It was December 30, 2002. Kathy Gariety, Bill Koehn and Martha Myers--International Mission Board workers in Yemen--were holding their Monday-morning meeting at the Jibla Baptist Hospital. A man burst into their small meeting room and shot them each in the head, killing all three. He was trying to take their lives, and believed he was successful. What he didn’t realize, though, is that he couldn’t take their lives. They had given them years ago to their Lord and to the people of Yemen.

In this edition of the Task, you’ve learned about Chad Tilley, Dayna Curry and Heather Mercer. They’re three more believers, like Gariety, Koehn and Myers, who daily give up their lives so people can hear the Good News.

Their stories bring up a few questions: Why do people like Chad go to dangerous places and risk their lives to share Jesus’ love, especially when there are so many people in seemingly safe places where people don’t know Jesus? Is it right for individuals like Dayna and Heather to share the gospel in a place like Afghanistan, where Taliban rule forbade it?

Talk about the above questions with your group, and then take a look at what the Bible says.

The book of Acts records the history of the early church and the first apostles, who were facing issues like many believers face today. Though some people heard and believed their message, others were hostile. The Jewish leaders forbade them from speaking the good news, and they lived in constant danger.

Acts 3 tells of Peter and John proclaiming the gospel and healing a crippled beggar. Their message and miracles stirred up quite a commotion in Israel as they performed miracles in Jesus' name among the very people who had called for His crucifixion. Then the Sanhedrin, the ruling body of Israel, called Peter and John to stand before them.

Read Acts 4:1-20 with your group. Then take a closer look at these verses:

Verse 6
Peter and John stand before the rulers, elders and teachers of the law--including the high priest. The men interrogating Peter and John are the same who had fought for Jesus’ crucifixion.

Verses 8-12
Still, Peter and John speak boldly (See verses 8-12).

Verse 13
Take a close look at this verse. We learn a few things. First, we learn that the rulers recognize Peter and John’s courage. As Peter and John stand in front of men who have the power to have them killed, they speak the truth boldly--even taking the opportunity to share the good news (verse 12). Then we learn that Peter and John really are just normal people--“unschooled, ordinary men,” to be exact. Compared with the men they’re facing, Peter and John have no earthly authority.

Verses 18-20
The rulers decide they really can’t punish Peter and John because so many people support them, so they order them not to speak in Jesus’ name anymore.

These “ordinary men” respond boldly: “Judge for yourselves whether it is right in God’s sight to obey you rather than God. For we cannot help speaking about what we have seen and heard.”

Then, in Acts 5, the whole scenario is repeated again after Peter and the other apostles continue healing people in Jesus’ name. Read (or summarize for your group) Acts 5:17-41.

In verse 29, after Peter and the other apostles spent part of a night in jail and then were released by an angel, their response to the high priest’s reprimand is: “We must obey God rather than men!”

Peter’s response leaves no room for people to question: When God’s law and man’s conflict, God is the chief authority for believers. And, once again, Peter takes the opportunity to tell about the forgiveness God offers through Christ.

Discussion questions for your group:
Why did Peter and John proclaim their message so boldly? (For help, go to Acts 4:13--They had been with Jesus.)

Today’s believers haven’t physically been face-to-face with Jesus, but we do encounter Him in many ways. Share about a time when you’ve “been with Jesus.” How did that encounter change you?

Two questions were asked at the beginning of the study: Why do people risk their lives to share Jesus’ love? Is it right to share the gospel in places where the rulers forbid it?

After reading about the early church in Acts, how would you answer those questions?

If your group wants further clarification, look at the following individuals who obeyed God’s commands instead of man’s law. Read their stories and talk about the choices they made and the consequences they knew they would face.

Rahab--Joshua 2:1-21
Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego--Daniel 3:1-18
Daniel--Daniel 6:6-10
Stephen--Acts 6:8-7:59

The Bible is full of examples of people who, when faced with a choice, chose to obey God rather than man. And God honored all of their decisions. In some cases--like Rahab’s and Daniel’s--He saved His faithful servants’ lives. In other cases, like Stephen’s, the servant was killed. Still, Acts 7:56 paints a beautiful picture: As Stephen died, Jesus stood to welcome His faithful servant home.

Perhaps on Dec. 30, 2002, Jesus stood to welcome home Kathy, Bill and Martha--the supply manager, business manager and doctor who faithfully shared His love with the people of Yemen. Like Stephen, they were murdered by an individual who didn’t understand Christ’s love. But, like Stephen, they willingly gave their lives to see Christ’s kingdom furthered. Lee Hixon, another Southern Baptist who served at the Jibla hospital, said after their deaths: “If you had asked any of these people, ‘Would you give your life to birth the church?’ they would have replied, ‘Absolutely.’”

Read Romans 8:28-39. It’s a passage that’s familiar to many believers, but, this time, read it like you’re hearing it for the first time and realize the power and love with which God guards His children.

Talk about these questions with your group:
Have you ever been in a situation when you had to choose between following God’s law and man’s instruction? How did you decide which to follow?

After today’s study, how would you react differently next time you’re faced with a similar situation?

More resources for your group’s Bible study:

For more information about the three missionaries who were murdered in Yemen and how God is continuing to work through that situation, go to http://imb.org/yemen.

God is still working in the world like he did in Peter and John’s day. In fact, the church in China looks a lot like the early church. To learn more, go to Tconline.