Consider the example of Stephen, the first martyr of the church (Acts 7). Why didn't he back down when he saw that the Sanhedrin, the governing religous body, was becoming enraged at him? Why didn't he try to pacify them? After all, he was probably a young man with a wife and children. His whole future lay before him. His family was dependent on him. But he never came home.
And then there was his ministry. He was a powerful preacher, anointed to heal the sick and perform miracles. Think of all the lives he could touch! Think of all the good he could do for the kingdom of God. Why didn't Stephen simply deny the false charges? "Men and brothers, the accusations are not true!" Why didn't he politely dismiss their questions and calm their anger? Why did he continue to stand up and speak out? The answer challenges us all: He was not seeking to save his life; he was seeking to be a witness. "For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will find it" (Matt.16:25).
This is the story of the true church in every nation and in every age: "You did not renounce your faith in me, even in the days of Antipas, my faithful witness, who was put to death in your city---where Satan lives" (Rev.2:13). This is the gospel of martyrdom, the gospel of Jesus . . . As Leonard Ravenhill observed, Paul did not mind if the cost of obedience was prison, "for it was better that he should be 'the prisoner of the Lord' for a few years than that his fellow men should be the devil's prisoners in hell forever." [taken from Michael Brown REVOLUTION, p.257]
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment