When you endure hardship, you are proclaiming that Christ is all in all, he is my sufficiency. You are not boasting in yourself. Our hope is that, eventually, Christ and the Spirit will deliver us. How can we boast or hold fast? By prayer. We have no external resources, only prayer.
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Can the Chinese church of today, with its message and through its life in action, enact an upward gospel narrative? Can the Chinese church reconstruct hope for the culture? …Can overseas Chinese churches welcome the large number of people being swept up in the Run Tide with open arms?
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Facing the weight of the cross, Jesus was so troubled in spirit that he nearly died. In fear and grief, he turned to God in prayer and sang a cosmic lament as he waited for deliverance. However, just like in this psalm, even death did not bring him deliverance. “Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my salvation.” Death is not the end of history: resurrection is.
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Our obedience and faithful following of Christ is the result of these first two realities. Chinese churches are not praying to “leave Jerusalem”; they are not praying for their suffering to be removed. They see that these things are an integral part of being united with Christ. Suffering is a part of our kingdom identity. It is how the kingdom advances. Yet, we do not seek suffering: we seek Christ.
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Chinese churches believe that, if they are being persecuted, it is the mark of their heavenly citizenship. As a Chinese brother told me only last night: their identity is not that of the persecuted church. Their identity is the church of Christ, and as such they participate in the sufferings of Christ.
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This Christ, who is now reigning on his throne, will come to judge and rule this world. When we take that seriously, we see that his rule and lordship is as real as any earthly kingdom. We already have a king; we don’t need an earthly king. We no longer need a Christendom on earth. Instead, it is only a matter of when that invisible but real kingdom will come to earth and heaven and earth will become one.
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We all face the same challenges, at different levels. This is not something that is happening, but something that is looming and could happen. This is the perfect time for discipleship, for growth, and for learning. Dependence is the perfect time to live out the reality of the early church: which king is the true king? What matters most? What is true life? We definitely do not have the freedom we enjoyed two or three years ago. That time is over. In this new reality, God will do things. I think it’s an even better situation.
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How can church leaders daily and faithfully live in the reality of resurrection and ascension? By prayer; by our walk with Christ; by our dependency. We must be always wondering what the Lord is going to do through us and in us.
Before Stephen died, he saw Jesus standing at the right hand of the Lord as a king figure. Stephen was at that moment on trial before the council of Jerusalem, the highest worldly authority. But meanwhile, there was another reality. This vision of Jesus ascended, reigning, and continuously praying for them was so real. We deeply desire a life that is led by this power to lead the church. Only by this power can we face persecution and be willing to give our life for Christ. We cannot do this for some heroic personal fantasy or desire; we must be as Stephen, humbly serving the Lord. That is something we want to build in these leaders.
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