I found out today that a brother in the Lord Jesus, Pastor Steve Mitchell, passed from this mortal life on Friday, September 25 into the joy-filled and glorious presence of our Lord (1 Peter 1:7).
I stumbled upon FBC 3 or 4 years ago, and I typically watch their teaching videos a couple of times a week. This summer, Steve along with Dr. Tim Kennedy started a video discussion series, 'The Last Hour "Entities and Effigies"' that I found really interesting, and was looking forward to the next installment in the series. God had other plans.
I saw today that Steve's next-to-last message on the FBC YouTube channel was on the topic of persecution. I'm putting the link here, and I hope you listen to it and are strengthened by it for the days ahead, however many or few they may be:
Persecution came up in my daily Bible reading today as well. I am in Acts 4 in the New Testament, where we see how the Apostles of Jesus Christ were persecuted for teaching and preaching about Jesus and the good news of the gospel. Steve commented on this in the video teaching above.
Acts 4:15-21
15) But when they had commanded them to go aside out of the council, they conferred among themselves,
16) Saying, What shall we do to these men? for that indeed a notable miracle hath been done by them is manifest to all them that dwell in Jerusalem; and we cannot deny it.
17) But that it spread no further among the people, let us straitly threaten them, that they speak henceforth to no man in this name.
18) And they called them, and commanded them not to speak at all nor teach in the name of Jesus.
19) But Peter and John answered and said unto them, Whether it be right in the sight of God to hearken unto you more than unto God, judge ye.
20) For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard.
21) So when they had further threatened them, they let them go, finding nothing how they might punish them, because of the people: for all men glorified God for that which was done.
I can't be dogmatic, but I wrote this in the margin of my Bible: "They probably threatened them with the same fate they bestowed on the Lord Jesus...crucifixion!"
These religious leaders had just scored a "victory", they thought, although the missing body of Jesus, the curtain in the Temple being rent asunder, and the reports of dead saints being raised put a little rain on their victory parade. How better to threaten Jesus' followers than with his fate? Whatever it was, this persecution of the followers of Christ led them to cry out to God for safety, good health, prosperity.... No, they cried out for boldness to do what he had commanded them to do: proclaim the word of God with boldness! For the power to obey God's will in the face of persecution. Oh how we need that today, and as Pastor Steve mentions in the video, how we will need that in the very near future.
Steve Mitchell has run his race. Amen. I will miss his Bible teaching. Pray for God's comfort for his wife, children and church family.
We who have trusted in Jesus Christ and are still in this world are still running our race. Paul says "run to win" (1 Corinthians 9:24). As a Christian I pray I may finish well. I want to finish well. But so often I stumble and fall, and I am weary of stumbling and falling. Jesus Christ deserves so much more from my life. But I get up, by God's grace, and get back in the race, following our Shepherd. I think that is a good way for us to pray for one-another especially now: pray for God's children to run the race and finish well.
Let's do that, and we'll celebrate around the throne of God one day, with Steve and all our other brothers and sisters in Jesus who've gone on before. Paul.
