There is a story of a boy who lived in Antioch, in Syria, sixteen hundred years ago, when Roman Governors put Christians to death because they refused to worship the image of the Emperor. This boy stood beside his mother in a great crowd gathered to witness the burning of an aged Christian, The Governor did not want to burn him, and tried to get him to give up God and Jesus and worship the Roman gods. The good man was strengthened by the Spirit of God to be faithful to the truth, and as he refused to deny his Lord, said,
“Ask any little child if it be not better to worship the one true God, who made all things, than to bow down to images made by man.”
As he said this, the eyes of the Governor—or fell upon the boy standing near, and not knowing he was a Christian he called him to the stand and said,
“My boy, tell this deluded man that he should worship the gods of Rome, and do homage to the Emperor,” What was his surprise and anger as the boy modestly but fearlessly made answer,
“There is but one God; and Jesus Christ is the Son of God, and our Saviour,”
In a rage the Governor commanded the soldiers to strip the boy and beat him with their cruel rods.
They did this until the blood ran from his bleeding back upon the ground, Then the Governor asked him,
“Will you now confess the gods of Rome?” Again the boy replied, “There is but one God, and Jesus Christ is the Son of God, and our Saviour.”
“Beat him to death!” said the enraged Governor; and they beat the poor boy until he sank faint and dying at his mother’s feet.
“What can your Christ do for you now?” said the cruel man to the mother, who he knows had taught her boy of Jesus.
“He can help us to pray for our enemies,” replied the Christian woman, as she gathered her dying boy in her arms.
“Mother,” said he faintly, “I wish I could have some water from the well at home.”
replied the Christian woman, as she gathered her dying boy in her arms.
‘Mother,” said he faintly, “I wish I. could have some water from the well at home.”
“My boy, you shall soon drink from the water of life in the Paradise of God.”
And so the martyr boy of Antioch passed away to be with the redeemed in heaven; but his light has been burning brightly for Jesus for sixteen hundred years, and its beams are falling upon us today.
Are there not any boys and girls here now who will accept Jesus as their Saviour and resolve to openly confess Him?
Are there not those who have been hiding their light who will now take it out from under the bushel, and from this day identify themselves with the followers of Jesus, and be willing to bear reproach for His name?
How can we expect the crown if we are unwilling to bear the cross?
“If ye be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are ye.” Peter 4:14.
ML 01/12/1941