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Nebuchadnezzar
had not expected this. But he immediately realized a god had to have
done this. He knew the answer - the God of Daniel and his friends.
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Nebuchadnezzar
responded and said, “Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach
and Abed-nego, who has sent His angel and delivered His servants
who put their trust in Him, violating the king’s command,
and yielded up their bodies so as not to serve or worship any
god except their own God. (NASB) Dan. 3:28 |
Willing
To Die. The
king knew what was important to these men. It was not their comfort
or their life. They “yielded up their bodies.” Many of the
early Christians yielded up their lives too! History says they were
accused of being anti-social, cannibals (because they practiced communion),
and not Caesar worshippers. One writer ridiculed them for worshipping
a man, Jesus, as a god. Recently, several United States government
officials accused Christians of being intolerant and a threat to the
country. But this is not unusual.
During A.D. 250 Christians were ordered
to worship a deity other than the Christian God and to purchase
certificates
proving they had. The certificates had to be shown to a government
official to save their lives. Tertullian, an early church father,
complained that whole churches bribed government officials to avoid
death. Those who did these things were called Lapsi. They had “lapsed”
in their faith.
Later another Caesar ordered Christians
to burn their Bibles. Those who did were called traditores. Today
we use the word “traitors.” Many Christians have not been
willing to die or suffer for Jesus. They have been self-centered.
They have cared more for themselves than for the God they claimed
to love.
Conclusion.
Today, some play secret Christian. Is this not another
form of being a “Lapsi” or a “traditore”?
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In
the days of the Roman Emperor Nero, there were a band of soldiers
known as the “Emperor’s Wrestlers.” They were
picked from the best and the bravest, and recruited from the
great athletes of the Roman amphitheater. In the great amphitheater
they would hold up the arms of the emperor against all challengers.
Before each contest they stood before the emperor’s throne
and cried: “We, the wrestlers, wrestling for thee, O Emperor,
to win for thee the victory and from thee, the victor’s
crown.”
When
the great Roman army was sent to fight in far away Gaul, no
soldiers were braver or more loyal than this band of wrestlers
led by their centurion Vespasian. But news reached Nero that
many Roman soldiers had accepted the Christian faith. Therefore,
this decree was dispatched to the centurion Vespasian: “If
there be any among your soldiers who cling to the faith of the
Christian, they must die!” This decree was received in
the dead of winter. The soldiers were camped on the shore of
a frozen inland lake. It was with sinking heart that Vespasian,
the centurion, read the emperor’s message. Vespasian called
the soldiers together and asked the question: “Are there
any among you who cling to the faith of the Christian? If so,
let him step forward!” Forty wrestlers instantly stepped
forward two paces, respectfully saluted, and stood at attention.
Vespasian paused. He had not expected so many, nor such select
ones. “Until sundown I shall await your answer,” said
Vespasian. Sundown came. Again the question was asked. |
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