Sunday at Capstone Church we looked at Acts 8 and the story of Stephen. We saw that the way God scattered his church was through the blood of the Saints. Our Big Idea was:
Jesus’ blood made the Gospel a reality. The blood of our brothers and sisters continues to pave the way for the Gospel.
The numbers we talked about revealed that Martyrs and dying for the Gospel were not an early church issue, but one that applies today. A 2006 Study from Gordon Conwell says that 171,000 Christians die a year for the Gospel of Christ. That is 468 a day! The eight year conflict in Iraq has cost us 4770 American lives. We will lose that many brothers and sisters in as many as 10 DAYS.
We asked the question is the Gospel something we would really go to prison for? Can the Gospel be more valuable than my life or the safety of my family? This is where the Gospel is not all gum drops and Candy Land. This is where we realize the Gospel is not Rated G, but full of violence, danger, and sacrifice. Yet many of us in the American church ignore the fact that everyday we will lose brothers and sisters because of their obediance in the Gospel.
I felt like a left an important part of the message out. So here it is. I mentioned that many of us will never have to place our lives on the line for the Gospel. So why ask the question – Would we?
One is that Jesus tells us that is where is all begins. That we are not worthy to be his disciples if wouldn’t give it all up for His Good News:
Luke 14:26
“If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple.
When we can fully answer “Yes – I give it all up” we now are just not being Christ like, but Christ! When we get to the point where nothing is more important that being Jesus, transformation becomes a reality. We die to ourselves and are better husbands and wives. We sacrfice so that others can see Jesus in us. Fear and rejection does not define us, but the Salvation found in the cross does. When we our spiritual lives are sacrificed on the cross with Jesus (Gal 2:20) it makes the decision of our physical life easy.
In no way do I think after a 40 minutes sermon we will get this. We have to wrestle with the notion. When we begin to dig we may find that we would not be willing to laying it all on the line. There is a tension that will always be there. All we can do is pray for strength, courage, and our brothes and sisters whose blood will continue to pave the way for the Gospel.
If you would like to learn more about Martyrs for the Gospel and current Persecutions of the church head to “The Voice of the Martyrs“
