In Memory Of Persecuted The Saints Part Twelve
“The history of the church may almost be said to be a history of the trials and sufferings of its members, as experienced at the hands of wicked men.” Jesus stated if they persecuted me they will persecute you also. If they obeyed my teaching, they will obey yours also. Where the Apostle Peter wrote Dear friends, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal that has come on you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice inasmuch as you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed. If you are insulted because of the name of Christ, you are blessed, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you. “only portraying a darker colours the deep and universal depravity of the human heart.”“In the sudden martyrdom of John the Baptist, and the crucifixion of our Lord if you’re a follower of Christ there is a price to pay where there times you must suffer be torture and suffer cruel death but be of good cheer that the same sufferings are being experienced by your fellow believers throughout the world.
St. Stephen suffered the next in order. His death was occasioned by the faithful manner in which he preached the gospel to the betrayers and murderers of Christ. To such a degree of madness were they excited, that they cast him out of the city and stoned him to death. And the witnesses laid their robes at the feet of a young man named Saul. Who also witness Stephen testmony the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God!”
“Stephen as he called out: “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit!” 60 Then he knelt down and cried out with a loud voice, “Lord, do not charge them with this sin!
Philip.“Was born at Bethsaida, in Galilee, and was the first called by the name of “Disciple.” He laboured diligently in Upper Asia, and suffered martyrdom at Heliopolis, in Phrygia. He was scourged, thrown into prison, and afterwards crucified, A. D. 54.
He inducted Nathanael to Jesus
James half brother of Jesus Christ a servant of the Lord Jesus Christ “author of the epistle ascribed to James in the sacred canon. At the age of ninety-four, he was beat and stoned by the Jews; and finally had his brains dashed out with a fuller’s club.”“
Jude, The brother of James, was commonly called Thaddeus. He was crucified at Edessa, A. D. 72.” At one point James and Jude did not believe Jesus was the Messiah nor trust Him however they both eventually believed His brother was the Messiah, and in wrote their epistles a slave of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ Jude, a slave of Jesus Christ
“Matthias, Of whom less is known than of most of the other disciples, was elected to fill the vacant place of Judas. He was stoned at Jerusalem and then beheaded.”
Luke“The evangelist, was the author of the gospel which goes under his name. He travelled with Paul through various countries, and is supposed to have been hanged on an olive tree, by the idolatrous priests of Greece.” “John,
“Bartholomew, known as Nathanael Preached in several countries, and having translated the gospel of Matthew into the language of India, he propagated it in that country. “He was at length cruelly beaten and then crucified by the impatient idolaters.”
“ Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” Nathanael asked him concerning Jesus Jesus uttered concerning Nahaneel Here truly is an Israelite in whom there is no deceit.”
James the son of Zebedee, the elder brother of John” “ It was not until ten years after the death of Stephen, that the second martyrdom took place; for no sooner had Herod Agrippa been appointed governor of Judea, than, with a view to ingratiate himself with them, he raised a sharp persecution against the christians, and determined to make an effectual blow, by striking at their leaders. ” “James was led to the place of martyrdom, his accuser was brought to repent of his conduct by the apostle’s extraordinary courage and undauntedness, and fell down at his feet to request his pardon, professing himself a christian, and resolving that James should not receive the crown of martyrdom alone.
“John,The “beloved disciple,” was a brother to James the Great. The churches of Smyrna, Pergamos, Sardis, Philadelphia, Laodicea, and Thyatira, were founded by him. From Ephesus he was ordered to be sent to Rome, where it is affirmed he was cast into a cauldron of boiling oil. He escaped by miracle, without injury. Domitian afterwards banished him to the Isle of Patmos, where he wrote the Book of Revelation. Nerva, the successor of Domitian, recalled him. He was the only apostle who escaped a violent death.” His brother and James asks Jesus Lord, do You want us to call down fire from heaven to consume them. Jesus name James and John Boanerges, which means Sons of Thunder)” (Mark 3:1
Paul “The great apostle of the Gentiles, was a Jew of the tribe of Benjamin, a native of Tarsus” As Known as Saul who witness Stephen stoning and persecuted the church while infant stage later became apostle Gentiles one letters following, one who was formerly a blasphemer, a persecutor, and an arrogant man. Plus This saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance: “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners”—and I am the worst of them by order of Nero, and he was beheaded.”
Andrew “Was the brother of Peter. He preached the gospel to many Asiatic nations; but on his arrival at Edessa, he was taken and crucified on a cross, the two ends of which were fixed transversely in the ground. Hence the derivation of the term, St. Andrew’s Cross.” Andrew, told His brother Simon Peter’s found the Messiah! And was disciple of John BaptisrAndrew’s nature was that he was always bringing people to Christ.
It’s interesting that he was crucified like Christ but in the pattern or shape of an “X” which was often a Christian symbol and is now known as St. Andrew’s cross
Peter “Was born at Bethsaida, in Galilee. He was by occupation a fisherman. Christ gave him a name which in Syriac implies a rock.” Legend that he was “crucified with his head downward, at his own request.He Felt unworthy dying like Christ. John 21:18–19.
When Christ Needed Him the most denied three times nowhere to be found when Jesus hung on the cross. However, he was the preached the gospel on day of Pentecost when Holy Spirit 120 follower of Christ 3,000 people accept the Lord and were baptized
Matthew,Whose occupation was that of a toll-gatherer, was born at Nazareth. He wrote his gospel in Hebrew, which was afterwards translated into Greek by James the Less. The scene of his labors was Parthia, and Ethiopia, in which latter country he suffered martyrdom, being slain with a halberd in the city of Nadabah, A. D. 60.”“
Mark,Was born of Jewish parents of the tribe of Levi. He is supposed to have been converted to christianity by Peter, whom he served as an amanuensis, and under whose inspection he wrote his gospel in the Greek language. Mark was dragged to pieces by the people of Alexandria, at the great solemnity of Serapis their idol, ending his life under their merciless hands.” “
Mark,Was born of Jewish parents of the tribe of Levi. He is supposed to have been converted to christianity by Peter, whom he served as an amanuensis, and under whose inspection he wrote his gospel in the Greek language. Mark was dragged to pieces by the people of Alexandria, at the great solemnity of Serapis their idol, ending his life under their merciless hands.”
On first missionary trip he went home and cause Barnabas and Paul, he thought did not think it appropriate to take along this man who had deserted them in Pamphylia Barnabas felt he deserve second chance Paul’s later comments indicate that John Mark eventually grew into someone very reliable “
Luke,The evangelist, was the author of the gospel which goes under his name. He travelled with Paul through various countries, and is supposed to have been hanged on an olive tree, by the idolatrous priests of Greece.” Wrote Luke and Acts and was Gentile writing found scriptures. He was noted historian Little was known how died
John Foxx wrote “Though one apostle had betrayed him; though another had denied him, under the solemn sanction of an oath; and though the rest had forsaken him, unless we may except “the disciple who was known unto the high-priest;” the history of his resurrection gave a new direction to all their hearts, and, after the mission of the Holy Spirit, imparted new confidence to their minds. The powers with which they were endued emboldened them to proclaim his name, to the confusion of the Jewish rulers, and the astonishment of Gentile proselytes.”As scripture declares,This saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance: “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners” —and I am the worst of them.
They wilily sacrifice themselves for sake of gospel because Christ instantly forgave them and His forgiveness was endless journey Jesus stated to Apostle Peter 70 times 7you should forgive them brother. The Apostle Paul wrote Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.
One valuable lesson I learn on my Christian Journey is failure and forgiveness work hand to hand. To appreciate forgiveness you need understand you fail God miserably everyday. The late Dr John Stott wrote, “Who am I? What is myself? The answer is that I am Jekyll and Hyde a mix up kids, having both dignity because I was created had been re-created in the image of God, and depravity because I have fallen and rebellious nature. I am both noble, ignoble beautiful, ugly good, bad, upright, and twisted image and child of God yes sometimes yielding obsequious homage to the devil from whose clutches Christ has rescue me. My true self is what I am by creation which Christ came to redeem, by calling myself what I am I am by the fall, which Christ came destroy.” As scripture declares The heart is more deceitful than anything else, and incurable–who can understand it
Saint Boniface
In Dokkum, a town in Friesland a province in northern Holland were my mother was born a statue erected of Saint Boniface commemorating his work among the Frisians who were known as barbarians or southern version of Viking. Steeped in paganism and idolatry He was Known a an apostle of the Frisians,or Germany
A Pontiff called Wynfrith A Soldier of Christ, you will be called Boniface.Saint Boniface, Latin Bonifatius,good fate or one doing good or benefactor” His original name Wynfrid or Wynfrith, (born c. 675, Wessex, England—died June 5, 754, Dokkum, Frisia [now in the Netherlands]He belonged to a noble family.
He received an excellent education in the Benedictine and became a Benedictine monk, being ordained priest at about age 30. From 716 to 722 he made two attempts to evangelize the Frisian.
“Gregory II. who then sat in Peter’s chair, received him with great friendship, and finding him full of all the virtues that compose the character of an apostolic missionary, dismissed him with commission at large to preach the gospel to the pagans wherever he found them. ”
Where he went to Friesland, where he converted and baptized several thousands of barbarous natives, demolished the temples, and raised churches on the ruins of those superstitious structures. He lived there for three years; then he left to Hesse converting a great number of Barbarians. He founded the first monastery in Amoneburg, at the Shore of Olm River.
On Pentecost Sunday, he baptized a great number and summoned a general meeting for confirmation at a place not far from Dokkum, between Franeker and Groningen. Instead of his converts, however, a group of armed robbers appeared who slew the aged archbishop. Having killed Boniface and his company, the Frisian bandits ransacked their possessions but found that the company’s luggage did not contain the riches they had hoped for: “they broke open the chests containing the books and found, to their dismay, that they held manuscripts instead of gold vessels, pages of sacred texts or scriptures instead of silver plates.
Almighty God, who didst call thy faithful servant Boniface to be a witness and martyr in the lands of Germany and Friesland, and by his labor and suffering didst raise up a people for thine own possession: Pour forth thy Holy Spirit upon thy Church in every land, that by the service and sacrifice of many thy holy Name may be glorified and thy kingdom enlarged; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with thee and the same Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.
PRAYER (contemporary language)
Almighty God, who called your faithful servant Boniface to be a witness and martyr in the lands of Germany and Friesland, and by his labor and suffering raised up a people for your own possession: Pour forth your Holy Spirit upon your Church in every land, that by the service and sacrifice of many your holy Name may be glorified and your kingdom enlarged; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.
Saint Boniface’s feast day is celebrated on 5 June in the Roman Catholic Church, the Lutheran Church, the Anglican Communion and the Eastern Orthodox Church.
The canonization process did not come into existence until the 12th century. In the primitive Church, martyrs were immediately recognized as witnessing to the perfection of Christian life on earth he was not canonized.
He was proclaimed a saint by early Christians because of his martyrdom on June 5, 754
Norman F. Cantor notes The three roles Boniface played that made him “one of the truly outstanding creators of the first Europe first the reformer of the Frankish church, second the chief fomentor of the alliance between the papacy and the Carolingian family, third he helped shape the Latin Church in Europe, and many of the dioceses he proposed remain today.
http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/02656a.htm
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Donar%27s_Oak
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Boniface
https://www.britannica.com/biography/Saint-Boniface
http://justus.anglican.org/resources/bio/178.html
http://saintboniface.us/index.php/en/our-parish/st-boniface
https://www.answers.com/Q/When_did_St._Boniface_become_a_saint
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