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: Roots and Runners

Just before Jesus ascended to heaven, He visited His disciples and told them that they would be His witnesses “In Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth” (Acts 1:8). They took Him at His word and took His word far and wide. The tiny kingdom of Osrhoene in modern-day Syria became the first Christian kingdom after the birth of the church. The first-century church moved with the winds of the Holy Spirit during what has been termed, “The Age of Catholic Christianity.” This period on the timeline sits between A.D. 70 and A.D. 312 which includes the death of the apostles and the rise of the Christian emperors who would change the face of Christianity.
That is not a reference to Roman Catholicism but to the “catholic” or universal church, meaning a unified body of believers in the Lord Jesus Christ. Despite its beginnings within the Jewish faith, Christianity was always intended to be multi-cultural. Jesus came as the Savior of the world, not just one nation. The Church was to be one Body, knit together from variegated threads but one cohesive, Spirit-filled entity. So what happened? In a word, politics – but that’s a lesson for later.
The spread of Christianity among the Gentiles began largely in the synagogues. Much like the Christians, Jews were also scattered across the Middle East and into parts of Europe. Wherever they went they connected in groups to continue worshiping the Lord God. Gentiles who wanted to participate could convert to Judaism through circumcision or they could remain on the fringes as “God-fearers” who studied the Scriptures and declared their devotion to the Lord. These were the most likely converts to Christianity because it allowed them full access to God through Jesus Christ without circumcision.
After Jerusalem fell in A.D. 70, Christianity moved north. The new “home base” for the faith was in Antioch in Syria. By the end of the first century half of the half-million people in Antioch were Christians. The next move was west, following the path that Paul had blazed decades before. Asian Minor (modern-day Turkey) became the next major site for Christianity. The church also took deep root in Rome, the heart of the empire. By A.D. 250 Rome was home to more than 30,000 Christians.
But there is more to come and more to learn. We’ll head to Africa in our next Church history visit.
Source: Bruce Shelley, Church History in Plain Language, 3rd ed. (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 2008)

Acts: When the Lion Roars

Paul sits in confinement in a Roman barracks while evil things are stirring outside of the jail, things that will move Paul into God’s perfect plan. Please read Acts 23:12-35.
Paul’s young nephew overheard the Jews plotting to kill his uncle. They were so committed to their hatred that they vowed not to eat or drink until their wicked deed was done. They created a ruse to get their intended victim away from the safe confines of the barracks – and the chief priests and elders were in on it.
But the boy told Paul and the Roman commander of the conspiracy. Realizing that his own life rested on the safety of his prisoner – a Roman citizen no less – the commander intervened and ordered a large detachment of Roman soldiers to get Paul out of Jerusalem. He appealed to Governor Felix who was in Caesarea on Paul’s behalf and they whisked him away in the night. Paul was kept secure in Herod’s palace until a trial could be convened.
Every time I read this account, I picture the angels of heaven and the demons of hell in a cosmic clash of epic proportions. I’ve been in the middle of those a few times –when good and evil are battling just over my head. That’s not saying I am good and an evil person is at war with me. That means God’s purpose for my life, or the life of someone I love is under spiritual attack. The battle over Paul was the devil’s attempt to squash God’s most prolific evangelist – and the spread of the gospel.
In His last message to His disciples, Jesus said, “If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first” (Jn 15:18).
Every time I stepped out in obedience to the Lord – to teach, speak, write, go to seminary, or fight for the soul of someone I love – the devil set me in his crosshairs and started shooting. I have heard His wicked voice in my ear and felt his hot breath on the back of my neck. Do you know what that means? I am right where God wants me to be.
The Scripture says, “[the devil] is filled with fury because he knows that his time is short” (Rev. 12:12). If that was true two thousand-plus years ago, it is more so today. He is “a roaring lion” (1 Pet 5:8). and he roars loudest at those who threaten his wicked kingdom. If the enemy is breathing down your neck trust that the Lord and his angels are breathing down his – and you, Beloved, are in the sweet spot of God’s will.

Advent 2023: What Do You Know About Baby Jesus?

The day my granddaughter was born we made the four-hour drive to see her. Our son sent us pictures and all her vital statistics as we traveled – how much she weighed, how long she was, and the fact that she was completely bald. That’s the important stuff new grandparents need to know.

But what do we know about Jesus? The Bible doesn’t give us any of those vital statistics. We don’t even know the date of his birth. This is stuff we (women especially) want to know. Let’s see if the Scripture gives us any hints.

Even though we celebrate December 25^th as the date of Jesus’ birth, the Bible is silent on the actual date. The early church did not observe the birth of Jesus choosing instead to emphasize His death and resurrection. In fact, the church eschewed the Roman tradition of celebrating birthdays as an act of paganism. By the late second century, the church began considering the birth of Jesus as worthy of notice, but it wasn’t until the mid-fourth century that Roman calendars marked December 25^th with natus Christus in Betleem Judeae: “Christ was born in Bethlehem of Judea.” Yet the Bible does tell us the date from heaven’s perspective: “When the time had fully come, God sent His Son, born of a woman . . .” (Gal 4:4). Jesus was born “in the fullness of time” – the very day that God predetermined according to His plan for the ages. And here’s a head’s up for you: it’s the same day that the Lord will return.

The Bible also tells us how much Jesus weighed. Not with pounds and ounces. The writer of Hebrews said, “The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of His being . . .” (Heb 1:3). God’s glory would be expressed in Hebrew by the word kabod.  They would immediately get an image of a set of scales used to determine the value of an item based on its weight. The glory – or kabod – of God described the weight of His majesty and splendor. Yet somehow He was light enough for His mother to hold Him in her arms.

While there is much about Jesus we’re not told, what we do know is cause for worship. He was the babe in the manger and the very representation of God. He is heaven come to earth, the Son of God, and our Savior forever. Beloved, that is enough, for you to bow your knee.

Advent 2023: A Different Kind of Hope

Kids on Christmas morning hope for the newest toys and electronics under the tree. The soldier’s mother hopes for her son’s safe return for the holidays. Teachers hope to survive until Christmas break and students hope there will be no pop-tests before they reach the last day of class. Travelers hope for good weather and light traffic while law enforcement hopes for safe drivers and no accidents. The merchants hope for record sales and shoppers hope for great bargains. Christmas is synonymous with hope – but not for these reasons.

For the Jewish people, hope was in short supply. Their nation had long been under the control of others. Since 587 b.c. they had been subjects of Babylon, the Medes and Persians, and Alexander the Great. At the time of Jesus’ birth, the Romans ruled over Jerusalem. The Jews had hoped for God’s Messiah to rescue them from foreign oppression. They hoped for a leader who would overthrow the Romans and reestablish David’s throne and Israel’s independence.

 God would indeed send the Messiah to rescue His people from bondage and establish His Kingdom, but He would overthrow a greater enemy than the Romans. He would save more than just Israel and would rule over an everlasting Kingdom from David’s throne. He would not come in power with a sword in his hand and a crown on his head. He would come as a helpless baby with straw in His tiny fist and a crown of thorns in his future. He would not raise a scepter over Jerusalem but would be raised up on a cross outside the city gates. He would not overthrow Rome – He would overthrow death. Their hopes would be fulfilled – but not as they envisioned. It would exceed all they could ever ask or imagine.

Your hopes might be for something flashy and fun, or just simple and quiet this Christmas. You may have hopes that can’t be put in a box with a bow. You may hope for family scattered across the globe. You might hope for a restored relationship or a change in your circumstances. I can’t promise any of those things, but I am certain that in God’s good and loving hands, hope is a sure thing – a promise made and fulfilled in the same instant. It may not look what you thought it would be Beloved, but you have His Word that it will be full of life and Joy.

Putting all the Pieces in Place

Can you hang with me for a brief history lesson? I promise the application will be worth it. In our Scripture writing group, we are in Numbers 10, where the Israelites are preparing to break camp and move out. In the preceding chapters, the Lord had assigned the work of the Tabernacle, or Tent of Meeting, to the Levites. It was all precisely planned. As was the marching order of each tribe, and the Levites in particular.

 After the first three families led out, the Levite tribes of Gershon and Merari followed, carrying the curtains and support structures for the Tabernacle. Every pole, stand, and tent peg was accounted for and carefully packed. After the physical pieces of the Tabernacle came another trio of Israelite families, then directly behind them was the Kohath tribe of Levites. They carried all the Tabernacle furniture and the bowls, plates, candelabras, pans, etc. for worship and sacrifices. Six more tribes, in two groups of three, completed the company.

The arrangement was intentional. When the cloud of the Lord’s presence lifted and headed out, so did the people, and when the cloud stopped, this is where they made camp. When the first group of Levites arrived with the pieces for the structure, they immediately set to work reassembling the Tent so that when the second group of Levites arrived at the new campsite, the furnishings and other elements could immediately be put in order. Not one moment was wasted waiting around for the Tabernacle to be built. This was a brilliantly organized plan.

I’m sitting here in my life right now wondering why things have happened the way they have. Why am I working when most of my peers are retiring? Why am I in graduate school at this age? Why am I having to fight for my family right now? And then I look back six years ago when I didn’t understand why my husband had to medically retire, why we had to return home, why we moved into this house that was so much bigger than the two of us needed. We didn’t realize at the time a little girl was coming along who needed a place. But God did and He set it up well ahead of the need.

So here’s the question I am asking myself this morning. If I believe God had this planned out years before the fact – and I do – why am I so anxious? How about you? Do you doubt He will get it done? Beloved, if God sent the Tent, He will also send the tables.

Acts: God Opens the Door

Acts 15 is one of the most pivotal chapters in the book, I would even say in the entire Bible. It is a huge hinge point for the church.

From the time of Abraham, one thing set the Hebrew people apart. Circumcision – the cutting away of the male foreskin. It was a rite that God commanded to identify Israel as His people. Gentiles – anyone who was not a Jew – were not circumcised unless they choose to fully convert to Judaism.

When Jesus told His disciples that they would be His witnesses “In Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth” (Acts 1:8), they never dreamed where the ends of the earth would take them and to whom. It took Peter to a Gentile home where he proclaimed the gospel and a whole family was saved. When he reported what happened the Jewish believers were overjoyed that “God has granted even the Gentiles repentance unto life” (11:18). Still, when Paul and Barnabas began preaching the gospel to Gentiles it caused quite a stir within the Jewish churches. How can these uncircumcised people be accepted by the Lord? Please take a few minutes to read Acts 15.

A group of strict Jewish believers followed Paul and Barnabas everywhere they went declaring that Gentiles had to first convert to Judaism – and be circumcised – in order to be saved. This caused a great deal of confusion and alarm. A council of apostles and elders of the church convened in Jerusalem to address the matter. Peter, Paul, and Barnabas relayed their experiences among the Gentiles, noting how “God accepted them by giving the Holy Spirit to them” and “purified their hearts by faith” (vv. 8,9). From their testimony, the Council declared that all who are accepted by the Lord – Jew and Gentile alike – are saved by grace and nothing more. God had opened the door wide to receive anyone who believed and confessed that Jesus is the risen Son of God (Rom 10:9-10). No circumcision required. It’s important to note that the Jerusalem Council didn’t make a decision on God’s behalf, they recognized what God had already begun.

That’s good news – no – that’s extraordinary news and it should bring all of us non-Jewish Christ followers to our knees in thanks and worship. We were spiritual orphans but by His grace, God has claimed us as His children. I, for one, and eternally grateful. If you came to Christ as a Gentile, you fall under the Jerusalem Council’s affirmation.

When Jesus declared that “God so loved the world . . .” (Jo. 3:16) He meant everyone. Jesus is the Savior of all mankind. Aren’t you glad that includes you, Beloved?

Acts: Welcome to the Family

As we continue our study in the book of Acts, a major shift is about to occur in Peter’s calling and in the early church. It would be helpful for you to read Acts 10 and 11:1-18.

Few things were as important to the Jews as their standing as God’s chosen people. He had called them out and commanded them to set themselves apart from anything considered unclean – food, animals, disease, and people. They maintained strict separation from Gentiles – any person who was not a descendant of Abraham.  Peter, while a Christ-follower, still adhered to those laws of separation. But God was doing a new thing – He was opening the way for Gentiles to receive salvation and be included in the family of faith. 

Cornelius was a Roman centurion and a devout God-fearer, meaning he followed the practices of the Jewish faith but he was not circumcised, which was the mark of inclusion as the people of God. An angel directed him to send for Peter who was about three hours away in Joppa.

Meanwhile, Peter was praying on a rooftop and saw a large sheet filled with all the critters that God had declared unclean (See Leviticus 11). He was told to “kill and eat” but he protested as a devout Jew. “I have never eaten anything impure or unclean.” The voice from heaven said, “Do not call anything impure that God has made clean.” This was repeated two more times and left Peter confused.

But God was about to bring the Jewish Peter and the Gentile Cornelius together. As the men from Cornelius arrived at the house, the Spirit assured Peter that he was to go with them. When Peter came into Cornelius’ house – something a good Jew would never do, all the pieces fell into place. He shared the gospel with Cornelius and he and his family were saved and baptized. Later Peter had to defend his actions before the Jewish believers and he retold the entire episode, including the giving of the Holy Spirit. They understood that “God has granted even the Gentiles repentance unto life.” Those who had once been excluded were now included as the people of God.

I don’t think twenty-first-century non-Jewish Christians understand what a huge thing this is. Community was everything to the Jews. A person guilty of gross sin and rebellion would be “cut off from his people” and thus cut off from faith and salvation. When God opened the Way of salvation to the Gentiles he was – and continues – to make us one family of faith. Our Western independence is completely counter to God’s vision. God wanted a people, not just a bunch of individuals.

Beloved, are you part of the family of faith? If so, thank God for His extraordinary gift. If not, may today be the day that you come home.

In God’s Eyes

How do others see you?  How do you see yourself? More importantly, how does God see you?

Take the demonic in the tombs of the Gerasenes. His family saw him as evil, fearsome, and unworthy of human contact, but Jesus saw him as free and “in his right mind” (Mk 5:15).  The woman with the issue of blood saw herself as unclean, but Jesus saw her as a “daughter” worthy of compassion and healing (Luke 8:48). Simon the Pharisee saw a woman washing Jesus’ feet as a “sinful woman,” Jesus saw her as an example of love and forgiveness (Luke 7:36-50). Though the Samaritan woman’s neighbors regarded her as the town tramp, Jesus saw her as His messenger (John 4).  He saw Mary Magdalene, whom the whole town knew as a demon-possessed woman as the first witness to proclaim His resurrection (John 20:10-18).

Here’s one more: When the twelve spies of Israel went through Canaan, they saw themselves as “grasshoppers in our own eyes” (Nu 13:33). The people rebelled and refused to go in and take the land that God had already declared to be theirs. Because of their unbelief, the whole nation wandered in the wilderness until that entire faithless generation died. God took their children where they refused to go. To the Promised Land.

My friend, God sees you and me far more clearly than we could ever see ourselves.  Who you are in the sight of others, or even in your own eyes, is not who you are in the sight of God who created you, loves you, and redeemed you.  Where others see you through your mistakes, God sees you with all the potential He placed in you from before you were born.  When we see ourselves through the worldly standards of beauty and success, God sees us through the beauty of His Son and His victory over death.  When we see ourselves as unworthy, hopeless, useless, and unwanted He sees us as valuable, treasured, and desired, because He sees us through eyes of love and compassion.

How do others see you?  How do you see yourself?  When you consider those questions, always return to this truth: God sees you as precious and honored, and yes, Beloved. Ask Him to give you His perspective so you can live as the child of God that you are.

Acts: The Door is Open

We return in Acts to the scene in an upper room in Jerusalem. Amid the wind and flames of the Holy Spirit and the languages declaring the mighty works of God, there was awe and wonder. There was also confusion and derision. One group asked, “What does this mean?” while another group mocked and said, “They have had too much wine.” Before chaos could take over Peter stood up.

This is a beautiful fulfillment of Jesus’ prophecy. When He declared that Satan had permission to sift Peter He also assured Peter that he would not fail his Lord. He said “When you have turned back, strengthen your brothers” (Luke 22:32). Because He knew Peter would. And here the disciple stands with his brothers to encourage and strengthen them.

Peter explained that this was Joel’s prophecy come to life when every nation and every gender and every age would declare the Word of the Lord. Judaism was an exclusive religion. Jesus came to break down every barrier to God. Joel’s words were the promise that the Spirit of God would no longer be reserved for Israel but would be a universal gift to all believers of every nation, gender, and age. Even Gentiles. And women. And men young and old.

“In those days,” gives way to apocalyptic imagery of wonders and signs and blood, fire, and smoke. This is generally believed to refer to the final cosmic events preceding the return of Christ, which Peter assumed was very near. There’s a whole lot here that we don’t have time to unpack because the point of Peter’s message was not the impending return – it was the wide open door to heaven.

When God called Abraham and established the Jewish nation, he drew a distinctive line between those who were “in” and those who were “out.” Now, because of Jesus, everyone was welcome to come in. When the curtain in the temple was torn in two at Jesus’ death, the rip started at the top (Matt 27:51). Now all nations and all genders and all ages were invited to the house of God. “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved” (Acts 2:21).

That means you, Beloved. God gave His one and only Son to save you. To welcome you to His family and His house and His eternal heaven. No matter your family or your gender or your age. God won’t even hold your past sins and mistakes against you. Jesus said, “Whoever comes to me I will not drive away” (John 6:37). The only thing you have to be is willing.