Courageous Conviction, Part 3: Why the Persecuted Church Matters

The story from Acts this week is filled with the sort of excitement that would make for a good movie. The narrative includes a plot to assassinate Paul, a spy who discovered the plot, and a quick exit from Jerusalem to Caesarea in the middle of the night with a Roman soldier escort. The threat is real to a man who had been persecuted so many times. But his part of the story began with a prophetic word from Jesus that Paul would survive all of this and reach his goal of preaching Christ in Rome. This is a wonderful moment, and will be the backdrop of everything else that happens for the rest of Acts. On the other hand, not all people who are suffering for the name of Jesus will receive this sort of vision. Throughout history people have faced threats, persecution, and martyrdom for the cause of Jesus. The story of the martyrs should challenge us to faithfulness and the current suffering of the persecuted church should get our attention. Today we will look at the reality that there are people under threat all around the world, and learn how we can be more informed, prayerful, and supportive of our brothers and sisters in Christ.