Matthew 5 : 11&12 ” Blessed are ye, when men revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my name sake. Rejoice, and be exceedingly glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.”
Lisa and I give to a couple ministries that operate in countries were Christianity is band, or where the government looks the other way when Christians are beaten or tortured. The stories are pretty horrific, anywhere from severe beatings to throwing acid on people’s faces to disfigure them. Often in cases such as these, the acid also causes blindness. If this is the first time you have heard of this, I can imagine your reaction. Quite a contrast. Here we get bent out of shape if someone doesn’t like us, or if they look at us cross. We have no idea of what other believers in Muslim, Hindu or Communist countries undergo. But what is even more convicting are our brother and sisters reaction. Asked what they want the most, it’s not their freedom, but they request Bibles and Bible literature, ” Give us Bibles and Bible tools to grow our faith and to be able to share the Gospel more effectively. And if necessary, we shall pay for them with our lives.” This is quite a statement and a reality check for us. Do we have this type of conviction, is Christ “All and All to us” or is He one of many “loves” we have. For these brothers and sisters, there is nothing else but Christ. When we grow to a point that we realize that Christ is all we really have, that everything else is on loan, then truly we begin to understand that He is all we really need. In Him alone we are secure, and our family and friends are gifts to be thankful for. Everything else materially loses its importance, as everything we come to value is found in Him. Paul the apostle said it best, ” In Christ we live, move and have our being.” (Acts 17:28) This is a very mature statement and I don’t expect all of us to receive it – and that’s ok for now.
I know stories of persecution are off the charts for most of us. We can’t function without our Starbucks, or our Egg McMuffin. Materialism, wealth, and our careers or routines have become traps for our soul. Instead of defining ourselves as a child of God, we define ourselves by what we do, by the title we have, or the paycheck we receive – or a million other things. Until this changes, it is doubtful whether we will ever have the courage to stand for Christ. The disciples also struggled. When the soldiers came to arrest Jesus, and bare in mind the day prior they all swore their lives to Christ – they fled. Only John and Peter followed, and Peter ended up denying Christ, not once, not twice, but three times! However after the Resurrection and the time Jesus spent with them prior to his ascension, these men changed. Each man gladly gave their life for their Savior, and Peter who denied him three times requested at his crucifixion to be crucified upside down, for he did not feel worthy to be crucified as his Lord. And apart from their stories, there are countless stories of believers being stoned to death, burnt at the stake etc. The Foxe’s Book of Martyrs recounts the lives of many influential Christians paying the cost of discipleship with their life. It is said that “the blood of the martyrs is what waters the church.”
So how did these men change from fearing for their lives, to being willing to give their lives to honor their Savior? Just like our brothers and sisters who are willing to risk their lives for the gospel today, they understood the truth behind these verses, ” Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.” No man dies for a stranger, only for someone he dearly loves. The biggest issue that faces us here is we have many loves, and until Christ becomes “Thee Love,” our faith will flounder. These men and woman are today’s silent martyrs – their suffering and deaths go untold.
In Luke 7:36 there is a very intimate exchange between Jesus and a repentant woman recorded for us in Luke 7:36-50 ( I would encourage you to read it). All the Pharisees saw was a “sinner” touching Jesus feet. Jesus saw a broken heart and rebuked the Pharisee’s in vs. 47 ” Therefore I say to you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven, for she loved much (in the sense of reaching out to Jesus through her repentance). But to whom little is forgiven ( the Pharisees were proud of their rules, believing they were more righteous) the same loves little.” We are all forgiven a huge debt of sin, for we all have sinned and missed the mark. Those of us who are blessed to know that, adhere close to Christ for He has become our hope and strenght. Those of us who have yet to grow in that knowledge appreciate Christ, but lack the inner conviction to be desperate for Him. He has yet to become the “Bread of Life.”
Father God,
How we struggle with our faith, always going down tangents of this thing or that, instead of just quietly sitting before you in prayer and Bible study. Give us a desire to search for you, as though we are searching for hidden treasure, for truly you are priceless. Let us make it a priority in our schedules to met with you daily, just as we keep other appointments. Let us do the same with our relationship with you. Thank you Father
Move forward in His Grace – Arthur