Should We Hide -- Or Seek?

Happy Sunday. Last week was a tough week. I recorded this sermon on Thursday the 11th of September 2025, the 24th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks. Yesterday in our country, Charlie Kirk was killed.

There was also a school shooting in Colorado. In the news, there's a story that happened just a few days ago from North Carolina of a young Ukrainian woman senselessly killed by a stranger on a train. These stories are just the tip of the iceberg. War in the Ukraine is still raging and Russian drones were shot down over Poland.

I haven't even mentioned the Middle East. There's so much turmoil. Have you had enough yet? I follow a young lady on Facebook.

I've known her for decades. She writes about her struggle with depression and she wrote this morning that she just wants to curl up in the fetal position and hide behind closed doors. Have you ever felt like that? Well, the truth is that as Christians, we need to be out and about in this world doing our heavenly father's business.

You likely know these words from Jesus from his sermon on the mount recorded in Matthew 5. Jesus looked at his followers and he said this. You You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again?

It's no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot. And then Jesus said, "You, you are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl.

Instead, they put it on its stand and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, Jesus said to us, "Let your light shine before others that they may see your good deeds and glorify your father in heaven." The only way for us to be salt and light is for us to be out there. Not behind closed doors, but out there.

I know out there is dangerous. Sometimes we just want to hunker in the bunker. We want to hide. The Apostle Paul was out there in the world preaching about Jesus when it was not popular.

He was imprisoned in Rome for all of all things preaching the truth of Jesus. Listen to what Paul said about his difficulties in Philippians chapter 1:es 12, 13, and 14. About all of his trouble, he said this. Now I want you to know, brothers and sisters, that what has happened to me has actually served to advance the gospel.

As a result, it has become clear throughout the whole palace guard and to everyone else that I am in chains for Christ. And because of my chains, most of the brothers and sisters have become confident in the Lord and dare all the more to proclaim the gospel without fear. Paul proclaimed the gospel without fear. He was encouraged that his suffering caused others to have boldness, to be the salt and the light that they are called to be.

That has been my prayer after the events of last week. I pray not for retaliation but for revival. I do not want people killed. I want people saved.

I do not want to give up. I want to get up and get out and share the good news of Jesus. You may wonder if one man or one woman or you can make a difference. Does the name Telamachus ring a bell?

Telmakus was a monk from Asia Minor. He was born in the latter half of the 3rd century AD. It was around the year 400. Rome was a cesspool of debauchery.

The coliseum in Rome entertained the masses with gladiators killing for sport. Telmakus felt called by God to go to Rome and be salt and light. The emperor at the time was Flavius Hanarius. He was the Roman emperor from 393 to 423.

When Telmakus got to town, there was a festival at the coliseum. Gladiators were fighting to the death. Telmakus entered the coliseum, witnessed the horror, and jumped onto the floor of the arena. He positioned himself, as the story goes, between two fighting men.

By his clothing, the crowd knew that he was a holy man. That didn't matter. History is unclear how Telmachus died that day. Stabbed by a gladiator is one thought.

Stoned by to death by the crowd is another. But it was reported that Telmakus said, "Forbear, forebear, and the name of Christ, forbear." Now we don't use the word forebear much anymore. It means stop, show restraint.

Telmachus died that day. But a strange thing happened after his last breath. History records the crowd fell silent and then the coliseum emptied. In Fox's book of martyrs, it says his death turned the hearts of the people.

History tells us that from that day forward, the coliseum was never again used for that type of event. Emperor Hanorius outlawed gladiatorial combat in 404 AD. Telmakus changed the world. I pray each of us will help change this place one house at a time, one life at a time.

What can you do? Have you prayed for revival? Have you checked your heart? Start there.

Pray with me. Lord, this world needs you. There's news every week, every day of sin in this fallen world. And there are times when we just want to throw our hands up and become hermits in a cave somewhere and hide from what's going on.

But you have other plans. You've told us to be out there, to be salt, to be light. Help us to do just that. Thank you for those that do and protect them.

In the name of Jesus, I pray. Amen. God bless. Thanks for joining me today.