Church History: The Holy Forty

My best friend, Sandy Shockley, turned me on to the stories of the Christian martyrs. She graciously accepted my invitation to submit some of their stories for this Church History series. This is the account of “The Holy Forty” of Sebaste.
The 40 Martyrs were Roman soldiers who were put to death in Sebaste, which is in Armenia today. The account of these martyrs is well-documented historically and inspired great faithfulness in the ancient Church.

Around the year 320, the emperor of the eastern Roman empire, Lucinius, issued a decree ordering every Christian to renounce their faith or face death. When this decree was announced to the Roman army, 40 soldiers of different nationalities—all part of a famous “Thundering Legion”—refused to comply with the order to sacrifice to Roman gods. They were brought to trial in Sebaste, and the governor there threatened them with disgrace if they continued, and promised promotions for any who renounced their faith. They all stood firm.

The governor then devised a plan to test their faith. They were to be placed upon a frozen lake, naked and exposed to the howling wind, until they either changed their minds or froze to death. The 40 did not wait to be stripped, but undressed themselves, and encouraged one another in the ordeal. A fire and warm baths were prepared at the edge of the lake, and they were told that they could come in from the ice and warm themselves if they turned away from Christianity.

For three days and nights, the group endured. One young soldier decided to leave the group for the warmth of the baths, but the shock to his system killed him. One of the guards, seeing this disgrace, was inspired by the resolve of the remaining 39. When he was off-duty, he fell asleep by the fire and had a dream in which angels descended upon the soldiers on the lake and crowned them. He counted only 39 crowns, and decided to join them. He put down his arms and cloak, proclaimed himself a Christian, and walked out to the group on the ice, bringing the number of martyrs back to 40.

By the morning of the fourth day, most were dead, and the remaining were killed. All the bodies were burned in a furnace, and their ashes thrown into a river. The Christian community recovered some of the charred remains. (Credit: University of Norte Dame Indiana)

(From me: Beloved, Christ may not call you to persecution and death for His Name, but He is calling you to uncompromising faithfulness.)

Church History: Martyrs (part 1)

Starting with Stephen (Acts 7-8:1), the history of the church tells of the men and women who were martyred for their testimony of Jesus Christ. Over the next few weeks, we will look at some of their stories. Scripture tells us that James was executed by King Herod Agrippa around A.D. 44 (Mark 6:14-29). Ten years later, the Apostle Philip was scourged, imprisoned, and crucified. Legend says that Matthew was killed in A.D. 60 by violent means. Jesus’ brother, James was martyred around A.D. 66. Peter’s brother, Andrew was crucified on an X-shaped cross; Peter was also crucified – but upside-down as he did not consider himself worthy to die in the same position as his Lord. Tradition says Mark was dragged to pieces in Alexandria and Paul was beheaded in A.D. 66.

Even today, in many parts of the eastern world, people are still being killed for their faith. We don’t have the same level of persecution in the U.S., but I have no doubt that it’s coming. If someone were to ever point a gun at my head and demand that I betray my Savior or die, I say I would choose death. But am I betraying Him in my daily life? Will I betray Him with profane words while wearing my “Jesus is Lord” T-shirt? Will I curse someone who cut me off despite the fish symbol on my bumper? Will I walk into church on Sunday morning after walking into an R-rated movie on Saturday night? I say that I will take a bullet for Jesus, but will I take the humble road in a dispute with my neighbor?

What good is my bold declaration of devotion to Jesus if I don’t prove my kinship in the smaller matters of daily life? I don’t think I will ever be confronted with death for the cause of Christ, but every day I must choose to die to myself in the grocery store, my workplace, my home, and on the road.

Harold Chadwick, who updated Foxe’s Book of Martyrs in 1997 wrote these words after pouring over story after story of dauntless and devoted Christians who gladly died for the Name and cause of Christ: “Could we with our soft and self-serving Christianity, follow their examples of such courage and love for Christ that we would suffer being tortured, mutilated, and burned alive rather than recant our faith in Him?”[1] What say ye, Beloved?

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[1] Harold J. Chadwick, Forward to The New Foxe’s Book of Martyrs, Updated through the 21^st Century, (Alachua: Bridge-Logos, 2001), xiv.

Church History: The Secret of Success

Why bother to study Church history? For the same reason we study World History and American History and human history in general – to know where and whom we came from and to learn from their successes and failures. The early centuries of Christianity were exceedingly fruitful. We need to discover again their “secrets” to success.
The most obvious secret is their deep conviction that the gospel was true. That man was condemned and had no hope of rescuing themselves. That Jesus, the Son of God came from heaven to earth as a baby, grew to a man who lived a perfect sinless life and died, taking the sins of all mankind with Him to the grave. That He rose again, appeared to hundreds of people, and ascended to the right hand of God in heaven. Those who believe the gospel to the marrow of their bones will declare it. They can’t help it – it just bubbles forth like lava from a volcano.
Another insight we gain from church history is the practical expression of love among Christians. They took to heart Jesus’ command to “Love one another as I have loved you” (Jn 13:34). It was a different kind of love – a selfless, generous, genuine love that stood out in the world. Tertullian said that the pagans remarked, “See how these Christians love one another.” Christians who were filled with the love of Christ expressed that love in practical ways within the church and without.
And strangely, persecution watered the soil of many souls. Huge crowds gathered to watch Christians meet their death in the colosseums of Rome, drawn by the thrill of blood and gore. But the courage, faith, and Joyful disposition of the martyrs pierced their own hearts so that many of the onlookers came away as believers in Jesus Christ.
Now look at the witness of the church today. Are we still convinced that the gospel is true? Are we living out the command of Jesus to love one another? And what of persecution? Here in the U.S., it is largely a minor matter, but in other places in the world, it is life and death. In either case, how we respond to persecution can speak louder than anything we say. And we dare not leave out the presence of the Holy Spirit who is the power behind it all. Are you filled with the Spirit, Beloved? Then be bold, be loving, and be brave. The lost world is watching. Be a witness to someone today.

Grace

Joy asks a thousand questions a day – that’s how she learns and so I try to be patient with the never-ending stream of “Why?” and “What?” and “How?” Yesterday she saw some honeybees in the ligustrum bush and started asking about what they were doing which became how do bees make honey. So after her bath, we surfed YouTube for videos about bees.  She loves to learn new things and I love to help her explore the world around her.

But sometimes she asks questions with a different motivation. We have rules in our house that have been in place all her life. They haven’t changed just because she isn’t here all the time anymore. She knows the rules well, but sometimes she will ask the question hoping to catch me off-guard and give her a different answer. I may be old and slow, but I’m no dummy. The rules are the rules.

God gave the Israelites the law – the commandments and regulations that must be strictly observed to maintain a relationship with Him. He is holy and righteous and His people must live holy and righteous lives. The law was given to instruct them in His ways and ensure their standing before Him. But the people failed to keep the law – “Everyone did as he saw fit” (Jud 21:25). Which meant they did not obey God’s law. Man was and is still sinful. Sin demands death. The Israelites relied on animals to die in their place, but that was not enough.

Then Jesus came on the scene. He said that He came to “fulfill” the law and the Prophets – but not to abolish them (Matt 5:17-20). What did He mean? The purpose and demands of the law had not changed. What changed was how one approached God. Under the law, all the rituals and rules – God’s “house rules” – must be followed to a T. But Jesus came “full of grace” (John 1:14). He lived the perfect life that man could not live. And He died to fulfill “every jot and tittle” of the law. Jesus – God in flesh – shed His divine blood to meet the demands of the law. All who receive Jesus’ work are under grace.

That means if you are a believer, you can breathe a sigh of relief because Jesus did all the hard work for you. And He sent His Holy Spirit to live in you and help you live out your holy standing. The rules haven’t changed, but how we obey them has. Beloved, you cannot; but Jesus did. Now you can live in grace.

Resurrection Sunday

Happy Resurrection Day! It’s Easter Sunday and Jesus is alive! Death could not hold Him. The grave could not keep Him. It’s a day to shout the news from the mountaintops: Satan lost and Jesus won! Everything changed when the King arose.
If you’ve been around the church very long, you know this story well. It is the foundation of the Christian faith. But the Spirit has been teaching me to sit in the Scriptures and soak up what I tend to rush over in my familiarity.
There is one part of the Easter story that came alive to me several years ago when I first started writing out Scripture. It’s in John’s account of the resurrection in chapter 20. Mary Magdalene had gone to the tomb to grieve. She saw that the stone was rolled away and looked inside to discover that His body was gone. Two angels guarded the place where He had lain. I imagine her stumbling backward in confusion and fresh waves of grief. Through her tear-filled eyes, she sees a man, probably the gardener, she assumes. He approaches and asks, “Woman, why are you crying? Who is it you are looking for” (v. 15). She pleads for the body of her Lord. Then He calls her by name: “Mary.” And she knows. It is Jesus. He is alive! Heart pounding. Mind racing. Hands shaking. She answers: “Rabboni!” And all her grief turns to Joy.
The resurrection of Jesus Christ is the most important event in human history. Easter celebrates the day the Son of God rose from the dead and assured eternal life for all who would believe on Him. But in that quiet morning, Easter was very personal for one woman. Before the disciples and the rest of Israel would hear that Jesus had risen, Mary saw Him with her own eyes.
As you gather in places of worship today and listen to the old, old Easter story, hear it with fresh ears. Imagine yourself all alone in the garden early on that Sunday morning. Listen closely as the Lord calls out your name. Easter is for all the world, and it is just for you. May the Joy of the resurrection fill your heart today Beloved. He is risen! He is risen indeed!

Advent 2023: Joy to the World!

“The Lord will be King over the whole earth. On that day there will be one Lord, and His name the only name” (Zech 14:9).
Joy to the world!
The Lord is come; Let earth receive her King;
Let every heart prepare Him room
And heav’n and nature sing, and heav’n and nature sing,
And heav’n and heav’n and nature sing.
“Joy to the World” is one of our most beloved Christmas songs, but it isn’t about Christmas at all. Isaac Watts originally penned these words in anticipation of the return of Jesus. Notice that verse 1 above calls Him the King, if you read the full hymn, you will see that verse 2 celebrates His reign, verse 3 tells of the end of the curse, and verse 4 proclaims Him as the righteous Ruler of the world.
We love the Baby in the manger; He is the embodiment of God’s holy love for mankind. But we must let Jesus grow out of the swaddling clothes and into the crown of thorns to understand the full impact of Christmas on the world. We must envision Him on the cross with the weight of your sin and mine pressing down on the nails that held Him there. We must stand outside the tomb and watch the soldiers roll the stone in place. And we must see Him as the risen Lord standing in the Garden and look to the skies as He ascends back to heaven. Only then can we grasp the fullness of His coming.
And still, that is not the last the world will see of Jesus. Paul said “The Lord Himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God . . .” (1 Thes 4: 16). And Zechariah 14:4-9 describes the scene: “On that day, His feet will stand on the Mount of Olives, east of Jerusalem and the Mount of Olives will be split in two from east to west” (v. 4).
The world missed His first advent, but there will be no missing His second. “Every eye will see Him” (Rev 1:7)! Christmas brings us Joy as we remember Jesus’ birth, but the greatest rejoicing will come when the King of Kings returns to earth to claim His people and His rightful rule over all creation.
Jesus promises, “Behold, I am coming soon!” (Revelation 22:7). And so we say with the Bride and the Spirit: “Amen. Come Lord Jesus!” (v.20).

Life from Death

What has died in your life? Your future goals? Your plans? Your hopes? Your dreams? Your faith? You sit there staring at this thing that you built your life around as its heart slowly stops beating. What do you do now? Where do you go from here? Why should you even try anymore? I’m not talking about simple everyday disappointments; I’m talking about those soul-crushing things that drain your hope and leave you empty. And I’m talking from experience. I’ve been in those places; I’ve felt the heart-rending pain. I buried my hopes and dreams – and yes – for a time, I even buried my faith.

But the God who planted those hopes and dreams in my heart is also the God who brings life from death. Abraham understood that – God had made promises to him that centered on his son Isaac, then God asked him to put his son on an altar of sacrifice. Abraham didn’t understand God’s plan, but he knew God would never make a promise He didn’t intend to fulfill. He knew that whatever God had in mind by making this request of him, He would still be faithful to the promise of descendants – coming from the very son over whom he now held a knife. The author of Hebrews wrote, “By faith, Abraham reasoned that God could raise the dead” (Heb 11:19).

I’m sure you know the story, and if not check out Genesis 22. God stayed Abraham’s hand and brought Isaac from the brink of death. God fulfilled His good promise. The thought the Spirit brings to mind is not that Isaac had to die, but that Abraham’s dependence on Isaac had to die. Abraham had to put all his hopes in God, not in his son. Now, the question for you and me is, what are we depending on? A hefty bank account? A great job? Social status? A college degree? (That one is for me.) Who are we depending on? A spouse? Children? Parents? A significant other? A good lawyer?

God had to put to death some things that I was building my life around. He had to break my dependence on things and people so that all I had left to depend on was Him. It wasn’t intended to bring me pain; it was to bring life out of death. It was to let the perishable die so that the imperishable could live. Beloved, in God’s hands is life – everlasting and abundant. You can trust Him with your hopes and dreams. You can trust Him with your heart.

Grace and Mercy

I don’t argue with the Bible – it is God’s holy, living Word and is perfect and right and true. Like my hero, Ezra, I have dedicated my life to study the Word, live the Word, and teach the Word (Ez 7:10). But I have to push back on Paul just a bit. He said, “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners—of whom I am chief” (1 Tim 1:15). Sorry Paul, but that’s my title: Chief of sinners. If you only knew . . .

But Paul’s point – and mine – is not about competition.  It is God’s beautiful grace and scandalous mercy through Christ Jesus. I always had the impression that God doled out His grace in measure and only as much as we asked for– like you committed a sin so here’s a spoonful of grace. But notice what Paul said, “The grace of our Lord was poured out on me abundantly.” That’s not drop-by-drop grace.  The word he used is hyperpleonazō.  Hyper means excess – like an ADHD kid who is full of excessive energy, to the point that they literally cannot sit still. I know – I raised one. Paul means that God gives exceedingly abundant grace that overflows in excess. That’s grace you can swim around in.

He also said that God had shown him mercy. Do you understand mercy? It means that you and I and Paul deserved punishment for our sins – we deserved death. God’s wrath is fully justified. But God sent His Son to take our punishment – to die for our sins so that we would not face His wrath. It was as if you stood trial for a grave and horrible crime and the judge declared you guilty and sentenced you to death then stepped down from the bench took off his robe and laid down on your cross.

Mercy is not getting the punishment that we deserve. Grace is being granted kindness we don’t deserve. Mercy says, “Yes, you are a sinner and you deserve to die, but I will die for you instead.” Grace says, “Now, you are my child and all I have is yours.”

Mercy and grace are God’s gift to you through faith in His Son, Jesus Christ. You do not have to earn them – in fact, you can’t, Beloved. Nor can you find them anywhere else. He gives them freely. He gives them lavishly. He gives them because He loves you. Even if you’re the chief of sinners.

You Only Get One Shot at Life

We had a fire drill at our office this week. Yes, even colleges have fire drills. We exited our offices and classrooms but we stood in the hallway asking. “Is this a drill or a real fire?” “Is this another malfunction?” The campus safety director came in the back door and hurried us out into the parking lot with a grin. “You are supposed to leave the building and not stand around wondering what’s happening!” To our credit, we had a recent malfunction of the system a couple of weeks ago and weren’t sure if this was the real thing or not. But, he was right – we should have taken the proper precautions and not waited around in a possibly burning building.

This life is not a drill. It’s the only one you get and despite what Shirley MacLain claims, there are no do-overs. When your life and mine are done, it’s over. The Scriptures say, “. . . man is destined to die once, and after that to face judgment” (Heb 9:27). But I’m not here to talk about dying – I’m here to talk about living.

Jesus said, “I have come that they [His sheep – His followers] may have life, and have it to the full” (Jn 10:10). How can He give us life? Because He is life – He said “I AM . . . the Life” (Jn 14:6). And John said, “In Him was life . . .” (Jn 1:4). If you have Jesus, you have life – yes, for eternity, but also for today.

I had a coworker who constantly walked around saying, “I hate my life,” and I thought how awful it must be to feel that way all the time. And he was a Christian and a pastor. But he was always miserable. He had eternal life, but he didn’t have  Joy and peace and hope in this life. I can’t fault him because I spent many, many years in the same kind of misery until someone told me that I was wasting the precious commodity that God had given me. I was wasting my life and I wouldn’t get another one.

The secret to living is living in Jesus. It’s being washed in His blood. It’s full surrender to His will. It’s walking in His steps. It’s listening to His voice. It’s trusting His promises. It’s casting all our cares and doubts on Him. You only get one shot at this life, Beloved, live it well. Live it with Jesus.

It All Matters to Jesus

I love to see the tender side of Jesus in the Scriptures. I’m reading in Mark’s gospel, where the Lord ministered to a sick woman and a dead little girl. Take a few minutes to read Mark 5:21-43.

Jesus is approached by a desperate father who pleads, “My little daughter is dying. Please come and put your hands on her so that she will be healed and live” (v. 23). On the way they are interrupted by an equally desperate woman with “an issue of blood.” She hoped to discretely touch the hem of Jesus’ garment and be healed but when Jesus felt healing power leave his body, He stopped and demanded to know who had touched Him.

Why? Why would Jesus call out someone publicly who obviously didn’t want to be identified? Two reasons that I see. First, He wanted to commend her faith. “Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace and be freed from your suffering” (v. 34). Her faith stands out sharply when we see that Jesus returned to His hometown where “He could not do any miracles there, except lay his hands on a few sick people and heal them. And He was amazed at their lack of faith” (6:5-6).

Secondly, He wanted to publicly announce her healing. For twelve years she had been “unclean” due to her bleeding. She would have been considered “untouchable” by her neighbors and even her family. Imagine no loving physical contact for twelve long years. Jesus wanted to put an end to her physical and emotional suffering. Such tender compassion.

The delay must have worried the father and his worst fears were realized when someone came to tell him that his daughter was dead. But the tender-hearted Jesus reassured him saying, “Don’t be afraid, just believe” (v. 36). And He went to the home and raised the girl from death to life. When the little girl got up Jesus told them to keep it quiet and “to give her something to eat” (v. 43).

That tells me that Jesus – the Creator of the Universe and the perfect Son of God cares about the big stuff in our lives as well as the little stuff. Jesus pays attention to every aspect of your life – even the smallest, most insignificant things. You can take it all to Him. Whether you need healing, rent money, restoration, wisdom, or just a snack. Nothing is too big or too little for Him; if it matters to you, Beloved, it matters to Jesus.