Text: Hebrews 13: 3
Remember those in prison as if you were there fellow prisoners and those who are mistreated as if you yourselves were suffering.
You are not far away, my friends. You are not. If you are a Christian, you will suffer. That is the gospel. So, pray for the brother and sister around the world, for the suffering around the world, because one day you will need them, you need their voice. I know they will be there praying for you when the times comes.
This is the time of the year when we take a closer look at what God’s Word says about the last things, the end times. Our Lord Jesus teaches us what to expect as His Day draws near. We won’t try to talk about it all today. Instead I would like to focus on one thing Jesus tells us to expect in these last days.
Jesus teaches us that following him means a cross. Not just a cross to remember his suffering and death for us all. Not just a cross where He redeemed us from death for life with God. But another cross. A cross of suffering that comes with following Jesus and confessing his name in this world.
The apostle Paul wrote to young pastor Timothy: everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted…(2Timothy 3:12) In our land that cross is not usually not very heavy. Someone avoids us or makes a snide remark about our faith. That’s a cross, yes, but not much of one. So we might get the impression that it’s like that everywhere in the world. Hardly! In much of the world, to follow Christ brings a heavy cross for many of our brothers and sisters. For example, I just read that some Christians in Iran were given 60 lashes just for drinking communion wine in the Lord’s Supper. There are places where following Jesus brings persecution.
Well one of those places is Syria. The news says little about the plight of Christians there. They are caught between a ruthless dictator and jihadist warriors who see themselves fighting a holy war to reclaim the land for Islam. If their country falls into the hands of those radicals, the Christians know they will be given three choices: convert to Islam, leave the country or die.
Well God’s word directs us this morning to think about our brothers and sisters in such place. The Lord calls us to remember them. To let our hearts go out to them. To let our prayers ascend to heaven for them. REMEMBER THOSE THAT SUFFER FOR THE NAME OF JESUS IN SYRIA. Here I’d like to share a few stories to help us understand. I took them from a publication called the Voice of the Martyrs.
REMEMBER THOSE THAT SUFFER FOR THE NAME OF JESUS
I. A Syrian family that perseveres in Christ
II. Suffering churches that reach out with Christ
III. A Syrian brother determined to share Christ
Many Christians have fled Syria. It’s easy to understand why. But many others remained. Some because they have nowhere else to go. Yet others have stayed because they believe God wants them to stay and be a light in a very dark place.
Samer and Liena serve a church that is boldly reaching out even as the violence worsens. It was not an easy decision for them to stay in Syria. A church offered to sponsor their move to Europe and pay for the children’s schooling. But after much prayer, they decided to stay.
They speak of how difficult their decision was. Muslim terrorists have been coming from other countries. They are saying, they will kill everyone who does not believe as they do. Samer and Liena prayed and prayed that the Lord guide them. Stay or go? Finally, it became clear. They would stay in Syria, no matter what. They would persevere in Christ.
One night their neighborhood was heavily shelled by mortars. The family huddled in the front room of their home. Liena pointed to the front door. She told the children, One day God may allow someone from those terrorist people to come in this door. They will have a big beard and very threatening faces. Maybe they will have swords. They will put their swords on our necks, and you may see some blood. They will hurt us. We will have pain, but don’t worry about this pain. We will close our eyes and open them again in heaven, and we will be with Jesus, singing with the angels. Just tell these people, ‘I forgive you and Jesus loves you.’
God did not call their family home that night. Instead Samer and Liena remain as lights for Christ in Syria. They continue to proclaim the dying love of our risen Savior. They also want to help their fellow Christians around the world understand what Christians are suffering in Syria. So we can pray for them. Will you? Will you remember them?
Many Americans have seen pictures of the terrible destruction in Syria’s cities. We’ve heard about the terrible loss of life and the use of chemical weapons. Many fear that one of the earliest Christian peoples might be killed or driven from the land.
But little does the news report that Christian churches, suffering churches, continue to hold up the living Lord Jesus against that Syrian backdrop of death. Some of those churches have even grown with new people and more services with standing room only.
There are also many stories of Muslims brought to faith in Jesus. A rebel soldier came to the door of one church. The people feared he had come to kill them. He sat down inside, listened to the sermon and confessed Christ.
In one area, more than 70 Muslim families have turned to Christ where there were not many Christians. Then there was the former mullah who witnessed Muslim radicals from different sects kill each other while shouting Allah is great. He then visited a church and learned about a God who doesn’t demand killing, but rather sacrificed his own Son for our sake. His heart was changed.
When one Muslim comes to Christ it is a big thing and everyone rejoices. But we’re not talking about one here and one there. Hundreds, maybe even thousands of Muslims are coming to know Christ.
Yet the civil war continues. Bombs continue to fall. Parents cry over their dead children. Children cry over their dead parents. Some have fled to refugee camps where they have nothing. One man described it this way. The war is like a knife in the heart of the church. No human can stand that suffering. But there is God’s presence. I can see Christ in the midst of darkness.
So remember those that suffer in the name of Jesus. Pray for them. Pray for an end to the violence. Pray that God protect his people. And pray that more Muslims may see Islam for what it is and find forgiveness and life in Christ.
Finally let me tell you about a man named Boutros. Boutros is determined to reach out with Jesus. Every day, he gathers a load of Bibles and goes shop to shop in Damascus. Once there he shares the story of Jesus. He is often kicked out but he refuses to be discouraged. For some welcome the good news he shares. And think. This is in a place that if you enter the streets you may not be seen again. Even his pastor warned Boutros. ‘There is kidnapping. There is torturing. The extremists are cutting Christians into pieces.’
One evening in 2012, Boutros wife called their pastor. He was not home. The pastor feared for Boutros. He called the secret police but they said they did not have him. They did. They had stopped him and asked what he was doing. Handing out Bibles. They told him to stop but he walked to another street and started again. The secret police arrested him. They put a black bag over his head and took him away. They interrogated him again and again but did nothing more than yell and curse at him. Then finally someone asked what he had
done. I was just giving out Bibles. Boutros then shared the gospel with the man. Touched by Boutro’s words, the chief interrogator stopped it, gave him his phone number and told him to call if he had any other problems with the secret police.
So what did Boutros do the next day. You guessed it. He packed his bag with Bibles and headed out once more to share the good news. You see, unlike you and me, Boutros is not waiting for the perfect time to share the gospel. He knows that the time is always now. As Paul wrote, Now is the appointed time, now is the day of salvation. But understand. The danger is very real for Boutros and other like him. If the radicals get hold of him he really could be cut to pieces.
So remember Boutros in your prayers. Remember those that suffer for the name of Jesus. Pray for them and us. Pray like those early Christians in the book of Acts. Pray not that God take away all our crosses of suffering. But that he make us bold to share the love and life of Christ with this dying world. Amen.
You are not far away, my friends. You are not. If you are a Christian, you will suffer. That is the gospel. So, pray for the brother and sister around the world, for the suffering around the world, because one day you will need them, you need their voice. I know they will be there praying for you when the times comes.