On Dec. 5, 2013, American teacher Ronnie Smith was shot to death while jogging near his home in Benghazi, Libya. Smith had been a Chemistry teacher at an international school in Benghazi for the last year and a half. Prior to that he had served on the ministry staff at Austin Stone Community Church in Texas.
ASCC provides helpful guidance and resources for their congregation, and for the wider public, in the aftermath of this tragedy. If you want to get a feel for Ronnie's passion for Christ and the gospel, watch his sermon, "The History of Redemption" (see video below), which is made up entirely of memorized Scripture. He tells the story of the whole Bible, and he tells it well.
Ronnie's widow, Anita Smith, has spoken out in a CBS interview in a most thoughtful, gracious, kind, Christ-honoring way. Especially noteworthy is her open letter to the Libyan people, along with her specific remarks to the killers of her husband. See also her remarkable interview with CNN's Anderson Cooper. Note also this collection of news reports.
"For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord" (Romans 8:38-39, ESV).
Jesus said, "In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world" (John 16:33).
Sermon - The History of Redemption from The Austin Stone on Vimeo.
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