“From the blood of Abel unto the blood of Zacharias which perished between the altar and the temple: verily I say unto you, It shall be required of this generation.” Luke 11:51
They called to talk. Dan was happy to do so. Happy to work things out. Looking for reconciliation. But it was a trap.
Have you been there? Caught in a trap by those who hate God, His way and His Word.
“Laying wait for him, and seeking to catch something out of his mouth, that they might accuse him.” Luke 11:54
Things have not changed much for those who believe in God today.
So, what is the question for those of us in this generation who wish to lose our life and find it in Christ? Will we be as Abel, standing for right and the will of God no matter the cost? Will we be as Zachariah willing to perish even in the court of the house of the Lord in order to preach and teach the truth of the Word of God?
It really comes down to this - are we willing to take up our cross and follow Christ?
Matthew Henry says this of our theme verse for today, “...this last generation of the Jews, whose sin in persecuting Christ’s apostles would exceed any of the sins of that kind that their fathers were guilty of, and so would bring wrath upon them to the uttermost.
“Who both killed the Lord Jesus, and their own prophets, and have persecuted us; and they please not God, and are contrary to all men: Forbidding us to speak to the Gentiles that they might be saved, to fill up their sins alway: for the wrath is come upon them to the uttermost.” 1 Thessalonians 2:15-16
We may perish as Abel, we may perish as Zachariah, but we truly cannot lose with Jesus. Ultimately God wins and all of our losses become our gain.
Loser2021 Theme Verse:
“For whosoever will save his life shall lose it; but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel's, the same shall save it.” Mark 8:35
“Lose” from the Greek word “Apollymi” means “to destroy fully.” It is translated “perished” in Luke 11:51, our verse for today.