Sunday November 4 , 2001
II TIMOTHY 1:15-18

o Two weeks ago a small Protestant church
o Gathered to worship
o There were about 70 people there
o About the size of our church
o They were meeting
o In the local Catholic Church
o Something they had been doing now
o For 30 years
o The service began as it always did
o But at some point in the service
o 6 bearded gunmen entered the church
o They locked the doors
o Of the gray stone building
o & Without warning
o They opened fire on the people
o Gathered there for worship
o When they left 16 people lay dead
o Including the pastor
o & Several small children
o This event took place in
o Bahawalpur, Pakistan
o The killers were a group
o Of Islamic extremists from that place
o The people they killed
o Were also local Pakistanis
o It is tempting to write this event off
o As a protest against
o The U.S. bombing in Afghanistan
o But these people were not U.S. citizens

o They were merchants & farmers
o Housewives & children
o People who lived in that local area
o They wee the neighbors of
o The people who killed them
o An anti-American sentiment
o Probably prompted this massacre
o But ultimately the reason
o These people were killed was that
o They proclaimed their faith
o In Jesus Christ

o Now, I wish I could tell you
o Incidents like this are rare
o But they are not
o The fact is Christians are
o Being persecuted & martyred
o In ever-increasing numbers
o All around our globe
o When we use the word "martyr"
o Most of us think of the martyrs
o Of the early Christian church
o Who were persecuted by Rome
o Until nearly 400 AD
o It is an important part of our heritage
o But when we talk about martyrs today
o Most of us will usually acknowledge
o There is still some persecution
o Going on
o But few would compare it with what
o Those early Christians experienced

o Unfortunately that is not
o An accurate picture of our world
o The Christian church
o Has been around now
o For just over 20 centuries
o But there were more people tortured
o For their faith in Jesus Christ
o In the 20th century
o Than in all the other
o 19 centuries combined
o The 20th century saw
o Some 100 million people
o Martyred for their faith
o That is more people martyred
o For their faith in Jesus Christ
o Than in all the wars
o Of the 20th century combined
o If you do the arithmetic
o You will discover that
o About 2 people die every minute
o Just because they are Christians
o & The rate is increasing
o Christian persecution today is very real
o Some thought it would slow down
o With the downfall of communism
o But, in fact, it actually increased
o Today some 200 million Christians are
o Facing persecution around the world
o That is not quite the size of
o The total U.S. population
o But it is getting close

o Paul understood 1st-hand
o What persecution was all about
o He had been beaten
o & Run out of more towns
o Than he probably wanted to remember
o Once he was stoned & left for dead
o This 2nd letter to his friend
o & Spiritual protégée - Timothy
o Was the last letter he would write
o At the time it was written
o Paul was in prison in Rome
o Chained to a Roman soldier
o Although he is writing
o To encourage Timothy
o It does not take much
o Reading-between-the-lines
o To realize Paul too had a great need
o For some encouragement
o The hours in prison were long & lonely
o & Paul knew he was facing
o An almost certain death
o & In this time of great trial
o He has been abandoned by
o People he had hoped would help him
o He says all the Christians from Asia
o Who used to come to him
o Have deserted him
o People from the churches of
o Ephesus
o Galatia
o Lystra

o Derby
o Iconium
o They have all deserted him
o He mentions 2 people by name
o Phygelus & Hermogenes
o They were apparently special to Paul
o But they too have abandoned him
o Paul is facing the most difficult time
o Of his life
o & He is all alone
o Except for a man named Onesiphorus
o Paul had met him in Ephesus
o Onesiphorus was
o One of his helpers there
o As the Christian faith spread
o Across much of the Asian province
o But now Paul is in prison in Rome
o & Everyone has fled from him
o Paul is charged with political crimes
o & People have fled
o For their own safety
o Much like the disciples fled from Jesus
o After He was arrested
o At any rate, Onesiphorus
o Is not like the rest
o Onesiphorus leaves
o His home in Ephesus
o & Comes to Rome to find Paul
o That, in itself, was not an easy chore
o Paul says he searched everywhere
o Until he found him

o He wandered through
o The large Roman crowds
o Going up & down unfamiliar streets
o Knocking on doors
o Following up on every clue
o He was probably warned
o By members of the Roman church
o Of the dangers in being
o Associated with Paul
o But Onesiphorus persisted
o In his search
o Until finally
o In some obscure prison-house
o He heard Paul's familiar voice
o But Onesiphorus did not come
o All the way to Rome
o For just a quick visit
o He continued coming to that prison
o Over & over again
o As he ministered to Paul
o His friend & his leader
o Clearly it takes
o Determination & persistence
o To care for those who are being
o Persecuted for their Christian faith

o In Peru there was
o A violent guerrilla movement
o Called the "Shining Path"
o That threatened to overthrow
o The national government

o Eventually in 1992 the government
o Declared an all-out war
o On the "Shining Path"
o & Every person who had been
o A part of the "Shining Path"
o Or was even suspected of being
o A part of them
o Was arrested & thrown in jail
o Needless to say, in a roundup
o As widespread as that
o A lot of innocent people
o Ended up in prison
o & Some have been there now
o For a long, long time
o Sister Zia is a young Peruvian woman
o When she accepted Christ
o & Became a Christian
o She sensed God calling her
o To minister to the women
o In one of Peru's prisons
o Today she has no plans to ever marry
o Instead she plans to spend her life
o Ministering to the 100's of women
o In the prisons of Lima, Peru
o & Through her ministry
o Lives are being changed
o As she brings
o The light of Jesus Christ
o Into some of the darkest places
o Of the world
o Sister Zia is making a difference

o But like Onesiphorus
o It comes at great personal cost

o Now, it may not be possible for you
o To go to a distant land
o & Search out those
o Who are being persecuted
o But you can be a minister there
o For just $5 a Bible can be printed & sent
o To a Christian undergoing persecution
o It will be printed
o In his or her own language
o So it can be used for
o Worship & teaching
o Evangelism & discipleship
o Now this is different from the Gideons
o Whom you know about
o The Gideons place their Bibles
o In the hands of those
o Who do not yet know Christ
o The opportunity this morning
o Is to equip the church
o To place Bibles
o In the hands of believers
o Through an organization
o Known as "Open Doors"
o These Christians being persecuted
o For their faith
o Will be sought out
o & Given the holy word of God

o Now Paul says
o Onesiphorus encouraged him
o Once he had found Paul's cell
o He went out of his way
o To visit him
o & To help care for
o His physical & spiritual needs
o All around the world
o Many persecuted Christians
o Are encouraged just by knowing
o Their brothers & sisters in Christ
o Are praying for them
o But the reality of those prayers
o -Especially for those in prison-
o Is solidified when they receive
o Cards & letters
o From all around the world
o Encouraging them in their faith
o Col. David DeVinateu
o Is in prison in Peru
o On a trumped-up charge of
o Trafficking in narcotics
o His son David has shared
o How encouraged his father is
o By the 100's of letters
o He has received inside the prison
o These notes & letters
o Confirm to the prisoners
o The prayers being offered
o On their behalf every day

o Today you have an opportunity
o To send a vote of encouragement
o To a Christian somewhere in the world
o Who is being persecuted
o In one form or another
o If you look at your bulletin inserts
o You will see one that has printed
o In large letters the words:
o "I AM PRAYING FOR YOU"
o There you will find
o The following pre-printed note:
o "Dear friend in Christ, I want you to know that you are not alone as you suffer for your faith. My church and I are praying that God would strengthen, encourage, and protect you. Thank you for standing strong and being a faithful witness to the world for Christ!
o There is a place for you
o To sign this note
o Then if you want you can add
o A personal note of your own
o Eventually these notes
o Along with an appropriate translation
o Will be given to a Christian
o Somewhere in the world
o Who is being persecuted
o With these notes, you, like Onesiphorus
o Can help encourage
o A persecuted Christian

o Now, do not tear this page in two
o There on the bottom is a place
o For you to put your name & address
o If you want to receive
o Additional information about
o The persecuted church
o This is particularly important
o If you want to be in prayer for
o Our suffering brothers & sisters
o In Christ

o Now one of the key ways
o Onesiphorus encouraged Paul was
o His willingness to associate with him
o Paul says,
o "He was never ashamed of me
o "Because I was in prison."
o When everyone else turned away
o Onesiphorus stuck
o "Closer than a brother"
o Even the apostle Paul
o -Perhaps the greatest of the apostles-
o Was encouraged
o By the faithfulness of Onesiphorus
o Today is the International Day of Prayer
o For the Persecuted Church
o Today is our opportunity to become
o Closer then brothers
o Closer then sisters
o To the persecuted Christians
o Of our times

o But before you pray for these folks
o You need to have some understanding
o Of what their prayer requests are
o Because, you see,
o Their #1 prayer request is NOT
o "God, please stop this persecution!"
o Christians under fire have a deep concern
o For evangelism
o For the church
o & For their nation
o As you pray for the persecuted church
o I encourage you to use
o The bulletin insert
o Where we have listed
o Their prayer requests
o They have asked us to pray for:
o Boldness to stand firm
o & Maintain a vibrant witness
o So the Good News can spread
o God's protection
o Over the body of Christ-the church
o Grace to forgive their oppressors
o Deliverance of their nations
o From spiritual bondage
o That God would provide open doors
o For Bible translation
o Distribution of Christian materials
o & Evangelism
o Wisdom for the authorities
o Ruling over them

o The lifting of legal & social restrictions
o Against Christians
o That God would raise up church leaders
o With spiritual & moral integrity
o For unity in the church
o & Warm fellowship among believers

o Folks, we could go on & on today
o Talking about people like
o Shageldy Atakov of Turkmenistan
o He is in a prison camp
o Near death because of
o His severe punishment
o His crime-church activities
o Or, Anya Hrykin from Chechnya
o Only 14 years old
o She was kidnaped & raped
o Her crime-being a Christian
o Or, Frendy Nunumete of Indonesia
o A Muslim mob
o Set his house on fire
o Severely burning him
o His crime-being a Christian
o Or, Takoosh of Iran
o Her husband was killed
o Because of his faith
o & She was left
o To raise 4 children
o Her crime-being married to a pastor
o Or, Liu Haitao of China
o Only 21 years old

o He was tortured & beaten & killed
o His crime-He witnessed for Christ
o We could go on & on
o & Tonight we will hear more
o About the Persecuted Church
o From someone who has been there
o & We will hear more clearly
o How our brothers & sisters in Christ
o Are standing as Christ's witnesses
o Both to the lost of the world
o & To us who are already saved
o For now, though, we are simply asked
o To pray for these dear people
o To share a note with them
o To encourage them
o In their difficult walk of faith
o & To give generously
o That they may have God's holy word
o Written in their own language
o 3 simple acts that enable us to help others
o Just as Onesiphorus once helped
o A persecuted Christian named Paul

o Now, before we begin
o Our service of holy communion
o I want to give you some directions
o Here on the front pew are 2 baskets
o As you come for communion
o If you would like to donate
o Funds for Bibles
o Put your gift in the basket

o On your left / my right
o If you will send a note to a Christian
o Now being persecuted
o Or would like to receive
o Additional information
o On the Persecuted Church
o & Their needs for your prayers
o Fill out the bulletin insert
o & Put it in the basket
o On your right / my left
o As you come for communion
o Bring your gifts
o & Place them in the baskets
o & If you would lift a prayer for those
o Being persecuted
o Bring the list of prayer requests
o With you
o The altar, as always, is open
o For your prayers

o Turn now to p. 12 in your hymnals
o & Hear once again
o Our Lord's great invitation to you

AMEN.