Today's Verse: Jeremiah 33:2-3 (ESV)
qCall to me and I will answer you, rand will tell you great and hidden things that you have not known.
q ch. 29:12; Ps. 91:15
r Isa. 48:6
Jeremiah, the prophet, preached to a nation which had already sealed its doom. Up to that time, according to The Teacher's Commentary, Judah had lived in material comfort but in spiritual apostasy. Yet, even in impending doom, God, through His prophet, Jeremiah, sent hope to His people for a new covenant.
Today's Comments: Just as God sent hope through Jeremiah, , He sends hope to all of us for the salvation that extends to us, today, in His Son, Jesus Christ. And yet, today, even some of us may have to suffer for that hope, like those in Judah, who were exiled to a foreign land.
Today is the Lesser Feast of James Hannington and the Martyrs of Uganda. These children and men were martyred in the name of Christ, suffering for that hope so that others would believe and worship. Below is some biographical information and my homily for the service which I am conducting at church tonight:
Background Information: James Hannington and the Martyrs of Uganda, 29 October 1885
Among the new nations of Africa, Uganda is the most predominantly Christian. Mission work began there in the 1870's with the favor of King Mutesa, who died in 1884. However, his son and successor, King Mwanga, opposed all foreign presence, including the missions.
James Hannington, born in 1847, was sent out from England in 1884 by the Anglican Church as missionary Bishop of Eastern Equatorial Africa. As he was travelling toward Uganda, he was apprehended by emissaries of King Mwanga. He and his companions were brutally treated and, a week later, October 29, 1885, most of them were put to death. Hannington's last words were: "Go tell your master that I have purchased the road to Uganda with my blood."
On June 3, 1886 (see Biography), a group of 32 men and boys, 22 Roman Catholics and 10 Anglicans, were burned at the stake, including the thirteen-year-old Kizito, who went to his death "laughing and chattering." These and many other Ugandan Christians suffered for their faith, then and even into the next century. In 1977, many other Christians also suffered death for their faith under the tyrant Idi Amin.
Homily: The Martyrs of Uganda - 3 June 1886
On June 3,1886, thirty-two young men were burned to death at Namugongo for their refusal to renounce Christianity. In the following months many other Christians throughout the country died by spear or fire for their faith.
These martyrdoms totally changed the dynamics of Christian growth in Uganda. Introduced by a handful of Anglican and Roman missionaries after 1877, the Christian faith had been preached only to the immediate members of the court, by order of King Mutesa. His successor, Mwanga, became increasingly jealous and angry as he realized that the first converts put loyalty to Christ above traditional loyalty to the king. Martyrdoms began in 1885. Mwanga first forbade anyone to go near a Christian mission on pain of death, but finding himself unable to cool the ardor of the converts, he resolved to wipe out Christianity, altogether, by murdering all who worshiped Jesus Christ.
The Namugongo martyrdoms produced a result entirely opposite to Mwanga's intentions. The example of these martyrs, who walked to their deaths singing hymns and praying for their enemies, so inspired many of the bystanders that they began to seek instruction from the remaining Christians. Within a few years the original handful of converts had multiplied and spread far beyond the court of Uganda’s King. The martyrs had left an indelible impression that Christianity was truly African, and not just the religion of the white man. Most of the missionary work was carried out by Africans rather than by white missionaries, and Christianity spread steadily. Uganda now has the largest percentage of professed Christians of any nation in Africa.
Renewed persecution of Christians in the 1970's by the military dictator Idi Amin confirmed the vitality of the example set by the Namugongo martyrs. Among the thousands of new martyrs, both Anglican and Roman, was Janani Luwum, Anglican Archbishop of the Church of Uganda..
I think that it is difficult for us, here in the West to understand the suffering and traumatic experience that people in many other countries experience for the Gospel. In the Gospel for today, Jesus predicted that many of his disciples would go through martyrdom. That prediction has remained true down through the ages and applies as much to modern disciples as it did to those who followed our Lord, then. And it is remarkable that some of the strongest Christian faith, today, exists in Africa, despite the persecution that took place there.
The other night, I wrote in my blog the following message, which applies, I believe, to today’s reading:
As we read in several of the Gospel accounts, the more that Jesus talked about death, the fewer seemed to follow him. Those who did, made a choice. Those who didn't also made a choice. And today, we are given the same choice. Do we risk all that is worldly and follow Jesus, knowing that we may have to suffer for our beliefs, or do we keep safely to our world possessions and our standard of temporal living and ignore God's promise of eternal life.
While we may not be asked to pay with our lives for our belief in the Lord, we are often asked to bear a cross. With some of us, it may be the sickness or death of a loved one. With others, it may be a broken relationship. In other countries, however, like China or the Middle East, or even at times in our nation, like during the massacre at Columbine, we may be asked to give our lives. As Christians, we should be prepared.
qCall to me and I will answer you, rand will tell you great and hidden things that you have not known.
q ch. 29:12; Ps. 91:15
r Isa. 48:6
Jeremiah, the prophet, preached to a nation which had already sealed its doom. Up to that time, according to The Teacher's Commentary, Judah had lived in material comfort but in spiritual apostasy. Yet, even in impending doom, God, through His prophet, Jeremiah, sent hope to His people for a new covenant.
Today's Comments: Just as God sent hope through Jeremiah, , He sends hope to all of us for the salvation that extends to us, today, in His Son, Jesus Christ. And yet, today, even some of us may have to suffer for that hope, like those in Judah, who were exiled to a foreign land.
Today is the Lesser Feast of James Hannington and the Martyrs of Uganda. These children and men were martyred in the name of Christ, suffering for that hope so that others would believe and worship. Below is some biographical information and my homily for the service which I am conducting at church tonight:
Background Information: James Hannington and the Martyrs of Uganda, 29 October 1885
Among the new nations of Africa, Uganda is the most predominantly Christian. Mission work began there in the 1870's with the favor of King Mutesa, who died in 1884. However, his son and successor, King Mwanga, opposed all foreign presence, including the missions.
James Hannington, born in 1847, was sent out from England in 1884 by the Anglican Church as missionary Bishop of Eastern Equatorial Africa. As he was travelling toward Uganda, he was apprehended by emissaries of King Mwanga. He and his companions were brutally treated and, a week later, October 29, 1885, most of them were put to death. Hannington's last words were: "Go tell your master that I have purchased the road to Uganda with my blood."
On June 3, 1886 (see Biography), a group of 32 men and boys, 22 Roman Catholics and 10 Anglicans, were burned at the stake, including the thirteen-year-old Kizito, who went to his death "laughing and chattering." These and many other Ugandan Christians suffered for their faith, then and even into the next century. In 1977, many other Christians also suffered death for their faith under the tyrant Idi Amin.
Homily: The Martyrs of Uganda - 3 June 1886
On June 3,1886, thirty-two young men were burned to death at Namugongo for their refusal to renounce Christianity. In the following months many other Christians throughout the country died by spear or fire for their faith.
These martyrdoms totally changed the dynamics of Christian growth in Uganda. Introduced by a handful of Anglican and Roman missionaries after 1877, the Christian faith had been preached only to the immediate members of the court, by order of King Mutesa. His successor, Mwanga, became increasingly jealous and angry as he realized that the first converts put loyalty to Christ above traditional loyalty to the king. Martyrdoms began in 1885. Mwanga first forbade anyone to go near a Christian mission on pain of death, but finding himself unable to cool the ardor of the converts, he resolved to wipe out Christianity, altogether, by murdering all who worshiped Jesus Christ.
The Namugongo martyrdoms produced a result entirely opposite to Mwanga's intentions. The example of these martyrs, who walked to their deaths singing hymns and praying for their enemies, so inspired many of the bystanders that they began to seek instruction from the remaining Christians. Within a few years the original handful of converts had multiplied and spread far beyond the court of Uganda’s King. The martyrs had left an indelible impression that Christianity was truly African, and not just the religion of the white man. Most of the missionary work was carried out by Africans rather than by white missionaries, and Christianity spread steadily. Uganda now has the largest percentage of professed Christians of any nation in Africa.
Renewed persecution of Christians in the 1970's by the military dictator Idi Amin confirmed the vitality of the example set by the Namugongo martyrs. Among the thousands of new martyrs, both Anglican and Roman, was Janani Luwum, Anglican Archbishop of the Church of Uganda..
I think that it is difficult for us, here in the West to understand the suffering and traumatic experience that people in many other countries experience for the Gospel. In the Gospel for today, Jesus predicted that many of his disciples would go through martyrdom. That prediction has remained true down through the ages and applies as much to modern disciples as it did to those who followed our Lord, then. And it is remarkable that some of the strongest Christian faith, today, exists in Africa, despite the persecution that took place there.
The other night, I wrote in my blog the following message, which applies, I believe, to today’s reading:
As we read in several of the Gospel accounts, the more that Jesus talked about death, the fewer seemed to follow him. Those who did, made a choice. Those who didn't also made a choice. And today, we are given the same choice. Do we risk all that is worldly and follow Jesus, knowing that we may have to suffer for our beliefs, or do we keep safely to our world possessions and our standard of temporal living and ignore God's promise of eternal life.
While we may not be asked to pay with our lives for our belief in the Lord, we are often asked to bear a cross. With some of us, it may be the sickness or death of a loved one. With others, it may be a broken relationship. In other countries, however, like China or the Middle East, or even at times in our nation, like during the massacre at Columbine, we may be asked to give our lives. As Christians, we should be prepared.
No comments:
Post a Comment