There is yet more to tell you about those who wanted to stop John from telling others about Christ. Some did not like his preaching because it was not inside a fancy building. Others did not like it because they did not like to be told they were lost sinners. Still others did not like it because they owned taverns and places of worldly amusements, and when many turned to Christ they no longer went to those places. You will be interested to hear about a bull that came to the preaching one day.
John was in a town called Bristol and he stood on a table to preach. Angry men brought a bull into the crowd that had gathered to listen, for they hoped the bull would upset the table on which John was standing. They did not know that God commands even the animals, so when the bull got close to the table, it stood very quietly, not moving at all!
This made the men even more angry, so they grabbed the table themselves and broke it into pieces. Some of John’s friends rushed to him and carried him off safely on their shoulders.
John learned that God could care for him in dangers like these. But he also learned that he was in a world that nailed the Saviour to the cross and that those who follow Jesus must sometimes suffer. “If we suffer, we shall also reign with Him.” 2 Timothy 2:1212If we suffer, we shall also reign with him: if we deny him, he also will deny us: (2 Timothy 2:12).
Next you will hear a little more about his sufferings.