Bible
Study
Mar
2003
WHEN
THE GOOD NEWS IS A TOUGH CHOICE
Jeremiah 21:1-9
"Tara was only in the seventh grade when she
secretly enrolled in a Bible correspondence school.
Her strict Muslim family later discovered her faith
in Jesus and beat her so severely that she lay unconscious
for almost a week. Tara eventually had to flee her
home and her country of Pakistan to escape certain
death." (Steve Cleary)*
Sometimes the Good News is not an easy choice. When
King Zedekiah finally sent for the prophet Jeremiah
to give him a word from God, it was because the Babylonian
army was parked outside his gates. For too long he
had ignored the threat of judgment. Now He was desperate
for good news from the Lord’s prophet.
Jeremiah responded, "Good news! I have some
good news! This city is going to fall and you with
it. You can expect nothing from the enemy but the
sword, fire, pestilence and famine." Then Jeremiah
added this bit of hope: "Oh yes, did I say that
if you surrender yourselves to the Babylonians, you
get a chance to live? It's your choice: fight and
die or surrender and trust God.”
That was not what the, king and his advisors wanted
to hear. To the last, they refused to humble themselves
before God.
We might have little sympathy for Zedekiah, but there
are many in today's world who face a difficult choice
when they hear the Gospel. They must go against godless
governments, false religions and even family members
if they embrace Christ as Lord. We are amazed by
the faith of believers in China who choose imprisonment
and torture rather than betray their house church
to the state. Christians die daily in places like
Sudan, Tajikistan, Indonesia and Pakistan. The Good
News is precious, however, even when it is dangerous.
Whether your mission trip leads you to an American
city, a Mexican village or a Middle Eastern refugee
camp, don't ever be casual about the message of salvation.
The choice for someone may be more difficult than
you know.
Pray as Jesus did for the protection of Christians
who face persecution for following Him. In John 17
verses 11 and 14-18, Jesus asks God not to take His
children out of the world, but to protect them from
the evil one by the power of His name. We can speak
that same prayer on behalf of persecuted believers
this very moment.
Jesus knew the cost of being true to His calling
- torture and death. He also knows the cost of following
His Way in many parts of our world. Ask God to give
to persecuted Christians the same courage that Jesus
had to face his tormentors and the torture of His
death.
If you are interested in reading more about those who have encountered persecution
for the cause of Jesus Christ, consider reading the following:
1) Jesus Freaks DC Talk and
The Voice of the Martyrs
2) The New Foxe’s Book of Martyrs John Foxe
3) Hebrews 11 The Holy Bible
*Cleary, Steve. “Extreme Youth” in
The Voice of the Martyrs newsletter, 12/2001, p.10.
|
