I will tell you about an area to which I have never been. (You know I'm not a world traveler. I think driving to Birmingham is a major road trip.) But in the nation know as Turkey today there is an area once known as Cappadocia. It is a plateau area surrounded on the North, South and East by mountains and rivers. These natural barriers form a type of protection for the region and made this area a safe haven for those who wanted to escape persecution of various rulers or kingdoms or to simply disappear from the mainstream civilization.
It's earliest mention is from the 6th century BC. In Acts chapter two it is mentioned as part of the group hearing the gospel in their own language on the day of Pentecost.
A unique feature of this region is the rock-like substance formed by volcanic ash, lava and basalt deposits which can be easily carved, shaped and utilized as homes, structures etc. into the sides of the mountains.
It was to these carved out, caves-like "hide-outs" which the outcast, rebels, and almost 1700 years ago, even a group of Christians, retreated to in order to live out their beliefs in God without persecution.
As I read and studied about these events for a recent Bible study that we are doing at Heritage church a thought came to me that has troubled me. Should those Christians have been there in the caves of Cappadocia? Naturally, our first instincts are to save ourselves and our families. It is a common response. It is an expected response. But consider this with me, if you will. Is our job as Christians to be normal and to do the expected? Were we saved and changed to be like Christ so we can hide out in safe places? As much as I admire these people for wanting to move to a place where their families can be safe and they can worship God as they desire, so they can live like Jesus. I wonder is that what Jesus did?
The Jesus I have been taught about since Mrs. Irene Lee and Mrs. Novis Tate and my own Mom taught me, in a back room of that little block church in Calera, was a man who did not run from adversity. Instead, He walked head on into it. He could have safely gone to places like Cappadocia and taught His disciples and sent them out and His life on earth may have lasted much longer than a short thirty-three years. But He didn't. Is that what Jesus would want? Were we not called to tell the story? Were we not call to spread the gospel? Were we not called to live the Christian life in front of the lost so that they can "see our good works and glorify the Father which is in Heaven"?
Should these people have been hiding in the caves or should they have been carrying their crosses?
But wait. Before we go and criticize these early Christians lets look at our situations. Where are we hiding? You and I attend our churches on Sunday morning, Sunday night and Wednesday nights. We gather together with others of like faith and sing and pray and worship our God. In our minds this is the correct and proper thing to do. We are not threatened here. We are safe and free to "do God's will". But is this God's will?
Were we not called to "go" and not "stay". Were we not told that if our gospel is "hid" it is hid to them that are lost?
Christians, I believe in our day and time we have resorted to our caves. Oh, we don't call them that. We call them churches, small groups, worship centers but are they not the places where we go to hid? I am free to pray here, sing here, worship and read the word here but if that is the only place where I do these things I have become a "hideaway Christian". His gospel, His good news must be shared with those who are lost, even if you and I are "persecuted" for it.
I hide in other ways. Instead of being up-front, instead of being open, instead of being vocal about my belief and my faith in Jesus as the Son of God and Savior of the world I just kind of let things go on by and "hide out" but not participating in them or resisting them.
Where are the Christians who will stand for what is right and fight against what is wrong in spite of ridicule or persecution?
Now I doubt that you have undergone very much persecution for your religious beliefs lately. I recall the words of my high school football coach Richard Gilliam. We were talking once about sharing our Christian faith with others. Coach Gilliam said, "If no one is shooting at you, you must not be flying your flag high enough. If you run your flag high enough, someone will shoot at it".
Our day of persecution will come. It may come, I dare say sooner than any of us think. And when it does, what will we do? Will we run and hide or will we run up our flag and stand for right even though it means we suffer for it?
Let's live our lives in the open. Let's choose the cross and not the caves.
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