1ST SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY, SUNDAY OF 3RD JUNE 2018

You are all welcome for today’s service in the Mighty name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Today is Martyr’s day in Uganda. A Martyr is defined as a witness.

To be witness means to testify about what you have heard, seen, knowing and experienced. For one to be an effective witness to Christ Jesus, they must have encountered him personally. Such encounter should manifest in a transformed life.

According to Acts of the Apostles, Stephen became the first Christian Martyr.

“…. then they cried out with a loud voice and stopped their ears and ran upon him with one accord, and cast him out of the city and stoned him and the witnesses laid down their clothes at a young man’s feet, whose name was said. And they stoned Stephen, calling upon God and saying, Lord Jesus receives my Spirit. And he kneeled down and cried with a loud voice, Lord lay not this to their charge and when he had said this he fell asleep.”(Acts 7:54-60).

On 3rd June of every year, it is a day of commemoration of the Uganda Martyrs. More than forty people were killed on the order of Kabaka Mwanga of Buganda between 1885 and 1886. They belonged to the Roman Catholic and protestant denominations. Recently, the Moslems also have come up with claim that their members also were killed for their father about the same time!

As the Ugandan Christian Martyrs are celebrations the key question that we should be asking today is, is Martyrdom worth the name in today’s Christianity? Can modern day Christians die for their faith?

Yes, the Christianity demands faithfulness until death. (Rev. 2:25, 26).

May the Lord help His church to be faithful till death!

Udongo Albert Festus (Rev.Canon)   

Questions for home cell and personal reflection.

Read; acts 6 and 7: Daniel 3and 6.

• What are the characteristics of a strong Christian believer?