The Poor Little Rich Church Series

Edinburgh, Scotland and Greyfriars Kirk (Church). At the entrance to the Church is a statue of a little Skye terrier dog named Greyfriars Bobby. On the statue is inscribed, “A tribute to the affectionate fidelity of Greyfriars Bobby.” In 1858, this faithful dog followed the remains of his master to Greyfriars Churchyard where he was buried. For the next fourteen years, day after day, rain, snow, or sunshine, this little dog went to his master’s grave and lay there. When the little dog died he was buried in the Church graveyard just a few yards from his master’s grave.

Greyfriars Kirk is where the Covenanters signed a covenant in the 1500’s that they would not allow the king to place his own preachers in the pulpits of the land. The result was the persecution of the Scottish believers experienced.

The real story of faithfulness is not Greyfriar Bobby but is told on a large marker at one end of the Church graveyard. The marker sits on a mass grave of several thousand Christians that were either burned at the stake or hanged for their faith.

The faithfulness of the dog seemed to interest most who were visiting the Church. But the faithfulness of the saints, faithfulness even unto death, is the real story of faithfulness at Greyfriars Kirk.

Jesus praised their faithfulness and promised that one day he would reward them.

1ST thing Proves our Love for the Lord – reveals the Reality of our Relationship – Not to Him but to Us

It is in the times of Trials & Difficulties that we learn where we are really at – How committed we really are

Our tendency is to Praise the Lord when things are going good – grumble & complain when things are going bad

But for most of us – we really don’t know what Bad is – what suffering is

They hung in there . Stayed put they clung to the Lord / they were crushed but not defeated result – Witness & Fragrance - establish any deep roots

We know that from the time of John’s writing there were 10 waves of persecution during those three centuries of Church History

Began w/ Domitian -- 95-96/ ended w/ Diocletian -- 303-313 Prophetically viewed,

The whole period has been termed the "Age of the Martyrs."

The Church, as a whole, has never given off such a sweet fragrance of a witness to Jesus Christ as during the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th centuries AD.

During those three centuries, incredible persecution took the lives of some six million Christians.

Their bodies were torn apart on racks. - Their fingernails were pulled off. They were hung by their thumbs, oftentimes for days.

They were wrapped in animal skins and thrown out for bulls to gore & Lions to Devour

They were covered with tar & set on fire as human torches to light the gardens of the pagan festivities.

2nd - suffering provides compassion for each other – special bond been through same thing / something together

2Cor.1: 3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.