How often do you face really difficult days? Always remember that you are not the first person to face challenging times.
In the New Testament every true loyal faithful disciple of Jesus Christ faced serious difficulties. It is part of the small print of being a believer in Jesus but we do not hear that at the start.
Acts Chapter 8 in the New Testament opens with such solemn words. “Saul was there giving approval to his death.” Saul of Tarsus gave the signal for these men to kill this dear disciple of Jesus, Stephen. Read the account. Reach out for a Bible and check this astounding and astonishing passage. If you do not have a Bible go out today and buy one - a modern translation - the New International Version is probably the best for accuracy.
Stephen was so filled with faith, compassion and love, and so able to minister in the power of The Holy Spirit. Stephen was so forgiving, but now he is dead.
Why O Jesus? Why such a short career, and these religious persecutors are permitted to go on doing their painful work? We are confronted with many questions at times. As a direct consequence of Stephen’s mighty ministry in the power of the Holy Spirit, in the service of his Saviour and Lord, Jesus Christ, he loses his life - stoned to death.
How often do you ask “Why”?
Imagine what the feelings must have been like in the Church of Jesus Christ in Jerusalem. Yesterday, there were seven appointed ‘prayed over’ men serving tables and looking after that problem which had arisen. Today there are only six! All of a sudden when they were gathering for worship someone was missing. The Church of Jesus Christ must have been shaken and stunned. Nobody expected this to happen.
Immediately, a great persecution broke out against The Church. It was now becoming harder to be a disciple of Jesus Christ. To remain faithful to Christ was gradually becoming more costly. Jesus had told them this would happen, and persecution shows you who is for real and who can be relied upon in difficult times.
When we go through hard days, when people not only laugh at you and ridicule you, but throw stones at you, how will we respond? It was this fierce violent wave of persecution, which got the Church on the move, and out of Jerusalem. God wanted them out and moving.
Sometimes, things happen to us which are not good, but God can use them for good. This was not good. Persecution is never good, but the risen living Jesus uses it for good, to get the Gospel rippling out.
Soon there would be consequences all over The Middle East. Saul of Tarsus was now seeking to destroy this movement of the living God. Saul was now out to destroy every single disciple of the Jesus Christ.
The word “destroy” here means - to cause havoc - like when a wild beast savages a person. The Church, the body of Christ, was being attacked by a man who was behaving like a wild animal. But even as Saul fought the living Son of God, the Father was using Saul to spread the Word of God - even before he was converted and born again. (That does not happen for a few weeks yet.)
There was no programme for action - no syllabus - no committee - no missionary society - but everywhere they went, these disciples of Jesus spoke about Jesus and the Cross and how God raised Jesus from the dead.
They spoke about the real faith which they had. See what it was that got these people on the move and out of Jerusalem - persecution!
You had to have real faith to live as these people lived. You still have to have real faith. Do you?
Sandy Shaw
Sandy Shaw is Pastor of Nairn Christian Fellowship, Chaplain at Inverness Prison, and Nairn Academy, and serves on The Children’s Panel in Scotland, and has travelled extensively over these past years teaching, speaking, in America, Canada, South Africa, Australia, making 12 visits to Israel conducting Tours and Pilgrimages, and most recently in Uganda and Kenya, ministering at Pastors and Leaders Seminars, in the poor areas surrounding Kampala, Nairobi, Mombasa and Kisumu.
He broadcasts regularly on WSHO radio out of New Orleans, and writes a weekly commentary at http://www.studylight.org entitled “Word from Scotland” on various biblical themes, as well as a weekly newspaper column.
His M.A. and B.D. degrees are from The University of Edinburgh, and he continues to run and exercise regularly to maintain a level of physical fitness.
Sandy Shaw
sandyshaw63@yahoo.com
Tags: attitude, inspiration, leadership, motivation, Persecution, Religion, spiritual, travel
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