Self-Preservation / Self-Persecution

“I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.” Romans 12:1-3

Convenience. Sacrifice. Two different words. Two different worlds.

Reading the word “convenience” provides a pleasant soothing vibe. The word implies effortlessness. We search for this word when attempting to make decisions for ourselves. It appeals to our mind’s hesitant commentary of, “Will this cost me much?” Convenience feeds and soothes the flesh. Convenience is self-love. The word “sacrifice” stands contrarily next to the word “convenience”. Where convenience promises effortlessness, sacrifice implies more than effort. There is an extremism associated with the thought of sacrifice. Sacrifice starves and kills the flesh. Sacrifice is love of something greater than self. Decisions and behaviors rooted in convenience or sacrifice are observable and tangible witnesses. It is easy to discern whether a person loves self or something greater than self by whether they embrace convenience or sacrifice.

Years ago, I took the opportunity to visit a sacred religious island in China while visiting with my wife's family. This island featured the largest Buddha statue in the world. It is so large that worshippers and visitors alike respond in awe. It is HUGE! I was taken in by the sheer presence of the sculpture set within a majestic setting of green mountains and waterscapes. I was truly amazed at the sheer size and magnitude of the work and the energy and busyness that emanated from the site. However, as deeply as my mind was impressed, my spirit was deeply disturbed. Why was this? How could I be both amazed and deeply pained in such a beautiful and significant location?

Thanks to the grace and mercy of Jesus Christ in my life, I was looking at this statue with "eyes that see”. I knew this sculpture to be an idol; a false god. It is a gateway to eternal separation from the one true God. But this was not the only reason that the Holy Spirit was tugging at me in that moment. After additional moments of observation and reflection, it dawned on me that God wanted me to take note of the various acts of worship occurring all around me and on the island. For many of the individuals that were visiting the island that afternoon, this was a sacrosanct moment for worship. This religious icon represented something of real significance to them. Their passion for this experience and this site was nearly palpable. Their worship of this statue was visual and representative evidence of a faith in the significance and power of Buddha.

I stood witness to people intentionally sacrificing self for the love of their god. Their acts of worship were most inconvenient to the flesh and yet here were thousands of men, women, boys and girls intentionally participating in acts designed to express their faith and their devotion. To have arrived at the holy site, the worshipers traveled on a series of buses, subways, and ferries. After this and upon arrival, there were literally thousands of people in line patiently waiting to pray, light incense, offer fruit that they had brought with them on the journey. Many tossed various amounts of money into wells and into trees, hoping to throw high enough to get into the highest of branches which was closer to heaven’s blessings.

There were throngs of people climbing hundreds upon hundreds of stone steps ascending to the holiest place. Some of the worshippers so old that they required assistance from younger family, friends and believers. Most notable of all was that, in spite of all these inconveniences, the worshippers worshipped with a keen and observable determination. It was clear that their acceptance of the expected sacrifice was what compelled them from start to finish for that day’s act of fidelity. In this setting of drama and ritual, the Holy Spirit convicted me. Considering that my worship is not tethered to a specific time or space and that my worship is a moment by moment composite of my daily decisions and actions, was I an example of a living sacrifice for my LORD? Was my worship a witness of passion for Christ...or...was it a witness of my passion for my personal preferences and comforts?

This past Sunday, Pastor Ben preached a powerful message regarding Christ’s words,

“Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” 

Knowing that persecution is promised for followers of Christ, Ben encouraged us to prepare for it and to not fear it. In preparation for it, we will understand Jesus better and deeper. How? Because the narrative of Jesus’ earthly life was a progression from poor in spirit to persecution. As I listened to this message, I was struck by the reality that many of the Christians I have experienced in this day and age clamor over matters of self-preservation while claiming religious persecution. But Jesus’ teaching informs us that being treated unjustly and harshly FOR HIS SAKE is one of the greatest honors that followers of Jesus can experience. This teaching stands in critical opposition to my perceived rights and privileges. This teaching calls me to die in order to live. The day that I visited the Buddha, God’s Spirit revealed to me that my worship lacked depth and transformational power. Unlike the worship occurring around me that day, my worship was rooted in self-interests and rotted by self-concern.

Though I was worshiping the true God...my acts of worship lacked intentional and purposeful sacrifice. My body was not being presented to God in holiness and I was not pressing beyond the boundaries of my comforts in any way that could be seen or described as sacrifice. For many of us, maybe feelings of persecution are actually suppressions of convenience. Maybe the offenses that we perceive are directed towards our faith and lives are actually convictions of the Holy Spirit about our lives. During this season of pandemic and cultural upheaval, has our worship been shown to be a witness to our love of self-preservation, to conditional duty and learned tradition rather than an offering of our bodies and selves to the God that offered His body and self for our sake?

Do I acknowledge the LORD when I awaken? Do I acknowledge the LORD when I retire for the day? Do I read the Word? Do I arrive for Sunday worship on time? Do I live in a manner on Saturday that allows me to offer my best self on Sunday? Do I sing the songs of the Church? Do I reflect upon the sermon from God’s servant? Do I pray? Do I tithe? Do I serve? If I do not, not only am I not being persecuted because of righteousness, my worship does not flow from a devotion to someone larger than me. No. It is worship for me. And for that, I will not be persecuted. For that, I shall be judged. There on the island of the world’s largest Buddha, in the midst of countless fervent and powerless prayers, I offered a quiet and repentant prayer to the resurrected Christ. And my Father beckoned me to Him, affirmed me as His son and called me to die in order that I might live.

~ Jason Lanier serves as Worship & Arts Pastor at LIFE Fellowship.