Sermon Illustrations

PASTOR FLORESCU, JESUS FREAK

The Communist torturers came towards Pastor Florescu again, this time with red-hot iron pokers. "Who else believes as you do? Give us their names." Florescu would not speak. They had already cut him again and again with knives and beaten him very badly.

When he refused to cooperate, he was returned to his cell. Starving rats were then driven into his cell through a large pipe. He could not sleep, having to defend himself at all times. If he rested for a moment, the rats would attack him. Still he remained silent.

In the end they brought his 14-year-old son and began to whip the boy in front of his father, saying they would beat him until the pastor told them what they wanted to know. The poor man was half-crazy. He bore it as long as he could. But when he could stand it no more, he cried out to his son, "Alexander, I must say what they want! I can’t bear your beatings anymore!"

His son answered, "Father, don’t do me the injustice of having a traitor as a parent. WITHSTAND! If they kill me, I will die with the words, ’Jesus and my fatherland’"

The Communists became enraged and killed the young man for his unswerving faith in Jesus Christ!

(From Jesus Freaks, pp. 268-269. From a sermon by Ed Taylor "Suffering" 1/29/2009)

Related Sermon Illustrations

Related Sermons