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Word from Nairnshire
by Sandy Shaw
“No. No. I cannot come along tonight to have skins put on me and be thrown to lions. I have something else to do. No, I cannot come and be a lit torch. I have a visitor coming, and anyway I am a bit tired.”
These first century disciples of Jesus Christ were not given the choice!
In A.D. 64 a fire started in Rome, where the houses were built mainly of wood. The fire raged for two weeks, and Emperor Nero watched from his balcony. He said the flames were as charming as flowers.
Looking for a scapegoat, he noticed a group of people called Christians, and falsely diverted the charge upon the Christians.
Christians were accused of cannibalism, eating the body and blood of the man called Jesus. Cannibals had come to Rome, with love feasts and lust.
Some of their leaders taught that one day the world would be dissolved by fire, and here they were practising what they preached.
Nero had some of these dear disciples of Jesus Christ crucified. He set his hunting dogs on others, and, of course, there were the lions.
Blame culture is nothing new.
Some people laugh at this, and use these historical facts as material for humour.
This is the background to these two letters of Peter in the New Testament. They are penned during a time of sore and severe persecution, which is so prevalent in many parts of the world today.
Peter wrote to prepare Christians for suffering. Peter not only led people to faith in Jesus Christ, but he followed it through and wrote to warn, teach, and encourage believers.
He was an apostle of Jesus Christ, and a fellow elder in the Church. There is no higher rank in the whole world.
Sandy Shaw
Nairn Christian Fellowship
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Sandy has a weekly radio talk which can be heard via the Internet on Saturday at 11:40am, New Orleans time, at wsho.com.
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