Michael Koelling: Martyrs-Disciples

Caitlin Introduction: Welcome to Youthrock Extreme News. It’s not about news you want to hear, but news you need to know, and that news is truth. Tonight, we have special segment for you dedicated to those who died for the Glory of God’s Kingdom. These Martyrs lived a brave and courageous life in a world where God’s glory was prohibited to shine(I will put a list of countries where it is prohibited). These Martyrs knew what it meant to stand up for what you believed in, to turn the other cheek, and that this pain too shall pass. We will learn about the 4 beliefs of the martyr tonight. Suffering is a privilege, suffering is the expected norm, suffering is to refine us, and the life we live; we live for God. These are the Martyrs and their beliefs.

Slide 1-Jesus Christ the ultimate martyr.

Michael: The belief of the Martyr...

1.Suffering is a privilege.

1.Privilege-a special right, advantage, granted only to a particular group or individual.

Matthew 5:11-12 (NLT) "God blesses you when people mock you and persecute you and lie about you and say all sorts of evil things against you because you are my followers. [12] Be happy about it! Be very glad! For a great reward awaits you in heaven. And remember, the ancient prophets were persecuted in the same way."

Caitlin:

Slide 2-Hugh Laverick John Aprice England 1556 Page 220 Jesus Freaks volume 2

“Our Good Physician” In England 1556, Two men by the name of Hugh Laverich and John Aprice were sentenced to die on the stake for their faith. Laverick was a 60 year old painter and used a crutch for his crippled foot. Aprice was blind. Before they died in the flames, Laverick’s last words that were said to Aprice were, “Be of good cheer, my brother; for my lord of London is our good physician; he will heal us both shortly- thee of thy blindness, and me of my lameness”.

Story 2: “Like Gold in the Fire”

Slide 3, 4 Polycarp Smyra (Turkey) 168 AD

His murderers decided to kill him in a fire, but he didn't die in the fire he looked as though gold and silver being refined and there was a sweet incense coming from the smoke. Since he wouldn't die in the fire, a soldier took a sword and stabbed him and there was so much blood overflow it put out the fire. His final prayer: “O Father, I thank You that you have called me to this day and hour and have counted me worthy to receive my place among the number of the holy martyrs, Amen.”

Michael:
2. Suffering is an expected norm.
2 Timothy 3:12 (NLT) "Yes, and everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution."

Caitlin: “If You tell Others, People Will Kill You”

Pakistan in the 1990’s, a man who was Muslim argued with the Christian students about their opinions of Christianity. They offered to give him more information about Christ for he had many questions. He went to a priest and the priest compared the Bible to the Quran. The young Muslim came to the realization the Christ was true and felt it in his spirit. Once he told his family of his conversion, his family kicked him out, his brother threatened to kill him and when he became an ordained pastor, his family completely denounced him. He responded, “I am happy in Jesus. Although I lost my physical family, I have my spiritual family. Now, I help my Christian brothers and sisters to understand Muslims and lead them to Christ”.

Michael:

3. Suffering is a way to refine us.
Refine-to remove impurities or unwanted elements.
Romans 5:3-5 (NLT) "We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. [4] And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation. [5] And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love."

Caitlin:

Slide 5 Liuba Ganevskaya
“Smiling at her Torturer”
Russia 1970’s, a girl by the name of Liuba Ganevskaya was being brutally beaten and starved to death for her belief in Christ. However, right before the guard continued to beat her he began screaming foul language at her, she started smiling at him for she saw him differently. She saw that he was tired of beating her just as much as she was tired of being beaten. He was as desperate over not getting information just as she was to suffer for her friends who were also believers. Her Guard says to her “Why do you smile?” She says, “ I see you as you surely once were, a beautiful, innocent child. We are the same age, we could have been playmates. I see you, too as I hope you will be. There was once a persecutor worse than you named Saul of Tarsus. He became an apostle and a saint." The guard set his whip down and set her free.

Michael:

4. The life we live, we live for God.
Galatians 2:20 (NLT) "My old self has been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. So I live in this earthly body by trusting in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me."

Caitlin:
Slide 6 Li De Xian Mainland China 1995
“His heart would Not Die” He was a young evangelist who was traveling to a village to convert more people to christ. A number of officers rampaged the church house, molested a women and confiscated the religious materials. They beat him severely in an isolated cell and beat him with his own bible. After seven hours of beating he was released. After recuperating for only a few days, he went back to traveling the village to spread the gospel. This happens several times during his travels yet Li said he will preach until he dies. He was arrested and pushed to stop what he was doing but he refused to give in.

Other historical accounts of Christian Martyrs:
Slide 7. AD 23 John the Baptist - Beheaded
Slide 8. AD 34 Stephen - Stoned
Slide 9. AD 45 James the Greater - Beheaded
Slide 10. AD 54 Phillip - Stoned
Slide 11. AD 62 James the Lesser - Beaten & Stoned
Slide 12. AD 64 Barnabas - Burnt
Slide 13. AD 64 Mark - Beaten to Death
Slide 14. AD 69 Paul - Beheaded
Slide 15. AD 69 Peter - Crucified upside down - known for his courage to ask his executioner to crucify him upside down as he deemed not worthy to die the same way as his Savior.
Slide 17. AD 70 Andrew - Crucified
Slide 18. AD 70 Simon the Zealot - Crucified
Slide 19. AD 70 Matthew - Crucified
Slide 20. AD 70 Bartholomew - cruelly beaten then skinned alive finally crucified upside down
Slide 21. AD 70 Thomas - Burnt
Slide 22. AD 93 Luke - Hanged
Slide 23. AD 97 John the Apostle - Boiled in oil - lived then exiled to Patmos
Slide 24. AD 60 Apostle Matthew - Pinned to the ground and beheaded with a halberd-a medieval ax
Slide 25. AD 65 Apostle Simon - Sawed in two by a serrated saw.
Slide 26. AD 65 Apostle Thaddaeus - Killed by a Halberd - medieval ax
Slide 27. Apostle Matthias - stoned then beheaded
Slide 28. Last martyr of the coliseum.

Michael:
Illustrate here: Our final Martyr was killed the morning of April 20th, 1999 at Columbine High School the age of 17 years old, her name was Cassie Bernall. In the course of an hour, Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold killed 12 students, one teacher, and injured 24 others before ending their own lives.

Drama: gunshots sounds as shooters work, then all lights out at the words "You believe in God? Why?"

• Altar call-What is your belief?

• This is the belief of these Martyrs, these pure witnesses what about us?

• Not every Christian wears a mask.

Luke 9:23 "Then he said to the crowd, "If any of you wants to be my follower, you must turn from your selfish ways, take up your cross daily, and follow me."

If you would like the power point for this sermon request it via email we'll gladly send to you.

November Series