Lessons From the Persecuted Church

November 13th is the international day of prayer for the persecuted church.  Persecution for our faith in our community is something foreign. Few if any of us have experienced it.  In fact, you are much more likely to be persecuted as a Muslim or Buddhist than a Christian.  Having traveled all over the world, I am grateful for our religious freedom.  This freedom of worship, however, carries its own set of challenges.  Primarily, it can lull the church into complacency.  In light of the upcoming international day of prayer for the persecuted church, I thought it be appropriate to look at what we might be able to learn from the persecuted church.

1. Persecution Makes a Church Gospel CenteredAs a church, when you face persecution you are no longer focused on impressing your friends or people in the community by the size of your congregation, the programs you offer, or the beauty of your building.  Your focus instead turns to the gospel because the gospel is the only enduring thing you have to offer others.

2. Persecution Compels Us to Take Up Our Cross and Follow Christ DailyPersecution places a price tag on following Christ.  The gift of religious freedom can often turn faith into easy believism that demands very little and expects much.  Under persecution, the reality of taking up one's cross, as defined in Matthew 16:24, become very real as the cost of following Christ is apparent at every turn.  Following Christ no longer becomes the easier of two paths.  Persecution raises the stakes which in turn raises the commitment of a relationship with God.

3. Persecution Gives Us an Eternal PerspectiveOne of my greatest struggles is investing too much of my time and energy on aspirations that have no eternal significance.  These aspirations are not bad in themselves, yet when they take valuable time and energy away from matters of eternal significance, they become dangerous.  In Matthew 16:26, Christ asks the telling question, "What will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his life?"  Persecution raises the price of following Christ, which then challenges believers to daily make the decision to, "focus on things above rather than things below."

4. Persecution Strengthens FaithIn the midst of persecution, the temporal things that one tends to rely on can be shaken or taken away.  In the midst of this, one has to place their faith in the only thing that is constant, Christ's promises.   Matthew 6:25-33, promises that Christ will meet all our needs.  In times of persecution one's faith in Christ's promises are strengthened as Christ faithfully meets all their needs.

5. Persecution Helps Us Find Our Sufficiency in ChristIn 2 Corinthians 5:17, Paul shows us that when we repent of our sins and place our faith in Christ's work on the cross, we are a new creation.  Our identity and sufficiency suddenly shifts from our temporal aspirations and accomplishments to the One True God who saved us.   Persecution raises the eternal and crushes the temporal forcing us to find our sufficiency and identity in Christ alone.  We suddenly fine our lives echoing the third verse of the great Hymn, "Tis So Sweet to Trust in Jesus", which says,

Yes, ’tis sweet to trust in Jesus, just from sin and self to cease;Just from Jesus simply taking life and rest, and joy and peace.

As we focus this month on the persecuted church, I pray for three things to happen in your life.  First, I pray that you pray for the many brothers and sisters in Christ who are persecuted daily for following Jesus.  Secondly, I pray that your prayers for the persecuted church expand your own horizons to have a much more global vision of Christ's work.  Thirdly, I pray that you can implement the lesson to be learned from our brothers and sisters in Christ suffering for the Gospel.  For more information on how you might better pray and support the persecuted church, go online to:www.persecution.com.

Tragedy, Suffering, and the Glory of God

In the wake of the recent earthquake, tsunami, and radioactive fallout, the people of Japan have experience much suffering. This devastating tragedy has once again brought to the forefront the age old question, "What role did God play in this tragedy?"


In the wake of the 9/11 tragedy, the late Jerry Falwell carelessly responded in a broadcast on the Christian television program "The 700 Club,"

I really believe that the pagans, and the abortionists, and the feminists, and the gays and the lesbians who are actively trying to make that an alternative lifestyle, the ACLU, People For the American Way, all of them who have tried to secularize America. I point the finger in their face and say 'you helped this happen.'"

Is suffering and tragedy a result of God's judgment on the morality of the people as Falwell would suggest? Falwell's statement grossly misses the mark both historically, in its assumption of American history, and theologically, in its presentation of a God who only cares about morality as defined by the rhetoric of the Christian right. The Scripture however does record God inflicts tragedy and suffering as a means of judgment (Genesis 19). Yet, when people asked Jesus in Luke 13:1 as to whether a tragedy that had occurred in their region was God's judgment, Christ responds by explaining that those who had died in the tragedy were no worse than others in the same community who had not perished and that ultimately the most important thing was for all to repent.


All tragedy and suffering here on earth are a result of the fall. Most tragedy however is not the result of judgment, but instead that God's glory might be displayed (John 9:3). God is sovereign, nothing happens without his permission, and God will always use tragedy and tragedy as well as blessing for His glory.


         Ways in which God is glorified through tragedy and suffering:
Tragedy and Suffering Awaken One's Heart to God
C.S. Lewis in the Problem of Pain wrote that, “Pain is God’s megaphone to rouse a deaf world.” Suffering and tragedy break us out of our mode of self-compliancy so that we see our need for Christ.


Tragedy and Suffering Uncovers Our Idols
Suffering and tragedy reveal what or in whom we find our joy and purpose. Through tragedy and suffering many realize that that they worship things and relationships rather than the Creator and Giver of Life.


Tragedy and Suffering Breaks Our Pride
Suffering and tragedy humbles us by reminding us that we are not in control.


Tragedy and Suffering Deepens Our Trust in God
Suffering and tragedy strip our idols away so that we realize God is the only one we can truly rely on.


Tragedy and Suffering Help Us Find Our Sufficiency in Christ
Through suffering and tragedy, we begins to realize that finding our sufficiency in anything but Christ is foolhardy and ridiculous, for Christ is the only one who is both unchanging and fully sufficient.


Tragedy and Suffering Helps Us Long for the Completion of Our Redemption
The brokenness of creation is never more apparent than in times of suffering and tragedy. Through these times we can join with creation and expectantly groan to be set free from our bondage and decay that we might obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God (Romans 8:20-22).


Tragedy and Suffering Creates an Eternal Perspective
Suffering and tragedy help remind us of our need to set our eyes on, "things above (Colossians 3:1-4)" as we wait for God to make all things new (Revelation 21:5).


For those who do not live in Japan, the tragedies that struck its people are quickly forgotten. Yet our own opportunity to deal with tragedy and suffering in a biblical manner abounds as our lives are daily affected by the rise of Devils Lake. May we find rest and joy in God' sovereignty amidst our own tragedies and suffering as we join with creation in longing for the completion of our redemption.

Only God Can Save Us Now

This past December while visiting family in Michigan, Amanda and I enjoyed a show by our favorite band, Over the Rhine.  One of the songs that really caught my attention was, Only God can Save us Now.  Karin, the lead singer, explained that she wrote the song not long after her mother had to be moved to an assisted care home due to a stroke.  The song is a tribute to some of the people in the home where her mom lived.  Linford, Karin's husband described it as "a head on collision between comedy and tragedy," very funny, yet touching and serious.  There was Barb who would "borrow" meds from the med-cart, Bob who would repeatedly say, "How Now Brown Cow", and Miss Cleve who would victoriously sing "Hallelujah."  The song culminates with the chorus, "only God can save us now."

As I listened to this song the other day, I was struck by the reality that brokenness which births faith is the first step of finding our salvation in God.  In Matthew 18:3 Jesus says, “Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven."  Why would Jesus commend us to become like a child to enter the kingdom of heaven when as adult we seem much smarter and wiser when it comes to spiritual things?  The answer lies in a child's natural disposition towards trust, humility, and faith.  When I hold and pray with one of my daughters who were awaken by a bad dream their world is completely secure.  They don't have a back-up plan in case this daddy thing doesn't work.   Instead, they fully trust in their daddy's capacity to protect and comfort them.  Unfortunately, as we grow up we tend to become our own genius, foolishly believing the lie that we have everything under control.   God's challenge in Matthew 18:3 for us is to take on the traits of childlike humility because until we shed our self-reliance and affirm our own brokenness we will foolishly believe we have no need for God.

Our first steps towards the Gospel begin with humble recognition that only God can save and redeem us (Romans 5:6-10), the first step of discipleship is humble recognition that only God can save and sanctify us,  and the last step of discipleship is humbly understanding that only God could save and keep us from stumbling.

I suppose it is good that I am not walking around the house singing, "How Now Brown Cow", but if that is what it takes for me to recognize that, "Only God can save me", may God break me...and spare the sanity of my wife and kids:)  May God mercifully bring us to the point that we gladly recognize, "Only God can save us, sanctify us, and keep us."

The Danger of Safely Pursuing God

Years ago while living in the suburbs of Cleveland, I had a conversation with an elderly neighbor about our home security system. We had just purchased the home on a quiet cobblestone street and our neighbor commended us on the importance of our security system. The truth was, although I had kept the sign up in our yard warning intruders that the house was armed with a security system, I had canceled the service because I was too cheap to pay the monthly fee.

The reality is that our culture is consumed by safety. We have organizations and groups dedicated specifically to providing safety while we work, travel, eat, and sleep. As a father of two energetic girls, safety is usually (according to my wife I am using the term loosely) at the forefront of my mind. I wonder sometimes if we have allowed our obsession with safety neuter our relationship with Christ. Has our passion for safety affected the way we choose to live out the Christian life or define God's purpose and plan for us? How often have we readily agreed with the statement, "God loves you and has a wonderful plan for your life?"; all the while defining this "wonderful plan" based on our desire for safety, security, and immediate happiness. We forget to leave room for suffering and self-denial, both key aspects of discipleship as defined by Christ in the Gospels. Christ said in Matthew 16:24 that, "If anyone would come after me [Christ], let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me." Self-denial does not correlate with safety. In fact, self-denial is the antonym of safety. Why then have we defined a "safe" life with material prosperity a sign that one is living out God's "wonderful plan" for their life? What if God's "wonderful plan" for our lives was that we find redemption through Christ's atoning sacrifice on the cross and then live as radicals whose passion to bring glory to God outweighs the passion for comfort and safety? What if Dietrich Bonhoeffer is right in saying that to endure the cross is not a tragedy; it is the suffering which is the fruit of an exclusive allegiance to Jesus Christ?[1] What if our brothers and sisters in Christ being persecuted for their faith around the world are the ones truly living out God's "wonderful plan" for their life?

In the end of course all this is easy for me to write as I sit "safely" in my office where I am paid to be a "professional Christian". May my own desire for safety be crushed by a life driven to take up my cross daily and follow Christ, all the while basking in Christ's promise found in Matthew 11:28 to give rest to the heavy laden.

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[1] Dietrich Bonhoeffer, The Cost of Discipleship

Heaven, Hell, & the Glory of God

I recently preached a sermon entitlled, "Hell, Adding Dimension to Hope," from 2 Thessalonians 1:5-10 as part of our current sermon series, "Unwrapping Hope." The premise of the message was that just as the study of heaven helps Christians to better understand the hope that God has given them in salvation, the study of hell adds greater dimension to a Christian's understanding of hope.

I would like to take a moment to expound on a concept that I was only able to briefly touch on in my sermon. The connection of God's glory and hell. Within pop culture, hell is viewed as Satan's hangout spot. Within much of western Christendom, hell is overtly or inadvertently diminished by treating the subject with silence. Contrary to these two views, the Bible clearly teaches that hell is a real place that demonstrates God's glory.

God created heaven so that His unveiled glory could be demonstrated to believers. The awe of heaven will not be so much the beauty of heaven itself, (although the beauty will be beyond anything our finite minds can imagine), but the reality that one will be able to bask in the presence of God's unveiled glory. Simply put, God's glory is demonstrated through heaven by the fact that He can redeem sinners and make them holy so that they can experience His unveiled glory.

God created hell to punish sin with eternal righteous punishment. So then how does this reflect God's glory? Well, whenever we sin it is an attack on God's glory. God's response to this attack on his glory by punishing the offender is a demonstration of both His glory and the infinite value of His glory. This does not mean that God delights in a sinner suffering, but instead demonstrates that the infinite value of God's glory, His justice, and righteousness demand the ultimate penalty for sin be eternal punishment in hell. This is how John 3:17, "For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him," fits with 2 Thessalonians 1:7b-8, "When the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with his mighty angels in flaming fire, inflicting vengeance on those who do not know God and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. They will suffer the punishment of eternal destruction away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his might."

Both the beauty of God's redemption and horror of God's judgment equally demonstrate His glory.

Praise God that he sent His Son to pay the penalty for sin by being an atoning sacrifice so that one might someday stand in the presence of God's unveiled glory.