If you should embark on a journey to study your family tree, you will likely find that many of your ancestors lived in times of political and religious empires, for this is a common thread that has run through human history ever since the days of Nimrod and the Tower of Babel.
As such, it is possible that many your ancestors lived their lives in captivity, as prisoners of state dictatorships, or state religions, as it is also likely that they never experienced days of freedom, nor did they experience the freedom to worship as they pleased.
All empires of the earth have been dominated and controlled by dictators. As such, they have operated their kingdoms as terrorists: for terrorism is nothing new under the sun.
For example, Alexander the Great crucified thousands and thousands of innocent people as he led his Greek army to conquer the world. Other dictators of empires also employed crucifixion, so it is again likely that some of your ancestors could have suffered this form of agonizing death: while others died because of starvation, malnutrition, dehydration, intense cold and hot weather, and from diseases or plagues without cures as well as without medication. Perhaps many, too, watched their children die in front of their eyes, or even in their arms. Even at death, it is not likely that they were given proper funerals, and they were probably buried in unmarked graves. And the only time they ever received a new suit of clothes, or a pair of shoes, was after someone else had died.
Therefore being slaves to governments and slaves to religions, they were never free to be, nor were they free to leave. Perhaps they never owned a parcel of ground, never owned a home, and never had the opportunity for an education, which means that many of them never learned to read or write.
It is one matter to consider the history of human life as people without names and faces, but when this matter reaches in to our own family lines, or to our own blood kin, the focus of our attention quickly sharpens, and we can easily feel a sense of pain as we consider the tragedies our ancestors faced in their lifetimes, especially when we consider the actions of evil people against our own flesh and blood.
Human history is not a pretty picture, is it? So as we look back across the ages and pages of human history, what do we see? We see mankind at his worst and not at his best. We see an age of terror that has endured across the earth for nearly six thousand years. We see the earth drenched in the blood of millions of people, many of whom are your own ancestors, your own kin, and this is not pleasant to know.
But underneath this web of terror and senseless bloodshed, we see the birth of a baby in Bethlehem, whose name is Jesus, the Son of God, for the first time we see the love of God arrive on planet earth, personally delivered by God's only begotten Son.
The resurrection of Jesus Christ is the greatest event in human history, for life on earth began to change for the better as the love of God became available for people who would believe in Him in nations all over the world. But even this change has been wrought with pain, suffering, and with the shedding of blood. For many of the people who stood up for Christ also perished, and many of them were also our ancestors.
Have you ever thought about the possibility that some of your ancestors heard the preaching of the apostles and disciples of Christ while on their journeys to many nations?
If you knew that your ancestors were martyrs for Christ, how do you suppose they would see you if they could see you now?
If they were willing to give their lives for Christ while dying, would you be willing to give your life to Christ while living?
This love of Christ came to us at a great sacrifice, and without the love of God, we would be living in a world without love, the evidence of which is contained in the presentations we watch of our world on television, at the movies, and hear on the radio.
For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, that he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man; that Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; (Ephesians 3: 14-17)
As such, it is possible that many your ancestors lived their lives in captivity, as prisoners of state dictatorships, or state religions, as it is also likely that they never experienced days of freedom, nor did they experience the freedom to worship as they pleased.
All empires of the earth have been dominated and controlled by dictators. As such, they have operated their kingdoms as terrorists: for terrorism is nothing new under the sun.
For example, Alexander the Great crucified thousands and thousands of innocent people as he led his Greek army to conquer the world. Other dictators of empires also employed crucifixion, so it is again likely that some of your ancestors could have suffered this form of agonizing death: while others died because of starvation, malnutrition, dehydration, intense cold and hot weather, and from diseases or plagues without cures as well as without medication. Perhaps many, too, watched their children die in front of their eyes, or even in their arms. Even at death, it is not likely that they were given proper funerals, and they were probably buried in unmarked graves. And the only time they ever received a new suit of clothes, or a pair of shoes, was after someone else had died.
Therefore being slaves to governments and slaves to religions, they were never free to be, nor were they free to leave. Perhaps they never owned a parcel of ground, never owned a home, and never had the opportunity for an education, which means that many of them never learned to read or write.
It is one matter to consider the history of human life as people without names and faces, but when this matter reaches in to our own family lines, or to our own blood kin, the focus of our attention quickly sharpens, and we can easily feel a sense of pain as we consider the tragedies our ancestors faced in their lifetimes, especially when we consider the actions of evil people against our own flesh and blood.
Human history is not a pretty picture, is it? So as we look back across the ages and pages of human history, what do we see? We see mankind at his worst and not at his best. We see an age of terror that has endured across the earth for nearly six thousand years. We see the earth drenched in the blood of millions of people, many of whom are your own ancestors, your own kin, and this is not pleasant to know.
But underneath this web of terror and senseless bloodshed, we see the birth of a baby in Bethlehem, whose name is Jesus, the Son of God, for the first time we see the love of God arrive on planet earth, personally delivered by God's only begotten Son.
The resurrection of Jesus Christ is the greatest event in human history, for life on earth began to change for the better as the love of God became available for people who would believe in Him in nations all over the world. But even this change has been wrought with pain, suffering, and with the shedding of blood. For many of the people who stood up for Christ also perished, and many of them were also our ancestors.
Have you ever thought about the possibility that some of your ancestors heard the preaching of the apostles and disciples of Christ while on their journeys to many nations?
If you knew that your ancestors were martyrs for Christ, how do you suppose they would see you if they could see you now?
If they were willing to give their lives for Christ while dying, would you be willing to give your life to Christ while living?
This love of Christ came to us at a great sacrifice, and without the love of God, we would be living in a world without love, the evidence of which is contained in the presentations we watch of our world on television, at the movies, and hear on the radio.
For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, that he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man; that Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; (Ephesians 3: 14-17)
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