Building On The Blessing Series

In August… of 325 A.D. the Roman Emperor Constantine brought together leaders from churches all across the Empire to a city called “Nicaea” to discuss a new heresy that had risen called Arianism. Arianism was a cult led by a man named Arius who taught that Jesus was NOT God… but was merely a man. And Arius himself was at the conference. Now, there was another man at the conference named Nicholas. Nicholas had been imprisoned and tortured during the Great Persecution under the previous Emperor Diocletian (ruled 284–305), but he’d been released under the orders of Constantine and was invited to the conference at Nicaea. You probably wouldn’t have given Nicholas a 2nd thought… except he was better known as “St. Nick” – he was a godly Christian leader who was well known for his gifts to the poor… and who ultimately became renamed: Santa Claus. At one point in the debate about Arianism, Nicholas became angry because of comments that Arius was making about Jesus… and he just walked over and slapped Arius across the face. He was almost kicked out of the conference, but Constantine allowed him to stay if he apologized.

At the Nicene Council, there were 318 delegates… and fewer than 12 of those present at the council had not been tortured for their faith and lost an eye or a hand or limped because of crippled legs. (Vance Havner). Let me repeat that – OVER 300 of the Christians at the council of Nicaea had been tortured, imprisoned, and had lost hands, and eyes, and many limped as they entered the conference.

Christianity was NOT a healthy lifestyle for those people.

And Jesus was very plain that this was the kind persecution that Christians could expect. In John 16:33 Jesus said: “In this world you will have trouble."

In Matthew 10:17 Jesus warned His disciples: "Be on your guard against men; they will hand you over to the local councils and flog you in their synagogues.”

And in John 16:2 Jesus said: The hour is coming when whoever kills you will think he is offering service to God.

Jesus was saying: being a Christian was a dangerous proposition.

There was a deacon named Stephen who was stoned to death for preaching the Gospel. And the apostle James was executed by being killed by the sword.

Then there was a man named Saul. We’re told that after Stephen was stoned to death “Saul began to destroy the church. Going from house to house, he dragged off men and women and put them in prison.” Acts 8:3

And later, Saul (who was later called Paul) noted that “On the authority of the chief priests I put many of the saints in prison, and when they were put to death, I cast my vote against them. Acts 26:10

And, of course, once Paul became a Christian and preached about Christ he said that “Five times I received from the Jews the forty lashes minus one. Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was stoned. II Corinthians 11:24-25

And ultimately, it’s said that Paul was beheaded for his faith.

When Jesus told His followers they would need to take up their cross and follow Him, He was telling them that DEATH was a very real possibility.

An early Christian writer named Jerome noted that “The church of Christ has been founded by the shedding its OWN blood, not that of others; by enduring outrage, not by inflicting it.

Now, I might have missed the memo on this, but when I was baptized into Christ at the age of 12 I don’t remember ever being told that if I took my faith seriously, there might be a chance I could end up being persecuted, or losing a job, or being arrested for my faith and thrown into jail, or even come face to face with somebody who wanted to hurt me or kill me.

Nobody told me those were possible outcomes for my life, because that’s not a real popular message. In fact, a lot of preachers who avoid hard topics like that, and instead will offer self-help messages about 10 ways you can live a happier life; or 12 ways to have a better marriage. Some preachers take it even further - teaching that God wants us to prosper in our health, in our family, in our relationships, in our business, and in our careers. (Joel Osteen). That’s the heart of the health & wealth gospel.

Now, I understand the appeal of that type of preaching … I really do. And I believe that WHEN WE PRAY – if God wants to make us rich, He can make us rich; if He wants to heal us, He can heal us; and if He wants to make us important, He can make us important.