The Deaths Of The Apostles - Pursuing Intimacy With God

The Deaths Of The Apostles

The early church in Acts was a great example for us to follow. The church was filled with people who were fully committed to Jesus. And willing to do whatever Jesus commanded. No matter the cost.

Acts 2:42 says “They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.”

The Greek word for devoted “proskartereo” is the strongest word in the Greek language for commitment. It literally means to “latch on and refuse to let go”.

The Deaths Of The Apostles

Fully Devoted To Jesus

Christians in the early church were not committed and devoted to being religious. Or to doing Bible study or prayer or fellowship as traditional religious things that good Christians should do. They “latched on and refused to let go” … of Jesus. They were fully committed and devoted to Jesus. and to following & obeying Him. No matter the cost.

They lived in a period of time that was very dangerous for Christians. And yet they were faithful and obedient to Jesus. The cost was great for many of the believers in the early church. Many suffered and even died. Not for a religion, not for a church, but for Jesus.

True commitment and devotion to Jesus is doing whatever Jesus tells us to do, and being willing to pay the cost. Even if it means suffering or dying.

The Deaths Of The Apostles

Here is how committed and devoted to Jesus they were. And how they suffered and died for Jesus and His Kingdom work. Every one of the original apostles paid a great price for serving Jesus, and suffered. All but John were killed for following Jesus. John was tortured and then sent to live in exile to the island of Patmos. It was there that John wrote the book of Revelation. And others died following and obeying Jesus, such as Steven and Paul.

Some Of The Deaths Of The Apostles

Matthew – Suffered martyrdom in Ethiopia, Killed by a sword wound.

Mark – Died in Alexandria, Egypt , after being dragged by Horses through the streets until he was dead.

Luke – Was hanged in Greece as a result of his tremendous Preaching to the lost.

John – Faced martyrdom when he was boiled in huge Basin of boiling oil during a wave of persecution In Rome. However, he was miraculously delivered from death. John was then sentenced to the mines on the prison Island of Patmos. He wrote his prophetic Book of Revelation there. The apostle John was later freed and returned to serve as Bishop of Edessa in modern Turkey. He is the only apostle not killed.

Some More Of The Deaths Of The Apostles

Here are more of the deaths of the apostles.

Peter – He was crucified upside down on an x shaped cross. According to church tradition it was because he told his tormentors that he felt unworthy to die in the same way that Jesus Christ had died.

James -The leader of the church in Jerusalem , was thrown over a hundred feet down from the southeast pinnacle of the Temple when he refused to deny his faith in Christ. When they discovered that he survived the fall, his enemies beat James to death with a fuller’s club.

James the Son of Zebedee – was a fisherman by trade when Jesus Called him to a lifetime of ministry. As a strong leader of the church, James was beheaded at Jerusalem. The Roman officer who guarded James watched amazed as James defended his faith at his trial.

Later, the officer walked beside James to the place of execution. Overcome by conviction, he declared his new faith to the judge and knelt beside James to accept beheading as a Christian.

In Part 2 we will continue to look at more of the deaths of the apostles.

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