1 Peter 4:12-19 

I was preaching at my local church last Sunday, and the passage in the series was 1 Peter 4:12-19 with the title ’Suffering for Christ’. They are very challenging verses. Most of us aren’t suffering for Christ in the West, though maybe more of us will as freedom of speech is steadily eroded. So we cannot take these verses and apply them directly to us. But we can learn from the persecuted church, that’s for sure. So I shared a number of stories of persecution. Here’s one, which this week’s mind-blowing podcast with Nik Ripken touches on (please listen, it’s so good). Watch on YouTube, or Listen here.

Dmitri was a simple uneducated factory worker living in the Soviet Union, and asked his wife if she’d be happy if he read the Bible in the evening with her and their children. She was delighted as she had been waiting for him to step up to the plate! So they did, and then the neighbours heard what was going on, and asked to join in. The group grew to 75 people, and the KGB came and warned him to stop, or else. He just kept going in obedience to the Lord. 

By the way, you can watch the re-enacted film here: 

Then the healthy 40-year-old KGB colonel returned with fifteen thugs, and beat him up in front of the congregation. As they were leaving, an 80-year-old babushka stepped forward and stuck her finger in his chest and said: “You have laid your hands on the man of God, and you will not survive it!” This took place on the Tuesday and that colonel died of a heart attack on the Thursday!

Shortly thereafter, Dmitri was arrested and sent 1,000 miles away to a hardened criminal facility full of 1,500 prisoners for 17 years. As far as he knew, he was the only believer. Every morning he would get up, face the east, raise his hands, and sing songs of praise to God. As he sang, the other prisoners would bang their cups along their cell bars, curse him, and throw their food and human waste at him.

All he had to do to be released was sign a piece of paper recanting his faith in Jesus.  For 17 years he refused to sign, but after they convinced him they had killed his wife and had custody of his sons he agreed to sign the paper the next morning. That night his family sensed something was wrong and started praying for Dmitri. He said the Holy Spirit opened his ears so he could hear his family praying. He knew his wife was still alive, and they were all together! He refused to sign the document the next day. 

Several weeks later, the guards decided to execute him. As they were dragging him out of his cell to his execution, the prisoners stood up, faced the east, raised their hands, and sang “O God Give Me Strength!” The fear of God came upon those guards and they were terrified. They asked Dmitri: “Who are you?” He looked them right in the eyes and said: “I am a son of the living God and His name is Jesus Christ.” He was released shortly afterwards. 

Two years ago, Nik Ripken (who is telling me the story on the podcast, click here to listen) heard he had died. He tracked down Dmitri’s son. He called him to offer condolences. His son said: “Dad’s not dead, he’s beside me!” They had a good chat. The beautiful end to that story is that his son became the chaplain of the prison that held his Dad for 17 years!

Folks, what a mighty God we serve! You can listen to the sermon here