As the council considered the massive Persian army nearing their land, they hesitated in fear to face the largest military campaign in the world. The Spartan King, Leonidas, knew that it was necessary to face this army no matter what, because cowardice was not an option. He did face that army with 300 men, and it cost him everything. Honor was the only option. Did he have people criticize his decision to fight? Of course. Did some refer to his sacrifice as a loss? Of course. Did it seem like a loss when the Son of God who had been given all authority submitted Himself to the cross? Of course. Did it seem like a loss for all but one of the disciples of Jesus to be murdered for their faith? Of course. But what seems like a loss to us, in our limited perspectives, isn’t really a loss at all. It is an investment. King Leonidas upheld honor and the legend of his life and what he died for still lives on today.
Jesus rose to life on the third day and defeated death, hell, and the grave. The seed of the blood of the apostles was sewn into the ground of many nations who all experienced a demonstration of love that far surpassed anything of the world, and the early church exploded into a global movement. So the question must be asked, why are there Christians out there who would dare to criticize John Chau’s sacrifice for the sake of the people of Sentinel Island? I don’t expect the people who don’t believe in Jesus to understand anything about laying their lives down for the Gospel. “For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God (1 Corinthians 1:18).” However, should the church not honor a man who gave everything to reach a people that has never heard the Gospel? Are we so far removed from the heart of God in the church of America that we would put judgments on this man. Do you not remember when Jesus told us, “Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye (Matthew 7:1-5).”
Don’t you understand church that the world is watching? They are seeing the division and nonsense that we have created in our intentions to “defend missions” or justify our own Christianity! I was an atheist, and it’s because of Christians that I wouldn’t follow Jesus. Once I got to know Him, it changed everything. We are putting up barriers between the church, the young generations of believers, and the world when we come against John Chau. The church is completely misrepresenting it’s intended purpose when we come against our very own brother and criticize him, his process, his organization, and any other thing concerning his life or death. So we stand with the family of John Chau, we stand with the church, we stand with our generation, we stand with those who have laid their lives down for Jesus throughout history, and we stand with Jesus and give honor to John Chau. I pray that my life may be so willingly laid down for the sake of those who have never heard the Gospel. I leave you with a quote from another martyr, Jim Elliot.
“We are so utterly ordinary, so commonplace, while we profess to know a Power the Twentieth Century does not reckon with. But we are “harmless,” and therefore unharmed. We are spiritual pacifists, non-militants, conscientious objectors in this battle-to-the-death with principalities and powers in high places. Meekness must be had for contact with men, but brass, outspoken boldness is required to take part in the comradeship of the Cross. We are “sideliners” — coaching and criticizing the real wrestlers while content to sit by and leave the enemies of God unchallenged. The world cannot hate us, we are too much like its own. Oh that God would make us dangerous!”
The Crazy Lawson Tribe 