Nero Minded
Recently the kids and I did a study on Nero (Roman emperor from 54 to 68 AD). He was a brutal man and "one of the most evil Roman emperors that ever lived". Our study was gut wrenching as well as sobering. Two things have stayed with me since our study . . .
First, Nero (though remembered mainly for his persecution of Christians) was a man just like you and me. At just 17 years of age, Nero became emperor. How? Well, through some manipulation by his mother! (Family drama, anyone?!) In the beginning of his rule he "showed genuine humility as a young leader. When told that a silver and gold statue would be built in his honor, Nero shyly asked that it not be done. And when it was requested that he sign his first death sentence for a criminal, Nero said with great reservation, 'Would that I had never learned to write.' He was also bothered by the Roman gladiator system in which men were forced to fight to the death." This young leader sounded promising - a humble ruler who revered life! So, what happened?
Sin happened.
You see, Nero was also a man of great indulgence. (The love of money is the root of all kinds of evil. 1 Timothy 6:10) He loved to party - sleeping most of the day and carousing at night. Pursuing this kind of lifestyle, he quickly developed a selfish, cruel, and even paranoid disposition. In fact, out of paranoia he had his mother, wife, half brother, and one of his chief officers (to name a few) killed. (You shall not murder. Exodus 20:13) He eventually became unsatisfied with Rome, and began spending more time indulging his fancies in Greece. (He who loves pleasure will become a poor man. Proverbs 21:17)
In A.D. 64 the city of Rome went up in flames for almost a full week. To many Romans, Nero appeared quite guilty of starting this catastrophic fire. Nero had publicly whined about the layout of Rome. (There was little room for him to build new palaces.) And during the fire Nero is said to have nonchalantly played the lyre while gazing out his window at the smoke and debris. It all seemed too coincidental. However, to keep himself from looking suspicious, Nero set up relief stations for the homeless, and he quickly found a person (or rather people) to blame - a new religious sect growing in Rome, the Christians! After all, they were rumored to be "cannibals" (drinking blood and eating human flesh, i.e. communion). Needless to say, as we already know, many Christians died at the hand of Nero suffering terrible deaths.
As I mentioned early, the life of Nero is quite interesting for the fact that he began his rule (and step into adulthood) with great promise and "humility". Then, sin happened. Anyone of us, when enticed by the world, are mere steps away from living like Nero. Sin is crouching at our door ready to devour and use us for the shame of the Gospel. EVERY day we must denounce sin - big or small.
I love John Piper's assessment on sin:
That is powerful and convicting! Dear believer, do not exchange God for the fleeting pleasures of this world. Those pleasures will NEVER bring the fulfillment and joy your heart craves. Never. In fact, courting sin will only enslave you and turn you (and me) into Nero. We are just a heartbeat away from that kind of brutality.
Praise God for the power of the Gospel. Christ died for sinners! He rescued us from the pit of wrath and destruction!
Another historical fact that penetrated my heart, as we studied the reign of Nero, were the many Christians that hid in catacombs to worship. As I was showing the kids pictures of ancient Roman catacombs my heart was full of sorrow, guilt, and shame. Early Christians, fearing for their lives, gathered to hide and worship in underground burial chambers (catacombs)! These chambers were only about 10 feet wide and 6 feet high, but they extended for miles underground. They were a perfect location for worship and prayer.
So, let's just let that sit on your mind for a minute . . . Christians were gathering around dead bodies, underground, to pray and worship.
The more I allowed my mind and heart to "go there", the more I was filled with a cascade of emotions. Can you imagine worshiping next to a dead body, believing that this may very well be your fate within the next 24 hours? Can you imagine the smells and sights of gathering with your family to worship in a burial ground? And here we are - our fat American chapels of gold - worried if the seats are cushioned enough, the coffee hot enough, or the air cool enough . . . O Lord, what have we done?
BJ recently preached from the book of Revelation. One of the things he brought to light (and even wept over) was the fact that our children (or grandchildren) may very well look us in the eye and say, "Grandpa, you didn't tell me living for Jesus was going to be this hard!" Between that and the imagine of Christians in catacombs, my heart has been pleading for mercy (for my own selfishness and easy Christianity) and begging for wisdom to equip our children to labor hard for the Gospel. There WILL come a day when Christians will be persecuted severely for their faith. The Bible is very clear on the fact that the world hates Christians. (See my previous post, Grace & Peace) Persecution is inevitable, and endurance is the sure mark of a believer.
Heavenly Father, my heart is heavy. I long to live and love like Jesus, yet when faced with trials of every sort, I run and cry for relief. The pain and heartache You have allowed to pass through my life is yet a small drop of affliction compared to my brothers and sisters that have gone before me. Help me to remember the sight and smells of death all around me. Help my heart to remain solely focused on my eternal home as I love and serve. Help me to be more like Jesus. I fail daily and need Your endless, unmeasured grace. Thank you for the HOPE of the Gospel. You alone are good. Holy, Holy, Holy is Your name.
_______________________________
Historical reference: The Mystery of History, Volume 2 (Linda Lacour Hobar)
First, Nero (though remembered mainly for his persecution of Christians) was a man just like you and me. At just 17 years of age, Nero became emperor. How? Well, through some manipulation by his mother! (Family drama, anyone?!) In the beginning of his rule he "showed genuine humility as a young leader. When told that a silver and gold statue would be built in his honor, Nero shyly asked that it not be done. And when it was requested that he sign his first death sentence for a criminal, Nero said with great reservation, 'Would that I had never learned to write.' He was also bothered by the Roman gladiator system in which men were forced to fight to the death." This young leader sounded promising - a humble ruler who revered life! So, what happened?
Sin happened.
You see, Nero was also a man of great indulgence. (The love of money is the root of all kinds of evil. 1 Timothy 6:10) He loved to party - sleeping most of the day and carousing at night. Pursuing this kind of lifestyle, he quickly developed a selfish, cruel, and even paranoid disposition. In fact, out of paranoia he had his mother, wife, half brother, and one of his chief officers (to name a few) killed. (You shall not murder. Exodus 20:13) He eventually became unsatisfied with Rome, and began spending more time indulging his fancies in Greece. (He who loves pleasure will become a poor man. Proverbs 21:17)
In A.D. 64 the city of Rome went up in flames for almost a full week. To many Romans, Nero appeared quite guilty of starting this catastrophic fire. Nero had publicly whined about the layout of Rome. (There was little room for him to build new palaces.) And during the fire Nero is said to have nonchalantly played the lyre while gazing out his window at the smoke and debris. It all seemed too coincidental. However, to keep himself from looking suspicious, Nero set up relief stations for the homeless, and he quickly found a person (or rather people) to blame - a new religious sect growing in Rome, the Christians! After all, they were rumored to be "cannibals" (drinking blood and eating human flesh, i.e. communion). Needless to say, as we already know, many Christians died at the hand of Nero suffering terrible deaths.
As I mentioned early, the life of Nero is quite interesting for the fact that he began his rule (and step into adulthood) with great promise and "humility". Then, sin happened. Anyone of us, when enticed by the world, are mere steps away from living like Nero. Sin is crouching at our door ready to devour and use us for the shame of the Gospel. EVERY day we must denounce sin - big or small.
I love John Piper's assessment on sin:
The human heart hates a vacuum. We never merely leave God because we value him little; we always exchange God for what we value more. My definition of sin is this: any feeling or thought or action that comes from a heart that does not treasure God over all other things. The bottom of sin, the root of all sins, is such a heart—a heart that prefers anything above God; a heart that doesn’t treasure God over everything else, and everyone else. Sin is the deepest, strongest, and most pervasive problem in the human race. In fact, once Paul has made clear the essence or root of sin (Rom. 1–3), he goes on to make clear in the following chapters the magnitude of its power in us. He speaks of sin reigning like a king in death (5:21); holding dominion like a lord (6:14); enslaving like a slavemaster (6:6, 16–17, 20) to whom we’ve been sold (7:14); as a force that produces other sins (7:8); as a power that seizes the law and kills (7:11); as a hostile occupying tenant who dwells in us (7:17, 20); and as a law that takes us captive (7:23).
Praise God for the power of the Gospel. Christ died for sinners! He rescued us from the pit of wrath and destruction!
Another historical fact that penetrated my heart, as we studied the reign of Nero, were the many Christians that hid in catacombs to worship. As I was showing the kids pictures of ancient Roman catacombs my heart was full of sorrow, guilt, and shame. Early Christians, fearing for their lives, gathered to hide and worship in underground burial chambers (catacombs)! These chambers were only about 10 feet wide and 6 feet high, but they extended for miles underground. They were a perfect location for worship and prayer.
So, let's just let that sit on your mind for a minute . . . Christians were gathering around dead bodies, underground, to pray and worship.
The more I allowed my mind and heart to "go there", the more I was filled with a cascade of emotions. Can you imagine worshiping next to a dead body, believing that this may very well be your fate within the next 24 hours? Can you imagine the smells and sights of gathering with your family to worship in a burial ground? And here we are - our fat American chapels of gold - worried if the seats are cushioned enough, the coffee hot enough, or the air cool enough . . . O Lord, what have we done?
BJ recently preached from the book of Revelation. One of the things he brought to light (and even wept over) was the fact that our children (or grandchildren) may very well look us in the eye and say, "Grandpa, you didn't tell me living for Jesus was going to be this hard!" Between that and the imagine of Christians in catacombs, my heart has been pleading for mercy (for my own selfishness and easy Christianity) and begging for wisdom to equip our children to labor hard for the Gospel. There WILL come a day when Christians will be persecuted severely for their faith. The Bible is very clear on the fact that the world hates Christians. (See my previous post, Grace & Peace) Persecution is inevitable, and endurance is the sure mark of a believer.
Heavenly Father, my heart is heavy. I long to live and love like Jesus, yet when faced with trials of every sort, I run and cry for relief. The pain and heartache You have allowed to pass through my life is yet a small drop of affliction compared to my brothers and sisters that have gone before me. Help me to remember the sight and smells of death all around me. Help my heart to remain solely focused on my eternal home as I love and serve. Help me to be more like Jesus. I fail daily and need Your endless, unmeasured grace. Thank you for the HOPE of the Gospel. You alone are good. Holy, Holy, Holy is Your name.
_______________________________
Historical reference: The Mystery of History, Volume 2 (Linda Lacour Hobar)
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