Msg #24042 Persecuted Embers of Truth
What The Bible Says
Good Samaritan’s Penny Pulpit by Pastor Ed Rice
The Gospel’s first stab into this licentious world walked through six cities in what is now Turkey; it dropped embers of truth that smoldered and burst into flames contained in New Testament, independent, autonomous, local churches (Acts13-15). Their baptized by immersion believers carried embers to their neighbors, “And some days after Paul said unto Barnabas, Let us go again and visit our brethren in every city where we have preached the word of the Lord, and see how they do” (Acts15:36). Thus began a second missionary journey of the saving gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ and the embers of truth crossed the Aegean Sea to inflame Philippi, Thessalonica, Berea, Athens, Corinth, and Ephesus, trading cities wherein local autonomous churches spread embers across the face of Europe. In the Gospel’s first reach “Jews stirred up the devout and honourable women, and the chief men of the city, and raised persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and expelled them out of their coasts” (Acts13:50), and “the unbelieving Jews stirred up the Gentiles, and made their minds evil affected against the brethren”(14:2).
The gospel is always opposed by religion. Three hundred years in, a Roman Emperor mandated “Christianity” for his entire Empire and a man made Roman Catholic religion took up the persecution; three hundred years again and Islam reared its vile and ugly opposition. The Jews required circumcision; the Romans, penance with infant baptisms or be burned with your Bibles; the Muslims conversion or beheading; religions always oppose the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. Today WOKE Democrats mandate that we bow to their Global Warming gods, stop using gas stoves, and endorse queer marriages. As things come to a head in this licentious world, born-again Christians should leave a trail of life changing embers all the way to the voting booth.
An Essay for week #42, Oct 20, 2024
See my Eschatology Volume at www.GSBaptistChurch.com/theology
Read a Journeld Tour of the Holy Land www.GSBaptistChurch.com/israel23
Msg in audio at www.GSBaptistChurch.com/audio/gs241020.mp3
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