The supreme adventure of all time is the service of the kingdom, requiring high devotion, courage, and martyrdom for the love of truth and spiritual realities. [1]
¶ Jesus and martyrdom
Jesus, willingly and royally, submitted to crucifixion by Pilate as a righteous man, fulfilling his purpose of laying down his life for humanity. [2] Jesus made it clear to his disciples that he did not seek martyrdom, even though his words would outlast heaven and earth. [3] Prophets killed in Jerusalem, generation after generation, rejecting and destroying heaven-sent messengers of mercy and forgiveness. [4] Live long with compassionate wisdom, for martyrs reveal gospel even in manner of death. [5]
- Okhban was among the four great prophets murdered by the intellectual and moral Egyptians in six thousand years. [6]
- Prophet Amos was stoned for proclaiming Yahweh as the “God of all nations” and warning against placing ritual over righteousness, but his teachings saved the doctrine of the supreme Yahweh. [7]
- Prophet Zechariah slain in sanctuary, a reminder of the righteous blood shed from the first prophet killed to the present day. [8]
- Herod's fear and sorrow prevented him from denying the request to have John the Baptist beheaded, leading to a tragic end for the prophet. [9]
- Andrew bravely spread the gospel through Armenia, Asia Minor, and Macedonia, ultimately meeting his martyrdom by crucifixion in Patrae. [10]
- James Zebedee, a modest and undramatic daily server, sacrificed his life with grace and fortitude, becoming the first apostle to experience martyrdom by being killed by sword. [11]
- Matthew at Lysimachia preached faithfully and died triumphant in his faith. [12]
- Peter's wife, Perpetua, was thrown to beasts at Rome, where she had labored alongside him in his missionary excursions. [13]
- Peter, an intimate of Jesus, went forth proclaiming the kingdom until he was crucified in Rome. [14]
- Philip, the steward of the twelve, was a mighty man in the kingdom, winning souls wherever he went and was finally crucified at Hierapolis. [15]
- Philip's wife, an efficient member of the women's corps, bravely stood by her husband, encouraging him to preach, until she was stoned to death at Hierapolis. [16]
- Rodan was a faithful believer who taught philosophy in Alexandria before being martyred in Greece. [17]
- Following Jesus' miraculous healing of his son in Capernaum, the son of Titus later became a martyr in Rome. [18]
- Stephen was stoned at Jerusalem, becoming the first martyr to the new faith and sparking the formal organization of the early Christian church. [19]
Thomas was martyred in Malta after a life of faith and preaching. [20]