In John chapter 21:18-19, Jesus describes something that Peter was probably not ready to hear, nor fully understand. "Verily, verily I say unto thee, When thou wast young, thou girdedst thyself, and walkedst wither thou wouldest: but when thou shalt be old, thou shalt stretch forth thy hands, and another shall gird thee, and carry thee whither thou wouldest not. This spake he, signifying by what death he should glorify God. And when he had spoken this, he saith unto him, Follow me." Peter, the Rock, like so many others would later seal his testimony with his life, being killed in a most cruel manner, according to legend. The point that struck me is that Peter, although knowing the fate that awaited him, only grew stronger in his testimony and more bold in his ministry. With unflinching faith and perserverence he persued a course that would eventually lead to his brutal death, and the promise of everlasting life.
Jesus taught, "...he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it." The scriptures and more modern examples are full of examples of people who lose their lives for the sake of the Lord. As members of the church we covenent with the Lord in the most sacred of places that we will give all we have, even our very lives if necessary for the establishment of Zion. Full-time missionaries pledge to give their lives for two years in the full-time service of building Zion across the world, but is this sacrifice enough? I think the Lord wants more than two years.
Each Sunday in Sacrament Meeting we hear the words, "...and witness unto thee, O God, the Eternal Father, that they are willing to take upon them the name of thy Son, and always remember him and keep his commandments which he has given them...". The commandment clearly extends into the fibers of our character. Are we living to give away our lives to Christ? He wants our agency, but will never take it forcefully, and has promised that if we do so, we will end up finding ourselves and inherit all that he has.
Easter is a good time to reflect on how this blessing is made possible. Christ is not asking us to do anything he hasn't done already. He handed his agency over to his Father in the Garden of Gethsemane and suffered more intensely then is imaginable. He is the one man who knows what it really means to give one's life for the establishment of Zion.