Do You Remember?

Easter really doesn’t seem that long ago, and yet you might be surprised to learn that Ascension Day was last week, 39 days after Easter Sunday (Acts 1:3-11).  It represents the day Jesus is traditionally believed to have ascended into heaven – concluding His first earthly ministry.  Then the “1st century church” began.

We often wax sentimental about how pristine and devoted the 1st century church must have been – and for good reason.  After all, some of these early believers had actually heard Jesus’ teaching, or witnessed miracles by Him or the apostles, or been present for the descent of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost.  The Bible tells us their faith was on fire and they were highly committed to one another in following their Lord.

But in its infant days, the early church was known to the world as an illicit religious sect.  Christians were despised and persecuted by almost everyone including the Romans, Jewish authorities, and pan-theistic pagans at large.  At first, persecution was sporadic – but it soon became commonplace for 1st century Christians to be arrested, beaten, banished, and put to death.  Around 64 A.D. emperor Nero officially sanctioned the state-sponsored persecution of Christians, leading to the normalization of brutal executions such as crucifixion, burning, or being killed by dogs.  It was during the 1st century that the apostles Peter, Paul, and James the brother of Jesus were martyred – and quite possibly other apostles as well.

It is worth noting that a 1st century Christian would NEVER have displayed a cross as a symbol of their faith.  To them it was an evil symbol of a very real oppression that permeated their daily lives. 

What a strange dichotomy!  We revere the early church for its pure dedication and we yearn for such a revival in our day – yet nobody would ever wish for a return of the 1st century oppression and darkness under which they lived out their faith.  In many ways the church was at its best when its surrounding culture was at its worst.

We live in a paradoxical incongruity in our own day: our culture enjoys the greatest degree of freedom and liberty ever known in all of history, and yet our society sees the path to even greater freedom to include the marginalization of the Gospel as intolerant and bigoted, hopelessly at odds with the pan-theistic majority.  And if we examine ourselves we might see Christians today have so much freedom to pursue anything we desire that fellowship with God, His word, and other believers too frequently loses out to sleeping in, sporting events, pursuit of worldly “success,” or rushing out of the parking lot to the buffet before the Lutherans get all the white meat.

All of that brings us to Memorial Day – our upcoming national holiday intended to set aside time to honor and remember those who gave their lives in military service to protect the freedoms we enjoy.  Some expand the holiday’s meaning to include first responders lost in the line of duty, or just a general day to remember loved ones who have gone before us.

It is my genuine wish that this Memorial Day weekend includes peace and relaxation for you: food prepared over an open flame, yard games, the opening of pools, bonfires, wetting a hook, walking after a little white ball, napping amidst a natural breeze – the unofficial start of summer.  I hope too that you will take time to reflect even for a short while on those who sacrificed in one way or another to bless you in the life you have today.

Maybe this year you will have time to remember the 1st century church – experience a connection with the believers who paved the faith road before us, sometimes with their very flesh and blood.  But more than anything else, my desire is for us to live out our faith as they did then – in remembrance of and in total devotion to the one whose ultimate sacrifice gave us eternal freedom and everlasting peace.  

Have a blessed Memorial Day!

“Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.” John 15:13 (ESV)