Follow Me (part 4)

"And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death." - Revelation 12:11 KJV

Another translation reads, “And they did not love their lives so much that they were afraid to die." - Revelation 12:11 NLT

Those in the early church risked their lives to proclaim their witness of Jesus.

Paul made the statement that he risked his life on a daily basis. (1 Corinthians 15:30-31).

"Are they ministers of Christ? (I speak as a fool ) I am more; in labours more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequent, in deaths oft. Of the Jews five times received I forty stripes save one. Thrice was I beaten with rods, once was I stoned, thrice I suffered shipwreck, a night and a day I have been in the deep; In journeyings often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils by mine own countrymen, in perils by the heathen, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren; in weariness and painfulness, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness." - 2 Corinthians 11:23-27 KJV

"And why stand we in jeopardy every hour? I protest by your rejoicing which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord, I die daily." - 1 Corinthians 15:30-31 KJV

Another translation:

"And why should we ourselves risk our lives hour by hour? For I swear, dear brothers and sisters, that I face death daily." - 1 Corinthians 15:30-31 NLT

"For I think that God hath set forth us the apostles last, as it were appointed to death: for we are made a spectacle unto the world, and to angels, and to men. ... Even unto this present hour we both hunger, and thirst, and are naked, and are buffeted, and have no certain dwellingplace; and labour, working with our own hands: being reviled, we bless; being persecuted, we suffer it: being defamed, we intreat: we are made as the filth of the world, and are the offscouring of all things unto this day." - 1 Corinthians 4:9, 11-13 KJV

"As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter." - Romans 8:36 KJV

"For we which live are alway delivered unto death for Jesus' sake, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our mortal flesh." - 2 Corinthians 4:11 KJV

"Yes, we live under constant danger of death because we serve Jesus, so that the life of Jesus will be evident in our dying bodies." - 2 Corinthians 4:11 NLT

Because of their faith in Jesus, that He rose from the dead, and that we too will rise from the dead in the first resurrection, they were willing to risk their lives for their testimony of the resurrection and of the kingdom of God.