MY ACCOUNT
At A Glance:
How do we tell the stories of the persecuted church effectively without feeling awkward, inconvenient, or even dishonoring to those who suffer?
- On the road to Emmaus, Jesus explained why even the Christ had to suffer.
- We must begin with compassion – a posture of heart that doesn’t shy away from others’ pain.
- We also must offer an eternal perspective on suffering that emphasizes the Gospel hope of glory.
On the Road to Emmaus
Do you remember the story from Luke 24 of the two disciples on the road to Emmaus? Jesus had risen from the dead and left His tomb, but these disciples were confused, downcast, and still reeling from His crucifixion. Unrecognized by them, Jesus asked these two disciples what they were discussing. They recounted with sadness all the recent events of Christ’s suffering and His missing body – ending their story without much hope or perspective.
Have you ever also struggled to tell a tragic story? Depending on the details of the incident, tragedy can provoke a range of difficult responses – from deep mourning, to uncontrollable rage, to reluctant embarrassment. Just speaking about it can feel awkward, inconvenient, even dishonoring to those who suffered.
Telling the stories of the persecuted church often feels that way. These precious believers – from Latin America to Africa from the Middle East to Asia – are enduring unspeakable tragedies just for being a Christian. Assaults, abductions, displacement, family abandonment, societal isolation, arrests, violence, and killings are just a few of the common experiences of these faithful ones.
Sometimes there is so much tragedy, it breaks your heart. How do we pass along these stories of persecution effectively without losing hope ourselves?
We must first begin with compassion. At the very least, we would never rejoice in persecution, but we might express a guarded pity. Compassion, however, is not pity but a posture of heart that lets the suffering of others move the soul deeply. It doesn’t shy away from others’ pain, shame, or weakness, but instead is willing to hold a space of gracious attention for the one in need.
Hebrews 13:3 says, “Continue to remember…those who are mistreated as if you yourselves were suffering.” So when we take in the stories of the persecuted and set out to help them, compassion opens our hearts to the suffering of others and prepares us for action.
The two disciples on the Emmaus road seemed to have compassion for what happened to Jesus, but still they were lacking something we also need: They were not rooted in the truth and hope of the Scripture. As a result, they grieved in despair. Still unrecognized, Jesus gently rebuked them: “Did not the Messiah have to suffer these things and then enter His glory?” He then explained to them the scriptures pertaining to Himself. Essentially, Jesus was providing, from the Word of God, an eternal perspective on suffering.
John saw the eternal reality of a new heaven and new earth where God “will wipe away every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain.”
— (Revelation 21:4)Paul the apostle gave such a perspective on unjust suffering by saying, “I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us.” (Romans 8:18)
Paul also asserted, “For as we share abundantly in the sufferings of Christ, so also our comfort abounds through Christ.” (1 Corinthians 1:5) Paul is confident that not only will God comfort us in our sufferings, but they’re nothing compared to the glory that will be revealed in heaven.
John saw the eternal reality of a new heaven and new earth where God “will wipe away every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain.” (Revelation 21:4)
So when we tell the stories of the persecuted church, we speak with compassionate hope. And for those who die in service to Christ, we “do not grieve like the rest of mankind, who have no hope. For we believe that Jesus died and rose again, and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him.” (1 Thessalonians 4:13-14) Our stories can have the hope of the Gospel, creating a passion for Jesus and His persecuted church.
As they arrived in Emmaus, Jesus had explained the story of the Christ and why He had to suffer. Still not recognizing Him, the two disciples were enthralled and begged this wise storyteller to stay longer. They sat down at a table where Jesus took some bread and gave thanks for it.
As in communion, the bread symbolized Christ’s body – broken for us by the worst act of persecution of all time. Jesus gave this bread to the two disciples, and their eyes were finally opened to recognize Him. They were amazed and recalled how, along the road to Emmaus, their hearts had burned with passion as Jesus told them His story.
May compassionate hope burn in our hearts as we tell the stories of the persecuted church.
