Those of you live in the area join us for our weekly TV outreach this evening at 7 PM on Time Warner Cable channel 4. Our children Jessica and Tom got back to the States after being away on vacation in Tanzania. They had a very blessed and refreshing time.
One of our nieces, Sharon, is turning sweet sixteen this week. There is a party for her tomorrow. Sharon came to the States as a little baby. The Lord has blessed her with both beauty and brains. She is a high Honor student.
We will have a Thanksgiving banquet at the Wesley UMC tomorrow at 5:30 PM. It is a celebration of His Grace and Mercy, and His faithfulness. We will gather for worship 8:30 and 11:00 at Union Center and at 9:30 AM at Wesley. Let us continue to pray for the Philippines, for the continued work of recovery after the very recent devastation. Our United Methodist Church, along with other churches, are involved. The USA Navy and Air Force are also aiding in the recovery operation. Let us continue to pray and give for this ministry of recovery and compassion.
I have been blessed by the ministry of so many men and women who love Jesus and serve Him with Joy and devotion. I was in a conference with Chuck Colson several years ago. He was blessed with a very keen mind and a very warm heart. I have been blessed by the books he has written. This week I read again the story of Telemachus. You can find it in Chuck Colson’s book Loving God, pp. 241-243. It’s a true story about an Asiatic monk who lived during the early part of the fifth century.
One day, as he was tending his garden at the monastery, he felt God calling him to go to Rome. He had never been there and had no idea why God would want him to go. But the feeling grew stronger until Telemachus knew he must make the long journey.
So he set out across Asia Minor and caught a boat for Rome. After many days he landed and made his way to the Imperial City. When he got there, he found that the city was in the midst of a great celebration. The Romans had just defeated the Goths.
Telemachus still had no idea why he had come but he noticed great crowds moving through the streets toward the famed Coliseum. He followed the crowds and thought to himself, “Perhaps this is the reason why God has called me here." It turned out that the crowds had gathered for the gladiator contests. That meant that men would fight against men on the arena floor until only one man was alive. Then the wild animals would be let loose to devour the body of the dead gladiators. It was a violent, bloodthirsty sport. The crowds had come to watch the action.
At length, the gladiators marched in, saluted the emperor and shouted, “We who are about to die salute thee." Then the games began. Telemachus was shocked. He had never seen such a thing. But he knew that he could not keep silent while men killed each other for entertainment.
In a flash of blinding insight Telemachus knew what he must do. He ran to the perimeter of the arena and cried with a loud voice, “IN THE NAME OF CHRIST, STOP!”
The crowd paid him no heed. He was just one voice among thousands. So Telemachus made his way to the edge of the arena and stepped onto the sandy floor. There he was, rushing here and there, dodging the gladiators as they thrust at each other.
He cried out again, “IN THE NAME OF CHRIST, STOP!" The crowd began to cheer, thinking perhaps that he was part of the entertainment, like a clown at a rodeo.
Then he blocked the vision of one of the gladiators causing him to narrowly avoid a death-dealing blow. Suddenly the mood changed and the crowd became angry. “KILL HIM! KILL HIM! KILL HIM!"
The gladiator he had blocked took his sword and struck Telemachus in the chest. Immediately the arena floor turned sandy red from his blood. The little monk fell to the ground and as he died, he cried out for the final time, “IN THE NAME OF CHRIST, STOP!"
Living by faith, in the end, meant dying by faith. But he made a difference in the world.
Then a strange thing happened. A hush fell over the arena. All eyes were focused on the still form in the crimson sand. The gladiators put down their swords. One by one the spectators left their seats and emptied the Coliseum.
Historians tell us that was the last gladiatorial contest in the Roman Coliseum. Never again did men kill men for entertainment in the arena. When Telemachus died, the gladiator contests died with him.
Think about this
story for a moment. Living by faith meant, in the end, dying by faith, but he
made a difference in the world. The strength to live and die for Christ is as
much a miracle as being delivered from the lion’s den. Christ calls us to
follow Him wherever He leads, regardless of the cost. Those who live by faith
are characterized by the following conclusions:
They will see great triumphs and endure great trials.
They will be misunderstood by the world.
They will be glad they did what they did in the end.
Christ calls us to follow him wherever he leads, whatever it
costs.
In
Christ,
Brown
