Sermon Tone Analysis

In a Year Operation Mobilization stats…

(from October 31, 2017 to November 1, 2018) In the top 50 World Watch List countries alone...

245 Million: Christians in the world experience high levels of persecution for their choice to follow Christ.

1 in 9: Christians worldwide experience high levels of persecution

14%: The rise in the number of Christians who experience high levels of persecution.

(from the 2018 reporting period to 2019’s)

4,136: Christians killed for faith-related reasons

2,625: Christians detained without trial, arrested, sentenced and imprisoned

11: countries scoring in the “extreme” level for their persecution of Christians.

Five years ago, North Korea was the only one.

105: churches attacked, burned or vandalized each month

11: Christians killed every day for their faith

Switch to Wurmbrand Slide

Pastor Richard Wurmbrand was an evangelical minister who endured 14 years of Communist imprisonment and torture in his homeland of Romania.

He is widely recognized there as one of the country’s greatest Christian leaders, authors and educators.

In 1945, when the Communists seized Romania and attempted to take control of the churches, Pastor Wurmbrand began an effective, vigorous “underground” ministry to oppressed believers as well as to the Russian soldiers occupying his country.

He was arrested in 1948, along with his wife, Sabina, who was imprisoned as a slave-laborer for three years.

Pastor Wurmbrand spent three years in solitary confinement, seeing no one but his Communist torturers.

He was then transferred to a group cell, where the torture continued for five more years.

After more than eight years in prison, Richard Wurmbrand was released, immediately resuming his work with the underground church.

A couple of years later, in 1959, he was re-arrested and sentenced to 25 years in prison.

Pastor Wurmbrand was released through a general amnesty in 1964, again resuming his underground ministry.

A group of Christians in Norway, realizing the probability and danger of a third imprisonment, negotiated his family’s emigration from Romania with the Communist authorities… Voice Of the Martyrs was later founded in 1967 by Pastor Richard Wurmbrand.

What causes a man to have that kind of boldness and passion for the gospel of Christ???

I believe our scriptures today give us a clear answer...

Growing Opposition

The sermon we are looking at today takes place almost 2 years after the beginning of the church...

Last week we began to see the persecution that was beginning to take place towards the followers of “the way” or Jesus Christ

Interestingly the persecution was increasing… so the church had a prayer meeting!

We would pray that the persecution would stop BUT...

Acts 4:29 shares with us thier prayer...

WOW!

What an amazing passion for the gospel of Jesus Christ

Through this persecution the church continues to GROW!

The apostles set in place deacons to minister to the peoples needs while they focus on teaching and prayer!

One of these men is named Stephen

A man full of Faith and the Holy Spirit, full of grace and power...

Boldly and confidently declaring the message of Christ

Opposition was growing, consequences were severe for the church yet we see God answering the prayer of His church...

False Accusations...

Blasphemy against God and Moses (law)

Speaking against the Temple and Law

Jesus will destroy this temple

Alter customs handed down by Moses

When we speak truth the world attacks with lies, twisting the truth ton their gain...

All those on the council gazed at him, and it says his face was like an angel… An Angel: like one who stands in the presence of God!

“When we stand before God justified by Christ, we have no need to fear any man we may be called to stand before” ~Jed Johnston

Stephen gives his speech boldly and confidently before his accusers and delivers a beautiful panorama of the Jewish history… the one who stands accused is NOT on the defense here rather he takes up the offense as he preaches truth!

Acts 7:1-60

This is the longest discourse in Acts… yet it is powerful, concise, crucial, and a great reminder...

Application of Stephen’s Sermon

Those who have a wrong view of God

Have you tried to confine Him to your ideas to a place or time

Have you been rejecting Him, the truth He has been desperately trying to show you

Have you covered your ears to the truth

Those who are filled with the Holy Spirit

Are you praying for a boldness and confidence OR asking God to make life easy

Is there a passion for the TRUTH of Jesus Christ

What is your heart to those who hurt you...

Can you forgive them?

There was one who heard this forgiveness there… His name was Saul Acts 8:1-2

Initially: nothing seemed to come from this forgiveness other than the gospel spreading BUT GOD would work in this man Saul who we would come to know and love a The Apostle Paul!

Maybe you are saying in your heart… “I cant forgive” or “Pastor you have no idea” … But God does and He can work in your heart.

Dale Rhoton, one of the founders of Operation Mobilization recalled this story about Pastor Wurmbrand…

During one visit, I was with them in their home as they were talking in Romanian.

I do not understand one word of Romanian, but I could tell they were talking about a person.

“Who is this person you are talking about?”

I asked.

“That is the man who betrayed Richard, and because of him Richard was put in prison,” replied his wife, Sabina.

Some hours later Richard said, “Dale, let’s take a walk.”

As we were walking, a man crossed the street and came over to us.

In Romanian style, Pastor Wurmbrand and this man hugged and kissed, and then he introduced us.

The man left, and Richard and I resumed our walk.

“That is interesting,” I said to Pastor Wurmbrand.

“That man has the same name as the man who betrayed you.”

Without blinking an eye he said, “Dale, we all make mistakes.”

Wurmbrand, R. (2017).

Tortured for christ: 50th anniversary edition.

Colorado Springs, CO: David C Cook.

How will you allow the Holy Spirit to have power in your life and give you a confidence in the face of persecution and hurt???