Yes, the child was born in a barn, the star shone brightly, angels sang and the poor (shepherds) and rich (wisemen) came to worship him, but it took a lot of living before the church was really born. The baby grew up and except when his age was twelve, and he talked with the teachers in the temple, we know nothing about him. However, he grew up to the age of thirty and for three years he walked around the country, speaking to many who followed him and healing those who were sick.

I don’t think the church was even born when he was tortured and died hanging on that cross because many who followed him still yelled, “crucify him” on that horrible day. They didn’t believe that he rose from the dead either, but those twelve men, his mother and a few friends did. Jesus told them to wait in Jerusalem until the promise of God will be confirmed. The Holy Spirit came on the tenth day of their wait. Tongues of fire were on their heads and they spoke in different languages than they knew. People were there from different countries attending the Passover and when they heard their own language being spoken by those few people, they were surprised and 3000 joined those twelve men and their friends. Of course, they each went home and told their story.

The Church was born that day. When that rough fisherman, Peter, preached that first sermon many believed that Jesus had died for all of their sins and rose again to live with his Father, God. But those 12 men could have avoided all the torture and imprisonments they endured if they had just said “No” instead of traveling all over the globe by feet and being tortured for it!  The church grew though and here we are today.

Are we able to take persecution? We didn’t, you know, when the world said prayer and all reference to God should be taken away, even though our country was formed on Christian beliefs. We even followed the world saying,”Happy Holidays” instead of  “Merry Christmas”. Shouldn’t we be stronger than that? Shouldn’t we join together in one large body. Why, we would be larger and stronger than the other side! Our America would be back and I think there are twelve Christian men who would do what those men, so long ago, did. However, each of us could do something if we believe that Jesus died to take our sins away and He rose to be with his Father so that we too can be with the Father.