A Martyr's Faith in a Faithless World

Let's be honest - no one really wants to die a martyr's death.  But Pastor Bryan Wolfmueller loves to talk about Christian martyrs.  Telling about the death of a martyr seems to excite him.  I was afraid his new book would be titled Wolfmueller's Book of Martyrs.  It's not. 


The first chapter of A Martyr's Faith in a Faithless World is called Christians Need Heroes.  Going forward with that theme, Pastor Wolfmueller begins each of the book's five sections with a brief account of a famous Christian martyr.  He then teaches about faith by explaining an aspect of The Parable of the Sower.  

In section one, Pastor Wolfmueller introduces the parable.  In the next three sections, corresponding to the first three seeds, he handles the dangers to the Christian faith.  The final section tells of the seed that falls on the good ground and the hope of the harvest.  

And in teaching the parable, Pastor Wolfmueller manages to include many Biblical accounts and probably every aspect of the Christian faith, including Adam and Eve, Job, Christian vocation, sin, lust, money, and more.  

When I read a book like this, I always ask myself, "What do I take with me?  What impacted me?"

But this book is profuse with truth, with each chapter containing  teachings that I could study and meditate on for hours and days.  I especially appreciate the extensive quotations from the Bible, from Luther's Works, and from the Lutheran Confessions.

So, I've chosen one quote from each section to share, and it wasn't easy to choose just one.

1.  ...the death of Jesus is the most significant event in the history of the world, and it is the most significant event in the history of your life (and in your death).  The cross of Jesus is the most important thing to know, to believe, and to understand.  (Page 26)

For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified.  1 Corinthians 2:2

2. The devil can twist everything you do and say and use it against you.  Everything but prayer.  (Page 85)

...praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. Ephesians 6:18a

3.  We know that there are things that the Lord wants to give us - things such as endurance and character - and the only way to get them is in the school of suffering.  (Page 132-133)

Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope.  Romans 5:3-4

4.  If you had leprosy on your hand and broke your finger, you wouldn't know.  In a similar way, we are so profoundly sinful we don't even know it or feel it.  We must be told in the Scriptures.  (Page 144)

All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness.  2 Timothy 3:16

5.  There is no secret to spiritual warfare.  There is no fast track to Christian maturity.  We finish where we start:  the kindness of God promised to us in the humble preached Word.  (Page 188)

Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.       Psalm 119:105

Thanks, Pastor Wolfmueller.