The Roman Emperor Who Couldn't Stop the Church

I’ll be honest: when I was in history class, I usually thought the most important question was, "Is this going to be on the test?" But as I got older, I realized history isn't just about memorizing dates and names; it’s about understanding people. And one story from the fourth century shows us something powerful about the impact of a life lived differently.

In the fourth century, the Roman emperor Julian - often called Julian the Apostate because he abandoned the Christian faith and attempted to restore paganism as the religion of the Roman Empire - set out to reverse the growing influence of Christianity. Yet despite his efforts, he became frustrated by the church's continued growth. In one of his letters to a pagan priest, Julian complained that Christians "support not only their own poor, but ours as well."

Julian realized that while pagan temples struggled to inspire generosity, Christians were caring for widows, orphans, the sick, and anyone else in need, regardless of whether they shared their faith. Ironically, one of Christianity's greatest critics became an unwitting witness to its power. The way believers loved and served one another gave credibility to the gospel they proclaimed.

This Sunday, we'll continue our study of 1st Thessalonians and we'll examine the ways that Paul lived among the Thessalonians gave credibility to the gospel he proclaimed.  My prayer is that our lives and our love for one another will do the same today!

I can’t wait to worship with you this Sunday!