TRANSCRIPTION 🔗
WEBVTT
00:00:00.160 --> 00:00:03.680
This is the martyrdom of Perpetua Infilistis.
00:00:04.080 --> 00:00:08.400
This is something about courage that doesn't make sense to this world.
00:00:08.640 --> 00:00:15.359
Because most people, when faced with pain, with suffering, with death, run.
00:00:16.079 --> 00:00:18.719
And honestly, it's human.
00:00:19.120 --> 00:00:25.600
But every once in a while, a story surfaces that completely flips the instinct on its head.
00:00:25.839 --> 00:00:27.519
A story where people don't run.
00:00:28.079 --> 00:00:28.879
They stand.
00:00:29.519 --> 00:00:38.159
And not because they're strong, not because they're fearless, but because they believe something greater than their fear is waiting for them on the other side.
00:00:38.399 --> 00:00:41.039
Today's story is one of those stories.
00:00:41.439 --> 00:00:48.320
It's the story of two women from completely different worlds who walked into death with peace.
00:00:48.880 --> 00:00:52.159
Now, the world they lived in at the time was the early third century.
00:00:52.320 --> 00:00:54.640
The Roman Empire is at its peak.
00:00:54.799 --> 00:00:58.880
It's powerful, expansive, unmatched.
00:00:59.359 --> 00:01:01.600
But Rome didn't want just obedience.
00:01:01.759 --> 00:01:03.200
It wanted worship.
00:01:03.520 --> 00:01:07.519
Citizens were expected to offer sacrifices to the Roman gods.
00:01:08.159 --> 00:01:15.920
And more than that, they were expected to acknowledge that Caesar himself carried divine authority.
00:01:16.159 --> 00:01:17.359
Wild, right?
00:01:18.159 --> 00:01:20.319
This wasn't optional either.
00:01:20.640 --> 00:01:22.400
So this was law.
00:01:30.319 --> 00:01:33.680
This is the martyrdom of Perpetua and Felicitas.
00:01:34.640 --> 00:01:38.319
There's something about courage that doesn't make sense in the world.
00:01:38.480 --> 00:01:44.879
But because most people, when faced with pain, with suffering, with death, run.
00:01:45.359 --> 00:01:48.159
And honestly, that's human.
00:01:48.480 --> 00:01:51.920
But every once in a while, a story surfaces.
00:01:52.400 --> 00:01:54.959
It completely flips the instinct on its head.
00:01:55.120 --> 00:01:57.680
A story where people don't run.
00:01:58.079 --> 00:01:58.799
They stand.
00:01:59.439 --> 00:02:05.519
Not because they are fearless, but because they believe something greater than their fear is waiting on the other side.
00:02:05.840 --> 00:02:10.400
Today's story is one of those stories, the story of Perpetua and Felicitas.
00:02:11.599 --> 00:02:14.319
They lived in a world that was early third century.
00:02:14.560 --> 00:02:21.680
The Roman Empire is at its peak, powerful, expansive, unmatched.
00:02:21.919 --> 00:02:26.000
But Rome didn't just want obedience, it wanted worship.
00:02:26.400 --> 00:02:31.599
Citizens were expected to sacrifice to Roman gods and honor the emperor as divine.
00:02:31.919 --> 00:02:33.199
Christians refused.
00:02:33.439 --> 00:02:40.719
Perpetua, she was about 22 years old, educated, from a respective family, a new mother.
00:02:40.960 --> 00:02:43.120
She had everything to lose.
00:02:43.360 --> 00:02:46.960
But when ordered to deny Christ, she refused.
00:02:47.759 --> 00:02:49.360
She was put in prison.
00:02:49.599 --> 00:02:50.960
She was arrested.
00:02:51.360 --> 00:02:53.280
With her was Felicitas.
00:02:54.319 --> 00:02:56.560
Now Felicitas was a lot different.
00:02:56.719 --> 00:03:02.560
She was a slave, a different life, but the same faith.
00:03:02.960 --> 00:03:05.520
They became sisters in Christ at that time.
00:03:06.080 --> 00:03:10.080
Her father, her father came begging for her to recant.
00:03:10.479 --> 00:03:12.080
Think of your child.
00:03:12.479 --> 00:03:14.719
But she said, I am a Christian.
00:03:15.680 --> 00:03:22.719
In prison, she had a vision, a ladder to heaven, a serpent below.
00:03:23.039 --> 00:03:25.680
She stepped over it and climbed.
00:03:26.000 --> 00:03:30.080
At the top, at the top was Christ.
00:03:30.479 --> 00:03:33.199
Now Felicitas, she was pregnant.
00:03:33.439 --> 00:03:36.800
She prayed to give birth before execution, and she did.
00:03:37.199 --> 00:03:44.080
When mocked, though, she said, Now I suffer, but then another will suffer in me.
00:03:45.039 --> 00:03:47.599
Their execution day came and they were in the arena.
00:03:47.759 --> 00:03:54.800
Crowds filled it, they expected fear, but the Christians walked in with peace, and some even sang.
00:03:55.680 --> 00:03:59.120
In their final moments, they were attacked by animals.
00:03:59.360 --> 00:04:01.680
They fell, but stood again.
00:04:02.000 --> 00:04:03.599
Perpetua helped Felicitas.
00:04:04.560 --> 00:04:08.879
Even then, even then, they lifted each other up.
00:04:09.520 --> 00:04:13.840
In the end, they were executed, but their story spread.
00:04:14.080 --> 00:04:18.399
Their faith inspired others, and their story lives on.
00:04:18.959 --> 00:04:23.519
Do not be afraid of those who kill the body, but cannot kill the soul.
00:04:23.839 --> 00:04:25.600
Matthew 10 28.
00:04:26.160 --> 00:04:30.319
What would you stand for if it cost you everything?
00:04:30.879 --> 00:04:32.560
Christ is king.