“Of Whom the World was not Worthy”

The following verses describe what some of the faithful

Old Testament believers suffered:

“They were stoned, they were sawn asunder, were tempted, were slain with the sword: they wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins; being destitute, afflicted, tormented; (Of whom the world was not worthy:) they wandered in deserts, and in mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth.”

Hebrews 11:37-38

Today, I’d like for us to look at the lives of some people in more recent times,

“of whom the world was not worthy”:

Michael Sattler

1490 –1527

Michael Stattler was a monk who left a Roman Catholic monastery to follow Jesus Christ. He later separated from the Protestants when they departed from God’s Word in the early 1500’s. He then became an Anabaptist. The Roman Catholics eventually caught up with him, cut out part of his tongue and tore his body with tongs. None of this stopped him from audibly praying for his guards and even the judges who had ordered him to be abused in this manner. As they slowly burned him to death he prayed and sang praises to God. His wife was later drowned in what the authorities of that day liked to call "death by baptism." At his trial, Brother Michael made his defense as follows:

“If they prove to us with the Holy Scriptures, that we err and are in the wrong, we will gladly desist and recant and also willingly suffer the sentence and punishment for that of which we have been accused, but if no error is proven to us, I hope to God, that you will be converted, and receive instruction.”

John Corbly

1733-1803

On Sunday, May 10 1782, Baptist Pastor Corbly was walking to a meeting house where he was to preach when his family was attacked by Indians who brutally murdered his wife and three of his children. Two of his daughters were scalped alive. One of these later died of her wounds, while the other survived. Brother Corbly descended into despair for a time, but later went on to serve God faithfully as he had before. He is credited with establishing over 30 Baptist churches throughout Pennsylvania and West Virginia.

Evan Jones

1788–1872

Evan Jones spent fifty years as a Baptist missionary to the Cherokees. He lived among them, taught them, and preached to them. He translated the Bible into Cherokee. Evan and his son John are said to have led more American Indians to Christ than any other missionaries. Missionary Jones accompanied the Indians in what later became known as the infamous “Trail of Tears”. Thousands of Indians (men, women, and children) died during this brutal forced march. Many of them are with the Lord today, having been led to Christ by Evan Jones along the way. Jones faced eviction from his mission station on two occasions because he stood up for the Cherokees against the unjust policies of the United States government. He faced many hardships during his life. He was accused and exonerated of murder. He lost his wife, Elizabeth, and four of his children.

“For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world; Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ; Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.”

Titus 2:11-14