June 14 | Acts 6:8-15, 7:54-60
- Carmel Elmer
- Jun 13
- 3 min read
DAILY READING
REFLECTION
The Price of Freedom
by Carmel Elmer
Can you imagine living in the early days of the forming of the church? Stephen’s stoning was just one example of the persecution Christians faced in the first few centuries AD. Imagine facing the threat of imprisonment, torture and even death simply because you profess your belief in Christ and follow the truth of His Word.
Early Christians faced opposition from many directions and often endured dire consequences for professing their faith. The Roman government felt threatened by the growth in the movement of “The Way” and those who refused to renounce their faith faced the possibility of imprisonment, torture, and the loss of their legal rights. Despite this, the message of Christ spread, and the church grew exponentially due to the courageous believers who were willing to stand together and lay down their lives for Christ.
In Acts 7:9 we learn that Stephen faced opposition from members of the Synagogue of Freedmen. I didn’t know what that was, so I decided to give myself a little history lesson. I learned that these were Jews who had been enslaved by the Roman government during the first century and had later been freed. But were they really free? Through His death and resurrection Jesus granted all who accept and believe, freedom from sin and the opportunity to live in a new way - no longer subject to earning God’s favor by following the laws and customs of the old covenant. The so called ‘freedmen’ could not accept the wisdom of The Holy Spirit that Stephen professed and ultimately, Stephen gave his life for Christ as a martyr, and those who refused to accept his message remained slaves.
This passage has me wondering if I too would be willing to give my life and stand my ground rather than renounce my belief in Christ. All I can say is that I am glad I will likely never have to face that choice. I feel so fortunate to be living in a place and time where I have the right to practice my faith without my life or livelihood being threatened. Sadly, throughout the world today, there are millions of Christians who still face the real threat of losing their lives for their faith in Jesus. Entire communities face displacement, imprisonment, discrimination and even genocide for believing in Christ.
So, what can we take from this passage and apply today? I suppose it’s easy to take our freedom to share our faith, and the sacrifices that were made to grant us that freedom, for granted. Maybe we should challenge ourselves to look for opportunities to advocate for Christians throughout the world who are not as privileged as we are. Maybe we can extend the Oasis we are building together here at UALC and be a part of the growth of Christianity across the globe. Wouldn’t that be amazing?
PRAYER
Lord, thank you for our freedom to worship with our brothers and sisters at UALC and for those who paved the way to win that freedom for us. We pray today for the safety of Christians throughout the world and for their courageous willingness to lay down their lives for Christ. We ask for that same courage in our daily walk, that we too are willing to lay down our lives for the freedom that Jesus bought for us with His life.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
CARMEL ELMER
I have attended UALC for nearly 25 years, but faith has always been at the center of my life. My mom was an incredible role model, demonstrating a trust in God that surpassed any circumstance. I will always be grateful for her incredible example of faith, and I pray that one day, my children will say the same about me.
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