The Courage of Jesus.

I saw this question online today on Wendy Pope's blog at http://proverbs31.org/

 "What is one character trait Jesus bears that you would like to imitate?"

I immediately thought of courage since I feel like I have none. When Jesus was here, he seemed to have a lot of courage. He stood up to those who criticized his friends and were doing evil, he lived a life of poverty depending on the offerings of others, and he walked towards the cross with... "his face set like flint."

"And I know that I will not be ashamed.I gave my back to those who strike, and my cheeks to those who pull out the beard; I hid not my face from disgrace and spitting.
For the Lord GOD helps Me, Therefore, I am not disgraced; Therefore, I have set My face like flint,"  Isaiah 50:6

After thinking a bit, I decided love was a better trait than courage. Love is what God's kingdom is all about. It is what he is. Still, I just love Jesus' courage. I love how he faced life, trusting in his Father, never worried or seemingly afraid. 

However, the thought of the pain and humiliation of the cross brought Jesus a terrible sadness. “Now is my soul troubled. And what shall I say? ‘Father, save me from this hour’? But for this purpose I have come to this hour."  John 12:27

I used to imagine what it was like to die for Jesus. Through the years, many were burned at the stake, tortured to death or thrown to the lions. It has actually been millions of people, starting with the death of Stephen and James. It is still going on right now in the Middle East and Africa. I wonder and I hope I would have the courage to die for the God I love. I pray I would. I would need his courage to do it.

Then He said to them, "My soul is deeply grieved, to the point of death; remain here and keep watch with Me." And He went a little beyond them, and fell on His face and prayed, saying, "My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; yet not as I will, but as You will."

Jesus didn't have to just die; he had to bear the sin of the world on his heart and become sin for us, an offering of blood and death so we could be saved. How that felt and what that really means is beyond my understanding. I think it means he went through hell for us.

"So Jesus said to Peter, "Put the sword into the sheath; the cup which the Father has given Me, shall I not drink it?"

I thank God for Jesus' courage, for he decided to drink the cup of suffering that would save us.

Dying for Jesus.

I read of a man of Afghanistan who had heard the gospel preached. He was impressed by it but had not yet made a decision to follow Jesus.

One day he went to a barber shop, as he sat down the barber put a razor to his neck and asked him, "Are you one of those Christian infidels?"

At that moment the man made his decision for Christ. He said he was a Christian and began to share the gospel message. The barber slit his throat, but not deep enough, so the man ran out and got help from other Christians and lived.

As I read this, I remembered a story I had read in the news that was similar. It was a story that gave me joy even though it had what some might call a terrible ending.

http://www.aggiecatholicblog.org/2015/03/1-of-the-21-men-beheaded-was-not-a-christian-until-he-saw-the-death-of-those-who-refused-to-deny-jesus/

"1 of the 21 men who were beheaded a few weeks ago was not a Christian, that is he wasn’t a Christian until he saw the faith of the men who refused to deny Jesus and died for it. By their witness, he decided to believe in Jesus too! Here is the story:

"ISIS announced the execution of 21 Copts but only 20 names were confirmed, most of them were from the province of Minya(Upper Egypt). There was an inaccuracy in the number of Egyptian Hostages; there were only 20 Egyptians(Copts). Then who was this remaining one non-Coptic victim?

"Ahram-Canadian News was able to gather information about this man. He was a Chadian Citizen (Darker skin shown in picture) who accepted Christianity after seeing the immense faith of his fellow Coptic Christians to die for Christ. When Terrorist forced him to reject Jesus Christ as God, looking at his Christian friends he replied, “their God is my God“ so the terrorist beheaded him also."

I am so happy for this man who gave his life to Jesus and immediately died for him. 

"Indeed, the hour is coming when whoever kills you will think he is offering service to God. These things they will do because they have not known the Father or Me. But I have said these things to you, that when their hour comes you may remember that I told them to you." John 16:2-4

“Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and put you to death, and you will be hated by all nations for my name’s sake...But the one who endures to the end, he will be saved." Matthew 24:9,13

Persecution of Christians by Christians.

I recently read about Quakers and how they were treated by fellow Christians. I think this can be a warning against the unity of church & state. Freedom of religion is one of the greatest freedoms we have. 

Quakers:

George Fox (1624-1691), began a four year journey throughout England in the mid 1600s, seeking answers to his spiritual questions. Disappointed with the answers he received from religious leaders, he felt an inner call to become an itinerant preacher. Fox's meetings were radically different from orthodox Christianity: silent meditation, with no music, rituals, or creeds.

Fox's movement ran afoul of Oliver Cromwell's Puritan government, as well as that of Charles II, when the monarchy was restored. Fox's followers, called Friends, refused to pay tithes to the state church, would not take oaths in court, declined to doff their hats to those in power, and refused to serve in combat during war. Further, Fox and his followers fought for the end of slavery and more humane treatment of criminals, both unpopular stands.

Once, when hauled before a judge, Fox chided the jurist to "tremble before the word of the Lord." The judge mocked Fox, calling him a "quaker," and the nickname stuck. Quakers were persecuted across England, and hundreds died in jail.

Quakers History in the New World

Quakers fared no better in the American colonies. Colonists who worshiped in the establishedChristian denominations considered Quakers heretics. Friends were deported, imprisoned, and hanged as witches.

Eventually they found a haven in Rhode Island, which decreed religious tolerance. William Penn (1644-1718), a prominent Quaker, received a large land grant in payment for a debt the crown owed his family. Penn founded Pennsylvania colony and worked Quaker beliefs into its government. Quakerism flourished there.

Over the years, Quakers became more accepted, and were actually admired for their honesty and simple living. That changed during the American Revolution, when Quakers refused to pay military taxes or fight in the war. Some Quakers were exiled because of that position.

In the early 19th century, Quakers rallied against the social abuses of the day: slavery, poverty, horrible prison conditions, and mistreatment of Native Americans. Quakers were instrumental in the Underground Railroad, a secret organization that helped escaped slaves find freedom before the Civil War.

http://christianity.about.com/od/quakers/a/quakershistory.htm

In England as well as in a number of American colonies the Quakers faced violent persecution. Some 15,000 Quakers were jailed in England between 1660 and 1685. In 1660, Edward Burrough catalogued the maltreatment of Quakers in New England: 64 Quakers had been imprisoned; two Quakers lashed 139 times, leaving one "beat like into a jelly"; another branded with the letter H, for heretic, after being whipped with 39 stripes; and three Quakers had been executed.

http://www.digitalhistory.uh.edu/disp_textbook.cfm?smtID=3&psid=94

Persecution and Reformation.

End of Chapter 4