Opposition To The Lord Series

Introduction

When Kashvi was visiting her Hindu sister-in-law in the hospital, sharing the gospel and praying with her, another person in the hospital heard her and called the police.

Kashvi was arrested under state anti-conversion laws and spent three days in jail.

While in jail, she said, she had no fear or worry.

She was able to minister to a girl who had been in prison for two years.

Many of the Hindu prisoners and some of the police officials also asked her to pray for them. She could share the gospel with the police superintendent, who had asked her to pray for him after noticing her character and honesty.

Since being released, Kashvi has continued her outreach to women in the jail and their children.

Kashvi faces harassment and imprisonment for her faith in Jesus Christ (see https://www.persecution.com/stories/jail-time-provides-fruitful-ministry/).

I wish this situation were an isolated incident.

It is not.

On their website, Open Doors USA reports that 365 million Christians around the world suffer high levels of persecution and discrimination for their faith.

This past year, 295,120 Christians were forced to leave their homes, go into hiding in-country, or leave the country.

Furthermore, 4,998 Christians were murdered for their faith in Jesus Christ this past year (see https://www.opendoorsus.org/en-US/).

This persecution of Christians is not a modern phenomenon.

Christians have been persecuted for their faith in Jesus Christ ever since the first persecution against the church in Jerusalem, recorded in Acts 8:1.

If anything, persecution against Christians may have gotten worse.

Persecution against Christians has undoubtedly become more widespread, as there are 50 countries in the world where Christians are persecuted for their faith in Jesus Christ.

What does the word of God teach us about what happens to those who oppose the Lord and his people?

The Bible teaches us that God does not always punish in this life those who oppose him.

However, we can be sure that justice will be served to those who oppose the Lord and his people in the next life.

Today, I want to examine a story about God's treatment of a man who opposed him and his Son, Jesus Christ.

This story is intended to be a picture of what happens to those who oppose the Lord and his people.

Although opposition to the Lord will certainly be dealt with after death, today’s lesson teaches us how God sometimes deals with those who oppose him in this life.

Scripture

Let us read Acts 12:1-25:

1 About that time Herod the king laid violent hands on some who belonged to the church. 2 He killed James the brother of John with the sword, 3 and when he saw that it pleased the Jews, he proceeded to arrest Peter also. This was during the days of Unleavened Bread. 4 And when he had seized him, he put him in prison, delivering him over to four squads of soldiers to guard him, intending after the Passover to bring him out to the people. 5 So Peter was kept in prison, but earnest prayer for him was made to God by the church.

6 Now when Herod was about to bring him out, on that very night, Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains, and sentries before the door were guarding the prison. 7 And behold, an angel of the Lord stood next to him, and a light shone in the cell. He struck Peter on the side and woke him, saying, “Get up quickly.” And the chains fell off his hands. 8 And the angel said to him, “Dress yourself and put on your sandals.” And he did so. And he said to him, “Wrap your cloak around you and follow me.” 9 And he went out and followed him. He did not know that what was being done by the angel was real, but thought he was seeing a vision. 10 When they had passed the first and the second guard, they came to the iron gate leading into the city. It opened for them of its own accord, and they went out and went along one street, and immediately the angel left him. 11 When Peter came to himself, he said, “Now I am sure that the Lord has sent his angel and rescued me from the hand of Herod and from all that the Jewish people were expecting.”

12 When he realized this, he went to the house of Mary, the mother of John whose other name was Mark, where many were gathered together and were praying. 13 And when he knocked at the door of the gateway, a servant girl named Rhoda came to answer. 14 Recognizing Peter’s voice, in her joy she did not open the gate but ran in and reported that Peter was standing at the gate. 15 They said to her, “You are out of your mind.” But she kept insisting that it was so, and they kept saying, “It is his angel!” 16 But Peter continued knocking, and when they opened, they saw him and were amazed. 17 But motioning to them with his hand to be silent, he described to them how the Lord had brought him out of the prison. And he said, “Tell these things to James and to the brothers.” Then he departed and went to another place.