About Dungeons and Demons

Passage: Acts 16:16-24

Some of you will remember me talking about a Scottish missionary in Albania by the name of David B.  For years he ran an orphanage for Roma gypsy children who were outcasts in that culture.  Phama and I made three trips to Albania in 2000, 2002 and 2005 and helped in the orphanage and got to know the kids and the staff.

In 2006 David was arrested on false charges of inappropriate behavior with children, the orphanage was closed down and the children scattered.  He was sentenced to 20 years in an Albanian prison, which is nothing like the comparative luxury of an American prison.

Because of an early release program for good behavior David is scheduled to be released early next month after serving 15 years.  During that time both his parents died in Scotland.  His health has declined.  But he has remained in reasonably good spirits and has been treated kindly by the prison guards because they know he was innocent.

His release is not guaranteed because the justice system in Albania is very unpredictable and corrupt.  David has refused to give bribes to improve his chances.  Pray he is released and pray for God’s provision for all his needs as he reenters civilian life and tries to sort out the way ahead.  His heart’s desire is to return to Albania to minister there.

David’s is only one of literally millions of stories since the time of Acts of Christians being persecuted, falsely accused, unjustly treated, beaten, imprisoned and killed.

For all of us these stories are far away, in distant countries, about people we don’t know.  But the stories are starting to come closer.

Contemporary suffering.

Christians in America today are increasingly being marginalized, disenfranchised, ostracized, mischaracterized, mocked, ridiculed.  They are being spiritually distanced and socially distanced as they are pushed out of the public square and out of public dialogue.

Christians are being falsely accused of hate speech against gays, women, and blacks.  Our religious views and perspective are labeled as offensive or as right wing extremist, or at least dumb, backwater, wrong side of history.  We all belong on Duck Dynasty.

Christians and Christian views are being canceled from college campuses, from TV.  Calvin University recently shut down a group of students challenging the LGBTQ views.  Christian teachers and coaches are being stifled and silenced.  In Canada Christian Churches are being closed, freedoms denied, and in one case in Edmonton a pastor was put in jail and the church fenced.

Acts is not ancient history, it is not something that would never happen here.  It is not a matter of if for us but when.  Our freedoms and rights are not guaranteed.  Being wronged and experiencing injustice are very real possibilities, if not for us then for our children and grandchildren.

This week and next let’s hear God’s Word with ears open to being instructed by the Holy Spirit in how to be prepared.  Forewarned is forearmed.  We are told again and again in Scripture to expect it.