The Roman governor stood resolutely before the forty Roman soldiers of the Thundering Legion.  "I command you to make an offering to the Roman gods.  If you will not, you will be stripped of your military status."

The forty soldiers all believed firmly in the Lord Jesus.  They knew they must not deny Him or sacrifice to the Roman idols, no matter what the governor would do to them.

Camdidus spoke for the legion, "Nothing is dearer or of greater honor to us than Christ our God."

The governor then tried other tactics to get them to deny their faith.  First he offered them money and imperial honors.  Then he threatened them with torments and torture with the rack and with fire.

Camdidus replied, "You offer us money that remains behind and glory that fades away.  You seek to make us friends of the Emperor, but alienate us from the true King.  We desire one gift, the crown of righteousness.  We are anxious for one glory, the glory of the heavenly kingdom.  We love honors, those of heaven.  You threaten fearful torments and call our godliness a crime, but you will not find us fainthearted or attached to this life or easily stricken with terror.  For the love of God, we are prepared to endure any kind of torture."

The governor was enraged.  Now he wanted them to dia a slow, painful death.  They were stripped naked and herded to the middle of a frozen lake.  He set soldiers to guard them to prevent any from coming to shore and escaping.

The forty encouraged each other as though they were going to battle.  "How many of our companions in arms fell on the battle front, showing themselves loyal to an earthly king?  Is it possible for us to fail to sacrifice our lives in faithfulness to the true King?  Let us not turn aside, O warriors, let us not turn our backs in flight from the devil."  They spent the night courageously bearing their pain and rejoicing in the hope of soon being with the Lord.

To increase the torment of the Christians, baths of hot water were put around the lake.  With these the governor hoped to weaken the firm resolve of the freezing men.  He told them, "You may come ashore when you are ready to deny your faith."  In the end, one of them did weaken, came off the ice, and got into a warm bath.

When one of the guards on the shore saw him desert, he himself took the place of the traitor.  Surprising everyone with the suddenness of his conversion, he threw off his clothes, and ran to join the naked ones on the ice, crying loudly, "I am a Christian."

Jesus Freaks: Martyrs pp. 96-97

 

Some Thoughts:

1) What in the world could cause a strong man in a prominent position in the world to strip it all off (literally) and run completely naked of clothing, pride, and position to join men dying for what they believe?  God's love and his Spirit in the presence of his believers is a powerful thing.  Can you think of a time in life when you saw a believer's actions speaking louder than words?

2) Do you think there are as many Christians in America who are willing to die for their faith as there are soldiers who are willing to die for their country and freedom?

Big stories sometimes come from small and young faces.  Mary Khoury was a 17-year-old girl living in Lebanon during the Lebanese civil war.  This is the rather brief story of some of the most tragic, trying, and ultimately God-glorifying days of her life.

Mary Khoury and her family were forced to their knees before their home.  The leader of the Muslim fanatics who had raided their village waved his pistol carelessly before their faces.  His hatred for Christians burned in his eyes.  "If you do not become a Muslim," he threatened, "you will be shot."

Mary knew Jesus had been given a similar choice, "Give up Your plan to save sinners, or You will be crucified."  He chose the cross.

Mary's choice was similar.  "I was baptized as a Christian, and His word came to me:  'Don't deny your faith.' I will obey Him.  Go ahead and shoot."  The report of a gun from behind her echoed in the valley and Mary's body fell limply to the ground.

Two days later, the Red Cross came into her village.  Of all her family, Mary was the only one still alive.  But the bullet had cut her spinal cord, leaving both her arms paralyzed.  They were stretched out from her body and bent at the elbows, reminiscent of Jesus at His crucifixion.  She could do nothing with them.

More words from the Lord came to Mary.  Even though she was now handicapped, she knew God had a plan for her life.

"Everyone has a vocation," she said.  "I can never marry or do any physical work.  So I will offer my life for Muslims, like the one who cut my father's throat, cursed my mother and stabbed her, and then tried to kill me.  My life will be a prayer for them."

 

Some Thoughts:

1)  Many American Christians have never faced anything remotely close to this sort of a challenge to our faith.  Do you think this is because of our 'freedom'?  And is that necessarily a good thing?  Do you think we put to much faith in our safety in this land rather than in our God?

2)  Mary offered her life up for the very ones who tried to take it--she chose to love her enemies as Jesus commanded.  Think of all those who have wronged us as a country:  have Christians followed this route in trying to right the wrongs done against us?  Have we offered our lives up as a prayer for our enemies? 

3)  Now think of all of those who have wronged you personally.  Have you followed in Mary's footsteps?  Have you gone out of your way to serve and love those who have done wrong to you?  List one way that you have, or that you could offer your life as a prayer for an enemy.

Everything has to find its beginning somewhere, and martyrdom for the sake of Christ has its roots in one man:  Stephen of the Book of Acts.  This well-known story is an incredible example of what it means to give your all for the Gospel of Christ.  Study each of these sets of Scripture and consider the thoughts that correspond as we take a look at this Godly man's final moments of Christian service. 

Stephen Seized

"Now Stephen, a man full of God's grace and power, did great wonders and miraculous signs among the people. Opposition arose, however, from members of the Synagogue of the Freedmen (as it was called)—Jews of Cyrene and Alexandria as well as the provinces of Cilicia and Asia. These men began to argue with Stephen, but they could not stand up against his wisdom or the Spirit by whom he spoke. Then they secretly persuaded some men to say, "We have heard Stephen speak words of blasphemy against Moses and against God." So they stirred up the people and the elders and the teachers of the law. They seized Stephen and brought him before the Sanhedrin. They produced false witnesses, who testified, "This fellow never stops speaking against this holy place and against the law. For we have heard him say that this Jesus of Nazareth will destroy this place and change the customs Moses handed down to us." All who were sitting in the Sanhedrin looked intently at Stephen, and they saw that his face was like the face of an angel.      -Acts 6:8-15 NIV

Some Thoughts:

1) It is clear that Stephen could not have been speaking of his own accord.  A normal man trying to compete with the scholarship and knowledge of the men of synagogue should be doomed to fail, but we are told that Stephen stood firmly against them on a regular basis.  We must assume that this was because he had truly become an enlightened vessel of the Spirit of God--the scripture tells us this in the first bold passage and even gives us a visual example in the second:  Stephen was literally like an angel.  Have you ever had an experience where you knew God was speaking through you?  Do you know anyone like Stephen--someone with little formal education or training--that when it comes to the Word of God is charismatic and absolutely profound?

 

Stephen Speaks

"However, the Most High does not live in houses made by men. As the prophet says:
'Heaven is My throne,
and the earth is My footstool.
What kind of house will you build for me? says the Lord.
Or where will My resting place be?
Has not My hand made all these things?'

"You stiff-necked people, with uncircumcised hearts and ears! You are just like your fathers: You always resist the Holy Spirit! Was there ever a prophet your fathers did not persecute? They even killed those who predicted the coming of the Righteous One. And now you have betrayed and murdered him—you who have received the law that was put into effect through angels but have not obeyed it."      -Acts 7:48-53 NIV

Some Thoughts:

2)  This is the end of Stephen's speech.  Notice specifically that he does not even mention the name of Jesus.  If you look over his whole speech (Acts 7:1-53), Jesus's name is NEVER brought up.  The whole speech is literally just an account of Jewish religious history and the people's actions (Abraham, Joseph, Moses, David, the prophets, etc.).  Why do you think this is?  Do you think it's because Stephen is trying to prove his knowledge/piety before the Sanhedrin, thereby pleading his case of guiltlessness?  Do you think it's because he's trying to present his message to them in terms and examples they would understand?  Or do you think it is some other reason?

 

Stephen Stoned

"When they heard this, they were furious and gnashed their teeth at him. But Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, looked up to heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. "Look," he said, "I see heaven open and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God." At this they covered their ears and, yelling at the top of their voices, they all rushed at him, dragged him out of the city and began to stone him. Meanwhile, the witnesses laid their clothes at the feet of a young man named Saul.

While they were stoning him, Stephen prayed, "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit." Then he fell on his knees and cried out, "Lord, do not hold this sin against them." When he had said this, he fell asleep."      -Acts 7:54-60 NIV

Some Thoughts:

3)  It is often said of Jesus and his martyrs that followed that they are comparable to a seed:  their message is not completely fulfilled in life, but rather they must be crushed and die before their message can truly blossom and spread.  Would you be willing to go to the extent that Stephen did, even in the face of impending adversity and doom?

4)  Let's take it a step further.  The first set of Scriptures tells us that Stephen was constantly in conflict with this group of men.  They likely lived near each other.  This means that these men could very well have been his neighbors, some of them even his acquaintences or friends.  Consider the last thought then in this new context:  would you be willing to share your faith among your family, friends, coworkers, or neighbors even if you knew that there would be detrimental consequences in your relationships?  Would you be willing to face public scorn among those closest to you?

5)  Even in the midst of death, Stephen remained compassionate and blessed his enemies rather than trying to exact revenge.  Do you believe that Christ calls us to this no matter what the circumstance?  Do you believe that Jesus would have us to bless our enemies at all times, even if our lives are to be lost because of it?

For those of you who were with us this Sunday morning at the 11am service, I had the privilege of sharing with you in song and story about my favorite hymn of all time:  It Is Well With My Soul.  The song itself is an absolutely moving piece of musical work--comprised of melodic, resonating chords and passionate and well-articulated verse--but the story behind it is without a doubt the most moving part.  In a blog and discussion of Jesus Freaks, song author Horatio Spafford is without a doubt worthy of being brought into focus.

Horatio Spafford was a successful lawyer in Chicago and a God-fearing man.  His life, at least the part that we will focus on was filled with tragedy.  With more than enough reason to turn away from God like any other human, Spafford resisted the temptation and stayed true to God to the end.  In 1871, Spafford's only son of five children died.  Very shortly after, the Great Chicago Fire of 1871 destroyed the city and his law firm.  He was financially ruined.  Still dealing with the tragedy of the fire two years later, Spafford intended to travel with his family to Europe to get away for a short time.  They were to set sail on the S.S. Ville du Havre, but Horatio was forced to stay back in Chicago to deal with zoning concerns for his firm after the fire.  He decided to send his family ahead of him and planned on meeting them a few days later.  While crossing the Atlantic, Spafford's family had a collision with another sailing ship, causing the rapid sinking of the Ville du Havre.  In the collision, all of Spafford's four daughters died.  His wife Anna then sent him the famous telegram saying, "Saved alone."

Shortly after hearing of the incident, Spafford set sail to be with his wife.  He followed the same path as their ship did.  Upon arriving at the site of the ship's sinking and his daughters' death, Spafford wrote the lyrics to this well known hymn.  Amidst tragedy and grief, these words arose:

When peace, like a river, attendeth my way,
When sorrows like sea billows roll;
Whatever my lot, Thou hast taught me to say,
It is well, it is well with my soul.

(Refrain:) It is well (it is well),
With my soul (with my soul),
It is well, it is well with my soul.

Though Satan should buffet, though trials should come,
Let this blest assurance control,
That Christ hath regarded my helpless estate,
And hath shed His own blood for my soul.
(Refrain)

My sin, oh the bliss of this glorious thought!
My sin, not in part but the whole,
Is nailed to His cross, and I bear it no more,
Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, O my soul!
(Refrain)

For me, be it Christ, be it Christ hence to live:
If Jordan above me shall roll,
No pain shall be mine, for in death as in life
Thou wilt whisper Thy peace to my soul.
(Refrain)

And Lord haste the day, when my faith shall be sight,
The clouds be rolled back as a scroll;
The trump shall resound, and the Lord shall descend,
Even so, it is well with my soul.
(Refrain)

 

Most importantly, this was not the end of the Horatio Spafford story.  In 1881 the Spaffords left the life and comforts that they knew for Palestine.  They moved to Jerusalem and were among the founders of a group called the American Colony--a utopian Christian project where the workers and residents lived with, served, and worked hand-in-hand with the poor.  The colony was well known because it engaged in service and philanthropy with all the people of Jerusalem, regardless of their religion.  More importantly, proselytizing and evangelism were not even motives.  Because of this, they won the trust of the local Muslim, Jewish, and Christian communities, and had many converts anyways.  This colony would later be joined by Swedish Christians and become the subject of the Nobel prize winning work Jerusalem by Selma Lagerlof.

Spafford would serve the remainder of his life there in the colony in Jerusalem and die in 1888 of malaria.

 

Some Thoughts:

1) Spafford is a somewhat modern version of Job.  He and his wife would later have two daughters that traveled with them to Jerusalem, and I assume that he would say that he then had more family than in Chicago because of the family he and his wife helped to create in the American Colony--he would say that God had blessed them more after the tragedies.  Could you have this perspective on life?  Would you be accept the workings of God, no matter what they were, as blessings?  Would you be willing to trust that what he had for you down the road, even though it comes with tragedy, is better?  Could you say, "It is well with my soul" no matter what "it" is?

2) Horatio Spafford must have lived a very comfortable life, but all of a sudden he was faced with a great deal of discomfort and pain.  But how did he respond?  He realized that he had been blessed with more than enough, gave it away, and then went to live with the poor.  Do you think that pain and tragedy can sometimes be better ways of opening our eyes to God's blessings than comfort and ease?  Do you have any experiences in your life where this has been the case?

3) The American Colony was a truly unique concept in Christian missions.  It sought to serve people and show them the love of Christ through action no matter what their religion was.  The first goal was not to talk to them about Jesus and try and make them convert, but rather to show them His teachings and how they had changed their lives.  Do you sometimes feel like we get it backwards here today?  Don't we all too many times think that our words are strong enough to change hearts?  We ask people to come to church, we tell them about activities we have going on, we tell them about the cool songs that we sing, about what Jesus taught, etc., but haven't actions always spoken louder than words?  If we want people to meet Jesus we have to show Him to them first and foremost.  Words will never be enough--we have to live like Jesus, love like Jesus, and make Him look like the only way to an abundant and meaningful life to those around us.  Then we won't have to proselytize to someone about Jesus because they will be dying to ask about Him first.

 

 

Many of us do not know much about the U.S.S.R. or the members that made up it's army during the Communist ruling regime.  Soldiers, as well as the other members of Russian society, were made to accept the teachings that were being dulled out by the Communist Party.  For 18 year old Ivan Moiseyev, one of these teachings presented a major problem:  scientific atheism--atheism based upon the "survival of the fittest" ideal. 

 Ivan was a devout Christian who was constantly questioned and "re-educated" about what his beliefs should be to serve in the Red Army.  After many failed attempts to change his beliefs, he was presented to one of his highest superiors.  After dealing with his line of questioning and still standing in defense of his beliefs, Moiseyev was commanded to stand outside in the -13 degree weather all night in his summer uniform until he was willing to change his mind.  Never recanting, Ivan was forced to do this for twelve nights in a row.  It was a miracle that he did not freeze.  Soldiers in his barracks were beginning to be converted because of his faith and dedication, but things did not get easier for him.

He was constantly placed in refridgerated chambers.  He was put in special rubber suits that allowed air to be pumped in, restricting chest expansion and making breathing almost impossible.  After two years of dealing with questions, pain, and constant attempts to squash his faith, Ivan knew that the end was soon coming.  He wrote to his family on July 11, 1972 that they would not see him anymore.  "A few days later, his body was returned to his family.  It showed that he had been stabbed six times around the heart.  He had wounds on his head and around the mouth.  There were signs of beatings on the whole body.  Then he had been drowned."

All pain and torture considered, Ivan Moiseyev stood for Jesus until the very end.  His commander said to his parents after the death that "Moiseyev died with difficulty.  He fought with death, but he died as a Christian."  He did not flee from torture.  He faced the giant of an oppressive government head on and did so in the name of God.  Ivan Moiseyev gave his life for his King, declaring him forever as the ultimate Jesus Freak.

Jesus Freaks:  Martyrs, p.30-36

 

Some Thoughts:

1)  Moiseyev was quoted as constantly stating, "A lark threatened with death for singing would still continue to sing.  She cannot renounce her nature.  Neither can we Christians."  This statement is a clear and adamant agreement with Romans 6: 11 "Count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus."  A Christian is to be a living embodiment of Jesus to the world so much so that we have given up even the choice to be seen as our old selves.  We cannot choose not to declare the message of God because we are not, in fact, ourselves any longer, but His embodiment on earth!  As Christians, God and Jesus are living through us--we have no choice but to speak of their glory no matter what the consequences!  Do you agree with this?  Can you honestly say that you proclaim God like this on a daily basis?

2)  This man was only 20 years old when he gave His life for God.  All of us are called to a purpose--sometimes those purposes don't end in a long life here on earth.  Are you willing to believe that?  Do you think that God designs for some to die sooner than others--if so, why?  Would you be willing to answer that kind of a calling?

3)  A lot of us have preconceived notions about different groups of people.  Let us not forget that not all Communists were atheists or murderers.  Let us not forget that not all Nazi soldiers agreed with Hitler's actions.  And let us not look at our "enemies" today as naturally evil beings.  We must pray for those who attack us.  We must be willing, like Ivan, to give our lives for those who persecute us, that they might still have an opportunity to accept the God they are trying to silence.  Think specifically about Iraq.  When you hear about the war, do you pray for their soldiers too?  Remember that not all Iraqis are Muslim terrorists.  In fact, the Christianity that we believe in today was founded in the heartland of their territory.  Jesus walked that ground.  Iraq was part of his home.  There is always a different perspective on everything.  Dare to be different.  Will you pray for those who persecute you?  Will you really bless your enemies?     

"What will people think when they hear that I'm a Jesus Freak?

What will people do when they find out it's true?

I don't really care if they label me a Jesus Freak.

There ain't no disguising the truth."

                                       -DC Talk, Jesus Freak

The song is about 15 years old, and the books written by DC Talk about Jesus Freaks are almost equally as old, but they still hold a significant meaning in the lives of Christians today.  Many have sacrificed for the calling of Jesus.  Many have lost money, family, even their own lives, because they believed so strongly in the calling of a greater being--God.  Our world has seen Christians giving themselves to the point of death all throughout history.  Many famous names can be recalled of Christians who gave of themselves in years past, and that is what this series of blogs is going to be about--a collection of tales about the lives of history's Jesus Freaks. 

We will share stories of those who fought for justice, those who fought for the weak, those who lost all the comfort they knew, and those who gave their lives for Christ's Kingdom.  History has plenty of examples for us to look at, but let us not assume that martyrdom and sacrifice are things of the past:  "There are more Christian martyrs today than there were in A.D. 100--the days of the Roman Empire.  Now in the twenty-first century, hundreds of thousands of Christians are martyred arouond the world every year." (Jesus Freaks and the Voice of the Martyrs).  Each week, a new story will be remembered, but we ask as you read these, you not only remember those who have gone before, but pray earnestly for those who are losing their lives each day for this Gospel of Hope, Love, and Peace.  Keep our modern Jesus Freaks and even soon-to-be martyrs in your prayers, that God will be their protection, and that He might use their sacrifices to glorify His name and spread His Word of Love.