We set out for Jerusalem one week ago on the perilous Passover journey. These days, my father tells me, are far different than when he made this traditional pilgrimage at my age. Now, the Romans rule our Holy City with an iron fist. Dangers await us on this road, not only from the wintry weather and bandits, but from Roman guards: if a man in our group looks threatening or speaks out too loudly in Jerusalem, he may be imprisoned. Zealous Jews have caused too many uprisings in recent days to allow us to peace of a Roman-free city in which to celebrate Passover. Because of the increasing Roman supervision, costs of this journey rise every year, more taxes, more bribes. I know my father has saved and sacrificed greatly to allow us this month long journey. I cannot wait to set foot in the Temple... to see the house where God chose to reside… to be in the place not only God’s presence resides in, but where God Himself walked.
Rumors have caught up to our caravan that the persecutions are drifting towards our town out of Rome. I wish I could be there with you, my brothers and sisters in Christ, that we might encourage one another through this coming trial. I remember how fearful many grew when the shadow of persecution fell upon us. But we have such a greater hope than we used too; we no longer need to run from our enemies as we did before we knew Christ. While our fathers only knew God through the messages of His prophets and tidings of angels, we have a surer knowledge of our hope, for Christ made Himself visible to us! We know that Christ was a greater messenger than the prophets or angels because He has conquered where they were overcome: He has dominion over death, as do all who are sons in Him. We have so much a better understanding of truth than we did with just the revelation to the Jews, because God’s own sons have brought it to us!
What should persecution matter to us, if God Himself was willing to risk pain to bring us hope, bringing it through a far greater messenger than our fathers knew? Not only did the Son, Christ, bring to earth the news of the gospel, but we too heard the truth from sons rather than servants! Why are we so afraid of pain? Didn’t God allow His own sons (both Christ and other believers) to suffer for the truth? But we have the hope of glory beyond the pain of our bodies. Listen, I know its frightening to hear accounts of the pain our fellow believers have faced for Christ. I am on my way to our Holy city where James was recently killed, don’t you think I want to continue living? But Christ did not withhold His life from death in order to save me, so why should I not risk my life for His sake as well?
Be careful that you do not succumb to the temptation to hide behind your Jewish heritage. No, they will not persecute you if you renounce Christ, but how much greater will the consequence be for your disobedience to the call of a greater message? We know more fully than our fathers did of God’s salvation… and did they ever renounce their faith when times grew hard? Abraham believed God was his righteousness without ever seeing that righteousness, and yet we have seen ours, Christ! With our understanding, how will we be held blameless if we reject the truth to protect ourselves? How can we pretend we never saw the gift we have been given, never took part in it? That would be worse than having never accepted God’s salvation!
Jesus Himself knew what our pain was like, He knew from walking as a man in the will of the Father that we would face troubles. Jesus Himself suffered the same temptation in the Garden, the pain of death, separation from His beloved disciples even a greater pain than we face in persecution: the prospect of separation from God. Our Savior too agonized to the point of bleeding over the temptation to reject God’s will and be comfortable. But He chose obedience to the Father, cutting the path in which we might follow—perfectly obedient in spite of the pain. Therefore hold fast to the path God has prepared for us, even though pain and death may lie ahead, because He who endured the same struggle can keep you from falling!
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