3-27-2013- TRAGIC DEATHS OF THE APOSTLES


"REMARKS"

THE FOLLOWING ACCOUNTS WILL DEPICT THE TRAGIC DEATHS OF THE APOSTLES.

THESE APOSTLES SUFFERED ENORMOUS PAIN AND TORTURE, UNLIKE SEEN TODAY, EXCEPT IN SOME CASES, IN FOREIGN LANDS.

CAN ANYTHING SEPARATE US FROM THE LOVE OF MESSIAH?

CAN PAIN, SUFFERING, TORTURE?

SOME OF US WILL SEPARATE OURSELVES FROM MESSIAH WHEN WE MAY NOT BE WILLING TO DIE, OR SUFFER, OR BE TORTURED, FOR MESSIAH SAKE.

SOME WILL RATHER LIVE UNDER THE DAMNATION OF THE MARK OF THE BEAST, SO THAT THEY CAN EAT AND LIVE, RATHER THAN DIE FOR MESSIAH.

IF OUR APOSTLES SO SUFFERED AND DIED FOR MESSIAH LET THIS MIND AND SACRIFICE BE IN US TOO.

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"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 A 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 ON PATMOS. 

THE APOSTLE JOHN WAS LATER FREED AND RETURNED TO SERVE AS BISHOP OF EDESSA, IN MODERN TURKEY. HE DIED AS AN OLD MAN, THE ONLY PROPHET TO DIE PEACEFULLY.


"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 JESUS 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 MESSIAH. WHEN THEY DISCOVERED THAT HE SURVIVED THE FALL, HIS ENEMIES BEAT JAMES TO DEATH WITH A FULLERS CLUB. THIS WAS THE SAME PINNACLE WHERE SATAN HAD TAKEN JESUS, YAHSHUA DURING THE TEMPTATION.


"JAMES THE GREAT"

SON OF ZEBEDEE, WAS A FISHERMAN BY TRADE WHEN JESUS, YAHSHUA CALLED HIM TO A LIFETIME OF MINISTRY.

AS A STRONG LEADER OF THE CHURCH, JAMES WAS ULTIMATELY BEHEADED IN JERUSALEM.

THE ROMAN OFFICER WHO GUARDED JAMES, WATCHED IN AMAZEMENT 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.


"BARTHOLOMEW"

ALSO KNOWN AS NATHANIEL, HE WAS A MISSIONARY TO ASIA. HE WITNESSED FOR YAHSHUA IN PRESENT DAY TURKEY.

BARTHOLOMEW WAS MARTYRED FOR HIS PREACHING IN ARMENIA, WHERE HE WAS FLAYED TO DEATH BY A WHIP.


"ANDREW"

WAS CRUCIFIED ON AN X SHAPED CROSS IN PATRAS, GREECE.

AFTER BEING WHIPPED SEVERELY BY SEVEN SOLDIERS, THEY TIED HIS BODY TO THE CROSS WITH CORDS TO PROLONG HIS AGONY.

HIS FOLLOWERS REPORTED THAT, WHEN HE WAS LED TOWARD THE CROSS, ANDREW SALUTED IT IN THESE WORDS; I HAVE LONG DESIRED AND EXPECTED THIS HAPPY HOUR.

THE CROSS HAS BEEN CONSECRATED BY THE BODY OF MESSIAH HANGING ON IT. HE CONTINUED TO PREACH TO HIS TORMENTORS FOR TWO DAYS, UNTIL HE EXPIRED.


"THOMAS"

WAS STABBED WITH A SPEAR IN INDIA, DURING ONE OF HIS MISSIONARY TRIPS, TO ESTABLISH THE CHURCH IN THE SUB CONTINENT.


"JUDE"

WAS KILLED WITH ARROWS, WHEN HE REFUSED TO DENY HIS FAITH IN MESSIAH.


"MATTHIAS"

THE APOSTLE CHOSEN TO REPLACE THE TRAITOR JUDAS ISCARIOT, WAS STONED AND THEN BEHEADED.


"PAUL"

WAS TORTURED AND THEN BEHEADED BY THE EVIL EMPEROR, NERO AT ROME IN AD 67.

PAUL ENDURED A LENGTHY IMPRISONMENT, WHICH ALLOWED HIM TO WRITE HIS MANY EPISTLES TO THE CHURCHES HE HAD FORMED THROUGHOUT THE ROMAN EMPIRE.

THESE LETTERS, WHICH TAUGHT MANY OF THE FOUNDATIONAL DOCTRINES OF CHRISTIANITY, FORM A LARGE PORTION OF THE NEW TESTAMENT.