged and commanded Andrew not to teach and preach such things any more; or, if he did, he should be fastened to the cross with all speed.
Andrew, abiding in his former mind very constant, answered thus concerning the punishment which he threatened: "I would not have preached the glory of the cross if I had feared the death of the cross."

...Andrew, going toward the place, and seeing afar off the cross prepared, did change neither countenance nor colour, neither did his blood shrink, neither did he fail in his speech, his body fainted not, neither was his mind molested, nor did his understanding fail him, as it is the manner of men to do, but out of the abundance of his heart his mouth did speak, and fervent charity did appear in his words as kindled sparks; he said, "Oh cross, most welcome and long looked for! With a willing mind, joyfully and desirously, I come to thee, being the scholar of Him which did hang on thee: because I have always been thy lover, and have coveted to embrace thee."

This quote comes from a old and dusty book sitting up on my shelf. As old as the printing is, the date it was written is much older. It is Foxe's Book of Martyrs. And the quote speaks of Andrew, the brother of Peter and the disciple of the Lord.

I heard some disturbing information concerning a law that is about to be passed in another country. In effect the law says that any Christian who stands up for his or her belief in the truth of the Bible in a certain matter will spend 3-5 years in prison. More than this, if you pay a visit to http://www.persecution.com/ you will hear many, many stories of the same nature all around the globe this very day.

I think that we as comfortable, safe Christians in our free country may have become too far removed from the dividing line the Gospel is in this world. We've become that Laodicean church in Revelation that was strongly reprimanded for their "lukewarmness." We're not hot or cold. We're nothing. We live in a bubble. And all around us the bubble is getting smaller and smaller. Am I giving myself and my children the opportunities to come to terms with that? Do I think I'm already in Heaven, and there are no more battles to be won? What made me think that God owes me all the luxuries of life and I owe Him nothing?

I have always glamorized the martyr's role in my mind. I thought of it with excitement, reveling in the thought of giving my life for Christ. But now that reality seems to be setting in, I am not so sure. I never thought of the possibility of having to go to prison. I never thought of having to watch my children make these choices. I never stopped to think of all the people that might not make the right choice. I never stopped to think that it would be hard for me to make it, because I never honestly believed that I might have to.

But even as I write these words, I see that I am thinking only in human terms. The Holy Spirit that indwelt the believers all through the ages who gave their lives for Christ lives right here, in this room, in my being. And if the time comes, even when the time comes that I am called to the stand and put on the spot of saying what the world wants to hear or what God says is truth, I trust that the Savior will be standing beside me, his hand in mine, smiling his assurance and transmitting his peace.

How else could Andrew have said what he said? How else could Andrew have died as he died?

Lord, let us truly see the glory of the cross.