The Apostle Mark - Dragged To Death

sermonindex Dec 31, 2015

Saints,

The sober thought came to me that if the early Apostles where martyred in such ways, we should not think we will escape all pain and suffering in sharing the Good News in our day to this lost and dying world.

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Mark, who wrote the Gospel of Mark, founded the Christian Church in Alexandria and preached to the masses that they should give up their Egyptian gods and goddesses. It’s not clear how long he was able to keep this up, but he did convert many before A.D. 68, when an angry mob tied a rope around his neck and dragged him through the streets behind a chariot for two days without interruption. The dragging continued even after his death, until his bones were showing.

sermonindex Dec 31, 2015

But, why have so many who name the name of Christ escaped suffering in our day? Why does the American and European Church get along with the world so well? We hear things from China and Korea, and read about Believers in the past, but there is an eery comfortability in the Western church with the world. We talk about suffering in romantic ways as if it is some distant thing we long for yet have never experienced.

T

TMK Dec 31, 2015

I think a legitimate question is whether we should WANT to suffer. I don't mean itty bitty suffering like not doing something we want or not buying something we want because we are following the Lord.

I mean big time suffering like getting dragged by a chariot until you die.

I don't think there are scriptures that say we should desire this type of suffering. Willing, yes. Wanting or desiring, no.

I don't think Jesus particularly wanted to go through horrible suffering- see the prayer in Gethsemane. He was willing to if necessary- but that is different than desiring it.

Christians in countries with extremely oppressive governments are unfortunate because they are where they are.

If the USA or Canada etc had oppressive governments true Christians would be suffering big time here as well. If the Chinese government was not oppressive the Chinese Christians would not be underground and they would not be suffering big time.

I guess my point is that I get a tad tired of being made to feel guilty because I live in a country that does not kill Christians, at least not yet. If that happens in my lifetime, I will need to be willing to suffer big time if necessary.

But I don't think I have to go out and look for someone to torture me for being a Christian.

Even the very strongest and sold out and serious follower of Christ in the USA is not being tortured or killed, at least on US soil. I am not counting church shootings which are not systematic government actions but rather the work of wackos.

sermonindex Dec 31, 2015

I hear you, TMK.

Paul said he was ready to suffer the loss of all thing's for the gospels sake and ready to die but he did not look for suffering.

What is unrealistic to me is how so many romanticize about it. Though I have not been dragged by chariots, I have suffered for the gospels sake and that is why I don't romanticize about it or allow myself to be guilted about it.

Persecution is not "coming", it's already here for those who are living godly lives.