Sunday Means Sermons!

Have you ever had one of those days when you are just so ready for Jesus to come back? Or for you to go be with Him? Today is one of those days when I really know what Paul meant when he said "for me to live is Christ, and to die is gain." To die is gain. That's a huge understatement.

Ok, that was just a sort of by-the-way comment. Here's what I'm really writing about- a sermon! Aren't you excited? (Probably not as excited as I am. Did you listen to any of the other ones? Hmmm. You better get on that.)

Last night, I met a new friend, and I had the opportunity to tell her about the wonderful story of an amazing couple. I had never heard of them until about a year ago, but their story has greatly impacted me.

Richard Wurmbrand was a pastor in Romania when the Communists overtook the country after World War II. The new government made life very difficult for this pastor and his wife, Sabina, and their young son. One day, Richard and Sabina were at a large meeting called for all clergymen, and during the meeting, the Communist officials forced each man to stand on stage one by one to verbally deny the existence of God and declare their loyalties to the government. As pastor after pastor publically denied the Lord, Richard and Sabina sat waiting for him to be called. Sabina turned to Richard and asked him, "Will you wipe the spit off the Lord Jesus' face?" Richard replied that if he refused to give in, then he would be imprisoned or killed. Sabina's reply to her husband? Gently, but firmly, she told him, "I would rather be married to a dead man than to a coward."

With that kind of support from his wife, Richard stood up and gave a great and powerful testimony of His God. He and Sabina were both imprisoned, leaving their 5-year-old son on his own. Richard then endured fourteen years of solitary confinement. Fourteen years. And that was not his only prison term.

What I've told are only the highlights from the beginning of their story. I read about it in Sabina Wurmbrand's book The Pastor's Wife. I would love to read Richard's book called Tortured for Christ, which, as I understand, is a collection of sermons he wrote in his head while in prison. Theirs is an absolutely incredible story of a family that was entirely committed to Christ, of people who knew that nothing in this world is worth more than the glory and the pleasure of our holy God. They lived that, and they have been richly rewarded by our King.

So, here is today's sermon, in which Richard Wurmbrand tells the story what happened between him and his Lord while he was in solitary confinement. It's a short one, compared to most that I listen to, but it stands alone as a treasure.

The Beauty of Nothing, by Richard Wurmbrand.

I've been reading in Hebrews this week, and one phrase in chapter 11 sticks out strongly. In my Bible, this phrase is actually in parentheses, as if it was just an afterthought, but to me, it is breath-taking. Here are the verses leading up to it, Hebrews 11:35-38, speaking of the heroes of the faith:

Others were tortured, not accepting deliverance; that they may obtain a better resurrection:

And others had trial of cruel mockings and scourging, yea, moreover of bonds and imprisonment.

They were stoned, they were sawn asunder, were tempted, were slain with the sword; they wandered in sheepskins and goatskins, being destitute, afflicted, tormented; (of whom the world was not worthy).

Of whom THE WORLD WAS NOT WORTHY.

Oh, the world was surely not worthy of Richard and Sabina Wurmbrand. How about me? You?

Love to you all.