Characteristics of the Early Church | A Persecuted Church

The following are the results of persecution on the early church:

- Church was purified & their faith was strengthened    
- Word of God spread everywhere
- Church was waiting for the coming of the Lord

In ancient Rome, crowds by the tens of thousands would gather in the Colosseum to watch as Christians were torn apart by wild animals. Paul Rader, commenting on his visit to this famous landmark, said, "I stood uncovered to the heavens above, where He sits for whom they gladly died, and asked myself, 'Would I, could I, die for Him tonight to get this gospel to the ends of the earth?'" Rader continued, "I prayed most fervently in that Roman arena for the spirit of a martyr, and for the working of the Holy Spirit in my heart, as He worked in Paul's heart when He brought him on his handcuffed way to Rome." Those early Christians "lived on the threshold of heaven, within a heartbeat of home, no possessions to hold them back." Lord give me the spirit of a martyr. 

The early church was a persecuted church as a result, the church was purified, strengthened in their faith, word of God spread everywhere, people are drawn more to the coming of the Lord.  May the Lord revive our church today to these wonderful truths of persecution.  Amen!