Matthew 16:21-28
Matthew 16:21–28 (ASV)
21From that time began Jesus to show unto his disciples, that he must go unto Jerusalem, and suffer many things of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and the third day be raised up. 22And Peter took him, and began to rebuke him, saying, Be it far from thee, Lord: this shall never be unto thee. 23But he turned, and said unto Peter, Get thee behind me, Satan: thou art a stumbling-block unto me: for thou mindest not the things of God, but the things of men.
24Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man would come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. 25For whosoever would save his life shall lose it: and whosoever shall lose his life for my sake shall find it. 26For what shall a man be profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and forfeit his life? or what shall a man give in exchange for his life? 27For the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his angels; and then shall he render unto every man according to his deeds. 28Verily I say unto you, There are some of them that stand here, who shall in no wise taste of death, till they see the Son of man coming in his kingdom.
Scripture Testimony Index stories for this passage
Not minding the difficulty of travel and immense risk to his life, Dr. Baedeker delighted in his missionary journeys in the Ararat vicinity. All that mattered to him was the downtrodden in need of cheer and the Christians to be nourished with the word of God.
Encouraged by the testimony of Rev. Hunter Corbett, Rosalind Goforth vowed to remain in China to serve God notwithstanding the illness she battled with. Whether in life of death, they both had chosen to serve God and by His mercy, they were both healed of the dysentery that ailed them.
With a pistol to his head, Kazim still wouldn't recant his faith in Jesus; he was happy to die if God wills so. When his persecutors could not kill him, false charges were brought against him and used to torture and imprison him. But through it all, Kazim's only sadness was his inability to read the Bible due to his swollen eyes.
Pastor Benham was arrested for his belief in Christ and sentenced to prison. Though he would be set free if he denied Christ, he refused, because his life was no longer his; he had been crucified along with Christ.
Rev. T. E. Riddle who translated Sadhu Sundar Singh's books writes powerfully about the Sadhu's many struggles with health-related problems and of his joy and undiminished sense of duty to His Lord through it all.
In the river near Canton, there are people who live alongside their entire families on boats. And as can be imagined, their state of living is deplorable, but yet, there are missionaries who have chosen to live like these people, just so they can reach the idol worshipping peasants with the good news of salvation.
Sundar Singh was threatened with jail time by an officer he preached the gospel to. But rather than chicken out, Sundar made it clear that so long as he was alive, he would continue to preach Jesus, and not prison or even death will stand in his way!
During the Turkey-led Armenian genocide which began in 1914 and claimed over a million lives, some Christians were given an opportunity to renounce Jesus and have their lives spared, but time and again, God's people chose death over a life without Jesus as their Savior.
Watchman Nee was battling tuberculosis but even that was not enough to deter him from doing God's work. For him, Jesus was worth dying for and if he was to die doing God's work, then so be it.
Even the knowledge of the fact that Muslim fanatics were after her and monitoring her movement did not stop Dina from courageously witnessing about Jesus to other women. Not even the possibility of death could deter her, there were souls to be won and she was committed to winning them!
