Persecution when you share Good News? Expect it!

They're not popular subjects - persecution and suffering. At IES Bandung this week, we discuss the persecution of the early church.

My great-grandpa was martyred for sharing his faith in south Russia at the turn of the century. Hearing the story from my grandma (his daughter), I expected to be killed for my faith at some point, too.

Whether you read personal stories of suffering and biblical examples, you learn that following Jesus does not guarantee a safe or persecution-free life. The prophet Jeremiah and the early church's deacon Stephen are examples of suffering for speaking God's truth. We discuss Stephen's stoning. He responds to the angry crowd by praying to God instead of fighting back.

In contrast, the religious leaders, including Saul, are outraged and furious. Later, Saul meets Jesus after persecuting the early Church and carrying off believers to prison. His life is transformed by an encounter with Jesus and the prayers of a faithful believer named Ananias. 

Those "mean" responses aren't necessarily the end of the persecutors' journey, either!  However others respond, our task is to be faithful and trust in God's sovereignty. So, when bad things happen, it's not the end of God's work. He leads us through difficult times. Those challenges teach us and develop our character into Christlikeness, while drawing others to Jesus the Savior.

We share the good news of God's plan of redemption in word as well as actions. Why? Someone told us or our parents or our friend about Jesus' life, death, and resurrection. That person told us. That's how each of us comes to faith. "Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God." 

After we come near, we live out our faith by telling others what God has done for us and doing good works. Why not find one person to pray for, love, and share Jesus with this week?

CALL TO ACTION = BE BRAVE in sharing our faith. And expect God to work.

[ ] Find one person to share the Christian message with and pray for their salvation.

[ ] Commit to following Jesus and laying down old ways in favor of God's direction.

[ ] Participate in communion to remember Jesus' sacrifice.

[ ] Seek prayer from other believers and expect God to act.

Popular posts from this blog

Lent Day 39: Sentenced for your crimes and mine

Image
When the Pharisees and other national leaders take Jesus to the Roman governor, they are looking for the worst punishment they can inflict, a cruel and painful death . Here are the details, from  John 18:28-19:16: Then the Jewish leaders took Jesus from Caiaphas to the palace of the Roman governor. By now it was early morning, and to avoid ceremonial uncleanness they did not enter the palace, because they wanted to be able to eat the Passover.  So Pilate came out to them and asked, ‘What charges are you bringing against this man?’ ‘If he were not a criminal,’ they replied, ‘we would not have handed him over to you.’ Pilate said, ‘Take him yourselves and judge him by your own law.’ ‘But we have no right to execute anyone,’ they objected.  This took place to fulfil what Jesus had said about the kind of death he was going to die. > This is hardly a trial that seeks justice. Rather, it is a conspiracy to execute someone who threatens the power base and status quo. The reli...
Read more

Lent Day 2: The startling appearance of God

Image
Yesterday, we began Lent by considering God, who is beyond our own imaginations or preconceptions. He is God in whose image we are made - but whom we cannot and dare not remake in our own image. The account of Jesus written by his beloved disciple John (the Gospel of John) is fascinating. Though the other 3 gospels (Matthew, Mark, and Luke) tell us much about what happened, John focuses on what Jesus says about himself. John starts the gospel story with " In the beginning ," similar to the start of the Old Testament (the Jewish scriptures). And who or what was in the beginning? It is the Living Word, who exists before time. Then John says, " the Word became flesh and lived among us ." How startling that idea must have been for the followers of Jesus. They're still trying to wrap their heads about that when Jesus is crucified and raised from the dead.  We're still trying to comprehend that divine mystery today, right? So what does John the disciple say about ...
Read more

Lent Day 1: God beyond our imagination

Image
If it were up to me to save the world, coming into humanity to live among us wouldn't be my plan. I wouldn't choose to experience the uncertainty of childhood, the hormones of the teen years, or the criticism of neighbors. And I certainly wouldn't choose a horrible painful death with the world's sins tearing my heart in two. But God's ways are not our ways. He says: " The heavens are  higher   than  the earth. And my ways are  higher   than  your ways. My thoughts are  higher   than  your thoughts. " (Isaiah 55:9) This year, I am approaching Lent, the 40 days of contemplation before Easter, with an open mind and a willing heart. I want to meditate on what Jesus accomplished. On what he suffered. On the price he paid to ransom you and me from sin and death and hell. I ponder this today: When the proper time came God sent his Son, born of a human mother and born under the jurisdiction of the Law, that he might redeem those who were under the au...
Read more