TRIBULATION

Danna Shirley

I read “The Voice of the Martyrs” recently and each chapter gives an account of the persecution, torture, and death of a believer somewhere in the world, at some time in history, who has been martyred for their faith in Jesus Christ. It has been sobering to even read such accounts much less to know that actual people lived . . . and died . . . through them.

There is the story of the very first martyr, Stephen, in 34 AD in Jerusalem. While he was being stoned to death he began to pray, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit . . . do not hold this sin against them,” and then he died.*

Then we jump to Indonesia, 1999, and the 15-year-old boy, Roy Pontoh, who was forced from hiding and made to stand before a mob of Muslims and renounce Jesus or be killed.  His last word was Jesus.*

In Asia in the 1970’s a Christian man was told by the Communists to spit on the Bible and he did so, but then prayed, “Father, forgive me.” Quietly, a young girl came forward and picked up the Bible and wiped off the spit with her dress. “What have they done to Your Word?” she prayed. “Please forgive them.” A Communist soldier put his pistol to her head and pulled the trigger.*

Mary Khoury, 17 years old, living in Damour, Lebanon during the Lebanese Civil War from 1975-1992 was forced with her family to their knees before their home. Fanatics threatened, “Become a Muslim or you will be shot.” Mary’s reply, “Go ahead and shoot.” Her body fell limply to the ground. Two days later the Red Cross found her. She was the only one still alive; however, the bullet had cut her spinal cord leaving both arms paralyzed.  She knew God had a plan for her life and so she offered it, as a prayer for Muslims.*

Scotland, 1527, Patrick Hamilton, 23 years old, had all he needed for success: he was of royal blood, intelligent and talented, pleasant and gentle. He embraced the teachings of Martin Luther and not the edicts of the established church. Soon he began to preach the truth and was ordered to appear before the Archbishop where he was arrested and put in prison. When he would not back down from his stand, he was sentenced to death. As the fire consumed him, he cried out, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.”* 

C. S. Lewis wrote, “You never know how much you really believe anything until its truth or falsehood becomes a matter of life and death to you.”

Jesus said, “These things I have spoken to you, that in ME you may have peace, in the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I HAVE OVERCOME THE WORLD.” (John 16:33 NKJV)

What are “these things” of which Christ spoke in John 16? They are included in a long discourse to His disciples, and to us, beginning in Chapter 13 . . .

13:33  Love one another.

14:1    Let not your heart be troubled.

14:2    I go to prepare a mansion for you.

14:6    I am the way, the truth, and the life.

14:12  He who believes in Me will do greater works than I do because I go to My Father.

14:13  Whatever you ask in My name, that I will do to glorify My Father.

14:15  If you love Me, keep My commandments.

14:16  My Father will give you another Comforter, the Holy Spirit.

14:17  The Spirit will dwell with you and be IN you.

14:19  Because I live, you will live also.

14:23  He who loves Me and keeps My Word, My Father and I will love him and make Our home with him.

14:26  The Holy Spirit will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all things.

14:27  My peace I leave with you, let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.

15:1    I am the true Vine and My Father is the Vinedresser.

15:2  Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit.

15:5   He who abides in Me and I in him bears much fruit for without Me you can do nothing.

15:7    Abide in Me and My words in you; ask what you desire and it shall be done for you.

15:10  If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love.

15:11  “These things” I have spoken to you that My joy may be yours to the fullest.

15:12  This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.

15:13  Greater love has no one that this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends.

15:16  I chose and appointed you to go and bear fruit that your fruit should remain.

15:18  If the world hates you, know that it hated Me before it hated you.

15:20  If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you.

15:21 All “these things” they will do to you for My name’s sake.

15:22 If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not have known their sin.

15:25  This happened that the word might be fulfilled, “They hated me without a cause.”

16:1    “These things” I have spoken to you, that you should not be made to stumble.

16:2    The time is coming that whoever kills you will think he offers God service.

16:3    “These things” they will do to you because they have not known the Father nor Me.

16:7    It is to your advantage I go away; for if I do not, the Helper will not come to you.

16:13  When the Spirit of Truth comes, He will guide you into all truth and whatever He hears He will speak and tell you things to come.

16:20  . . . you will be sorrowful but your sorrow will be turned into joy.

16:22  I will see you again and your heart will rejoice; your joy no one will take from you.

16:24  Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full.

16:25  “These things” I’ve spoken figuratively; soon I’ll tell you plainly about the Father.

16:27  The Father Himself loves you, because you have loved Me and believed I came from God.

16:33  “These things I have spoken to you, that in ME you may have peace, in the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I HAVE OVERCOME THE WORLD.”

Jesus tells us: “Therefore you now have sorrow; but I will see you again and your heart will rejoice, and your joy no one will take from you.” (John 16:22) 

Where does such strength come from that a martyr could stand in the midst of the fire and sing praises to Almighty God, and forgive his torturers, and have joy on his face and peace in his heart?

           

“These things,” tribulations, sufferings, tortures, murders, are happening all around the world today, just as Jesus said they would. How would we American Christians conduct ourselves under such persecution? Would we pass the test? Or would we deny our Lord? Every one of us must answer that question for himself. 

If these martyred saints can open their mouths and share the Gospel as they are being tortured to death, surely we can go next door and share the Gospel with our neighbor. Jesus’ message is the same today as it was in 33 AD:

“ ‘Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.’  Amen. ”  (Matthew 28:19-20)

*Jesus Freaks, dc Talk and The Voice of the Martyrs, Copyright © 1999, Albury Publishing, Tulsa, OK