John 15:13 (AMPC)
“No one has greater love [no one has shown stronger affection] than to lay down (give up) his own life for his friends.”
DAILY READING • Mark 12:1-27; 1 Kings 3; Hosea 6:1-7:2
In ancient Rome, gladiator fights were often held in the Colosseum to entertain the people. These fights usually involved violent confrontations between gladiators, who shed their blood profusely until one of them is finally killed.
People found their entertainment in watching these men die and were fascinated by the sight of blood and gore upon the arena floor. Most of these fighters were slaves, political prisoners, those considered to be the dregs of the society and they were forced to train and fight for their lives for the sheer entertainment of others.
Some concerned people had made attempts to stop these games, but had failed, as the people continued to gather to enjoy this bloody sports.
However, a monk named, Telemachus became so disturbed that he felt something practical had to be done to stop it.
On one of the days of the gladiator fights, he went to the coliseum and sat among the audience. His heart filled with compassion as he saw the gladiators come forth, stood before the Emperor, and say, ‘We who are about to die salute you.’
Telemachus rose from his seat and ran down onto the arena floor just as the two men faced each other and drew their swords to begin fighting. It was expected that one of them would be dead within minutes. Holding high a cross in his hands, the monk threw himself between the two gladiators and cried, “In the name of Christ, stop fighting!”
At first, the crowd thought it was part of the entertainment, and so they were amused. But when they saw that the monk had stopped the two men from fighting and the two gladiators had put away their swords, the crowds went wild with anger. They were enraged that Telemachus had robbed them of their bloody entertainment. Some of them ran into the arena and grabbed the poor monk and began beating him and stoning him and didn’t stop until he had died.
As the battered body of the monk, lay lifeless in the arena, it finally brought an end to the bloody gladiator games in Rome. His death seemed to open the eyes of the people to their own cruelty and wickedness. Following the martyrdom of Telemachus, the Roman Emperor, Honorius, issued a historic ban on gladiatorial fights and they were never held again in Rome.
In the attempt to save the lives of the gladiators, Telemachus ended up paying with his own life.
We may find it hard to believe that people of ancient Rome could have exhibited such level of cruelty, but the truth is that even today, the hearts of men remain desperately wicked.
While we may not have public sports where people are entertained by seeing others die and shed their blood, we still have among us, men who enjoy seeing the pain and suffering of others.
These are people who derive their joy from seeing others stumble and fall. Speaking about such people, Proverbs 4:16 says ‘For they sleep not, except they have done mischief; and their sleep is taken away, unless they cause some to fall. For they eat the bread of wickedness, and drink the wine of violence.’
Today, in our society, politics, communities and nations we can easily see the works of the wicked as they perpetrate injustice, cheating, violence, witchcraft etc.
And Revelations 12:12 makes us to understand that the wicked will do more wickedly still.
However, Christ has not left us alone in this world to suffer the oppressions of the wicked, rather He has equipped us with weapons of warfare to overcome them. Chief among these weapons is the Blood of Jesus.
By the power in the Blood we are able to overcome the wicked and their evil works and keep marching forward in life.
Especially as we come into this new month of March, nothing is permitted to hinder our progress.
By the Blood of Jesus we shall triumph continually in all our endeavors.
Through the power in the Blood we are guaranteed the victory over every oppressor.
It was by the blood that the Israelites broke free from the oppression of Pharaoh.
Therefore in this new month as we invoke the Blood of Jesus, surely the wickedness of the wicked must come to an end in our lives. Indeed because of the price Jesus paid at Calvary, affliction is not permitted to arise a second time in our lives.
It is our season of stepping into greater open doors.
Because we are born of God, we are destined to always overcome the world and triumph over the wickedness therein.
Let us march into this new month with great expectations because God is about to do great things.
He is set to amaze us with His wonders.
in our lives, families, communities and nation, we are about to see the end of the era of the wicked. Surely, it is our time to arise and shine for our light has come and the glory of the Lord is risen upon us.
PRAYER: Lord, I thank You for bringing me into this glorious new month. By the power in the Blood of Jesus, I shall keep marching forward and triumph always in Jesus Name
QUOTE;
There is more to you than meets the eyes. Don’t let anyone convince you otherwise. – WORDBITE 222.
Shalom!
@GOODHEART- EKWUEME .
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