Endure For The Gospel

WHEN IT COMES TO OUR FAITH AND ESPECIALLY MINISTERING IN THE NAME OF JESUS CHRIST, IT STILL CAN MAKE US CRINGE, IF NOT BRISTLE INSIDE, WHEN WE HEAR OTHERS DEMAND THAT WE BE MORE TOLERANT, SENSITIVE, PROGRESSIVE AND INCLUSIVE.

THE WORLD IS NO DIFFERENT TODAY THAN IT HAS BEEN FOR PAST SOCIETIES, GENERATIONS, OR TIME ERAS IN THE HISTORY OF HUMANITY. SOLOMON SAID IT BEST IN ECCLESIASTES 1:9, “WHAT HAS BEEN WILL BE AGAIN, WHAT HAS BEEN DONE WILL BE DONE AGAIN; THERE IS NOTHING NEW UNDER THE SUN.”

THE FACT IS CLEAR: WHEN WE WITNESS AND MINISTER FOR JESUS CHRIST TO OTHERS IN A LOVING, PATIENT, AND ENDURING WAY, IT CAN STILL BE VERY DIFFICULT, CHALLENGING, AND OFFENSIVE TO THOSE WHO DO NOT KNOW JESUS PERSONALLY.

1 CORINTHIANS 1:18 (CEV), “THE MESSAGE ABOUT THE CROSS DOESN'T MAKE ANY SENSE TO LOST PEOPLE. BUT FOR THOSE OF US WHO ARE BEING SAVED, IT IS GOD'S POWER AT WORK.”

SATAN ENGINEERS THIS WORLD TO EXHAUST ISELF TRYING TO PREVENT THE GOSPEL FROM REACHING THE LOST. SATAN DOES NOT WANT THE GOSPEL MESSAGE TO REACH ANYONE. HE WILL STOP AT ANYTHING TO KEEP THE GOOD NEWS FROM SPREADING.

2 CORINTHIANS 4:4, “SATAN, WHO IS THE GOD OF THIS WORLD, HAS BLINDED THE MINDS OF THOSE WHO DON’T BELIEVE. THEY ARE UNABLE TO SEE THE GLORIOUS LIGHT OF THE GOOD NEWS….” 1 PETER 5:8, “STAY ALERT! WATCH OUT FOR YOUR GREAT ENEMY, THE DEVIL. HE PROWLS AROUND LIKE A ROARING LION, LOOKING FOR SOMEONE TO DEVOUR.”

PAUL KNEW FIRST-HAND WHAT SATAN WAS CAPABLE OF DOING AND THE COST HE WOULD NEED TO PAY FOR BEING AN OUTSPOKEN AMBASSIDOR FOR JESUS CHRIST. HE WROTE OF IT IN 1 CORINTHIANS 4:10-13, “WE ARE FOOLS FOR CHRIST…TO THIS VERY HOUR WE GO HUNGRY AND THIRSTY, WE ARE IN RAGS, WE ARE BRUTALLY TREATED, WE ARE HOMELESS….

WHEN WE ARE CURSED, WE BLESS; WHEN WE ARE PERSECUTED, WE ENDURE IT; WHEN WE ARE SLANDERED, WE ANSWER KINDLY. UP TO THIS MOMENT WE HAVE BECOME THE SCUM OF THE EARTH, THE REFUSE OF THE WORLD.”

IT CAN BE DISCOURAGING AND EVEN SCARY AT TIMES WHEN WE SHARE OUR FAITH IN JESUS WITH OTHERS AND THEY NOT ONLY REJECT IT, BUT THREATEN US, LAUGH AT US, OR FILE COMPLAINTS OR CHARGES AGAINST US FOR THE MESSAGE WE BRING TO THEM.

I FIND IT RATHER SHOCKING THAT ANYONE COULD REJECT A GIFT THAT IS SO WONDERFUL AND WHY THEY COULD WALK AWAY WITHOUT ACCEPTING THE GOSPEL THAT PROVIDES HOPE, JOY, LOVE, PEACE, FORGIVENESS, REDEMPTION, AND ETERNAL LIFE.

THE APPREHENSION WE FEEL OF POSSIBLY INVITING RIDICULE, REJECTION AND HOSTILITY CAN TEMPT US INTO BELIEVING THAT THERE’S TOO HIGH OF A RISK AND IT’S NOT WORTH SHARING THE GOSPEL IF WE ARE JUST GOING TO END UP HURT OR INJURED.

THAT REALITY OF SUCH EVIL AGAINST US IS THE VERY REASON WE NEED TO SHARE THE GOSPEL IN THE FIRST PLACE! HELPING THOSE IN DARKNESS TO SEE, UNDERSTAND, AND COME INTO THE LIGHT OF GOD’S LOVE THROUGH HIS SON, JESUS CHRIST IS WHY WE ENDURE THE UGLINESS OF PERSECUTION.

JESUS AFFIRMED THIS IN MARK 2:17, “THOSE WHO ARE WELL HAVE NO NEED OF A PHYSICIAN, BUT THOSE WHO ARE SICK. I CAME NOT TO CALL THE RIGHTEOUS, BUT SINNERS.” WE MUST NOT ALLOW OUR WITNESS TO BECOME SO LIMITED THAT JESUS IS NO LONGER UNDERSTOOD AS “THE WAY” BUT JUST “A WAY” AMONGST ALL OTHER “POSSIBILITES” AND “THEORIES” OF WHAT LIES ON THE OTHER SIDE OF MORTAL LIFE.

I WOULD IMAGINE THE PROPHET, JEREMIAH, PROBABLY FELT THE SAME WAY AND FACED THE SAME ANXIETIES OVER THREE THOUSAND YEARS AGO. THE PEOPLE'S UNDERSTANDING OF GOD AND THEIR REGARD FOR ANY DEITY HAD BECOME SOURED.

HE HAD EXHAUSTED HIMSELF DELIVERING GOD’S MESSAGE TO THE PEOPLE, PLEADING WITH THEM, AND PRAYING FOR THEM, BUT NOTHING SEEMED TO BE DOING ANY GOOD. FROM JEREMIAH’S VIEW, THEIR HEARTS WERE LIKE STONE, HEAVY, HARD AND UNCHANGING.

THERE COMES A POINT WHEN EVEN GOOD PEOPLE BECOME DISCOURAGED ENOUGH TO CONSIDER JUST QUITTING. NOTICE HIS WORDS IN JEREMIAH 20:9: "IF I SAY, 'I WILL NOT MENTION HIM OR SPEAK ANY MORE IN HIS NAME....'" JEREMIAH WAS OPENING HIS HEART TO GOD AND EXPRESSING THE DEPTH OF HIS INNER EMOTIONS. HE WANTED TO QUIT AND NEVER MENTION GOD AGAIN.

HE HAD BECOME WEARIED FROM HAVING OTHERS REJECT THE MESSAGE HE PREACHED. HE WAS EXHAUSTED FROM BEING RIDICULED, INSULTED, AND SNEERED AT. HE FOUND NO JOY IN BECOMING KNOWN AS THE LAUGHINGSTOCK OF THE COMMUNITY.

HE WENT AS FAR AS TO INSINUATE THAT GOD HAD ACTUALLY LURED HIM INTO BECOMING A PROPHET AND BY BEING DECEIVED BY GOD IS WHAT LED HIM TO BEING MOCKED AND RIDICULED. HE HAD GIVEN SO MUCH OF HIMSELF TO FAITHFULLY WARN THE PEOPLE OF THE COMING VIOLENCE AND DESTRUCTION ONLY TO BE REWARDED WITH INSULTS, THREATS, AND RIDICULE.