This sermon can be listened to online by visiting:
http://www.cayafellowship.com/2007/07/15/persecution-are-my-hands-clean/
Persecution – Are my hands clean?
What comes to your mind when you think of persecution? What are some of the thoughts and images? What are some of the actions and deeds?
Our history
African Americans in this country are very familiar with the concept of persecution. There’s no need to insult anyone’s intelligence. We are all familiar with the story of how our ancestors were taken captive, in many cases by their own people, and sold into slavery. We know the story of how they were chained and forced to make the most devastating journey through the pits of hell as they traveled the Atlantic Ocean. This is why we can relate historically to the experience of the Israelites.
Exodus: The Israelites Oppressed
1 These are the names of the sons of Israel who went to Egypt with Jacob, each with his family: 2 Reuben, Simeon, Levi and Judah; 3 Issachar, Zebulun and Benjamin; 4 Dan and Naphtali; Gad and Asher. 5 The descendants of Jacob numbered seventy [a] in all; Joseph was already in Egypt.
6 Now Joseph and all his brothers and all that generation died, 7 but the Israelites were fruitful and multiplied greatly and became exceedingly numerous, so that the land was filled with them
8 Then a new king, who did not know about Joseph, came to power in Egypt.
9 "Look," he said to his people, "the Israelites have become much too numerous for us. 10 Come, we must deal shrewdly with them or they will become even more numerous and, if war breaks out, will join our enemies, fight against us and leave the country."
11 So they put slave masters over them to oppress them with forced labor, and they built Pithom and Rameses as store cities for Pharaoh. 12 But the more they were oppressed, the more they multiplied and spread; so the Egyptians came to dread the Israelites 13 and worked them ruthlessly. 14 They made their lives bitter with hard labor in brick and mortar and with all kinds of work in the fields; in all their hard labor the Egyptians used them ruthlessly.
15 The king of Egypt said to the Hebrew midwives, whose names were Shiphrah and Puah, 16 "When you help the Hebrew women in childbirth and observe them on the delivery stool, if it is a boy, kill him; but if it is a girl, let her live." 17 The midwives, however, feared God and did not do what the king of Egypt had told them to do; they let the boys live. 18 Then the king of Egypt summoned the midwives and asked them, "Why have you done this? Why have you let the boys live?"
19 The midwives answered Pharaoh, "Hebrew women are not like Egyptian women; they are vigorous and give birth before the midwives arrive."
20 So God was kind to the midwives and the people increased and became even more numerous. 21 And because the midwives feared God, he gave them families of their own.
22 Then Pharaoh gave this order to all his people: "Every boy that is born [b] you must throw into the Nile, but let every girl live."
Our hands are not clean when we forget!
8 Then a new king, who did not know about Joseph, came to power in Egypt. 9 "Look," he said to his people, "the Israelites have become much too numerous for us. 10 Come, we must deal shrewdly with them or they will become even more numerous and, if war breaks out, will join our enemies, fight against us and leave the country."
Joseph had interpreted the pharaoh’s dream and had risen to the office of governor of Egypt. 41 So Pharaoh said to Joseph, "I hereby put you in charge of the whole land of Egypt." 42 Then Pharaoh took his signet ring from his finger and put it on Joseph’s finger. He dressed him in robes of fine linen and put a gold chain around his neck. 43 He had him ride in a chariot as his second-in-command, [c] and men shouted before him, "Make way [d] !" Thus he put him in charge of the whole land of Egypt. Gen 41
Joseph bought the land and expanded the Egyptian empire. Gen 47:20; saved many thousands of lives by providing seeds to grow crops.
Joseph had become such a presence in Egypt that when he asked Pharaoh to return and bury his father, “7All Pharaoh’s officials accompanied him—the dignitaries of his court and all the dignitaries of Egypt- 8 besides all the members of Joseph’s household and his brothers and those belonging to his father’s household. Only their children and their flocks and herds were left in Goshen. 9 Chariots and horsemen [a] also went up with him. It was a very large company.” (Gen 50)
But he was forgotten, and now a new pharaoh is in charge. The Egyptians were great historians, recording the stories of the ancient in their hieroglyphics, but nonetheless the story – the name of Joseph was forgotten.
When we forget there is Mocking: Then Herod, with his men of war, treated Him with contempt and mocked Him, arrayed Him in a gorgeous robe, and sent Him back to Pilate. (Luke 23:11)
Insults: Because zeal for Your house has eaten me up, and the reproaches of those who reproach You have fallen on me. (Psalm 69:9) (forgot they were praising Him a week earlier)
FOR LATER:
let’s not let the story of who we are right now be forgotten!
Let’’s not let these principles that we are setting in place be forgotten
Let’s not let these lessons about the Beatitudes be forgotten
Lets’ not let the purpose we are setting in place be forgotten
Our hands aren’t clean when we fear
9 "Look," he said to his people, "the Israelites have become much too numerous for us. 10 Come, we must deal shrewdly with them or they will become even more numerous and, if war breaks out, will join our enemies, fight against us and leave the country."
The Egyptians fear the Israelites because their numbers are growing beyond reason.
Why are the numbers growing?
Is it because of anything special about the Israelites? Maybe (they are doing their part …)
But it’s because of a promise made many years before—by God! They are growing because of God’s power and blessing.
The Egyptians are fearful because of what God is doing in their life!
I don’t want to talk about how others may fear us because of what God is doing in our life. Hat may be something we have heard before. My question is whether or not we fear others because of what God is doing in their lives…
What do we fear? From Martin Luther King Junior
Question: I am a Negro, but I don’t like Jews. What can I do to overcome this feeling?
It is very unfortunate that you dislike Jews. This is a problem which you need to solve immediately, because it is no different from the attitude that many Whites have concerning the whole Negro race. In order to deal with this problem, you must get to the roots of your dislike for the Jews. Most hate is rooted in fear, suspicion, ignorance and pride. You must be sure that all of these factors are removed from your personality where the Jews are concerned. The word prejudice means literally to prejudge, that is, to pass judgment before you have all the facts. You have probably prejudged the Jewish community and distorted ideas that you have heard circulated concerning Jews. You can only remove this by knowing the truth and realizing that no one shortcoming can characterize a whole race. I would suggest that you seek real personal fellowship with Jews and you will discover that some of the finest persons in our nation are members of the Jewish community. Through this type of personal fellowship, you will come to know them and love them and thereby transcend...bigotry. Men hate each other because they fear each other; they fear each other because they don’t know each other; they don’t know each other because they are so often separated from each other.
Really tough …
Do we think that because of what has been done to us that we have the right to do it back?
I was talking with my daughter last week about how she cannot just go up to someone and push them because she sees someone else do it.
When we fear we are jealous
When we fear we make hypothesis about an incorrect future
When we fear there are Intimidation and threats: So when they had further threatened them, they let them go, finding no way of punishing them, because of the people, since they all glorified God for what had been done. . . . "Now, Lord, look on their threats, and grant to Your servants that with all boldness they may speak Your Word." (Acts 4:21, 29)
When we fear there is Slander: I know your works, tribulation, and poverty (but you are rich); and I know the blasphemy of those who say they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan. (Revelation 2:9)
Ostracism: His parents said these things because they feared the Jews, for the Jews had agreed already that if anyone confessed that He was Christ, he would be put out of the synagogue. (John 9:22)
When we fear there is Ostracism: His parents said these things because they feared the Jews, for the Jews had agreed already that if anyone confessed that He was Christ, he would be put out of the synagogue. (John 9:22)
Our hands aren’t clean when we force
11 So they put slave masters over them to oppress them with forced labor, and they built Pithom and Rameses as store cities for Pharaoh. 12 But the more they were oppressed, the more they multiplied and spread; so the Egyptians came to dread the Israelites 13 and worked them ruthlessly. 14 They made their lives bitter with hard labor in brick and mortar and with all kinds of work in the fields; in all their hard labor the Egyptians used them ruthlessly
So Pharaoh then lifts his power and declares that the Israelites will be forced into slavery. He forces them to do something that will further his own gain. He forces them to do the dirt work, without any compensation. He forces them to break themselves so that he can be sustained. He forces them to something they wouldn’t even choose to do.
So maybe we won’t take and force someone into slavery, but maybe …
Maybe we try to coerce people into doing things that will bring us person gain
Maybe we try to make things more difficult than they ought to be for someone
Maybe we try to get others to do stuff we don’t want to do
Maybe we try to force people into living a “more holy” Christian life at a pace we want them to
Maybe we try to rob children of their childhood by forcing them to be the Christians we think they should be
Maybe we try to steal from people there right to learn and take time to get to know God by forcing them to jump through spiritual church loops
When we force others there is Imprisonment: For Herod himself had sent and laid hold of John, and bound him in prison for the sake of Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife; for he had married her. (Mark 6:17)
- Imprisonment is being held captive right where you are – I don’t make imperatives too often, but I DON’T ever want people to ever feel captive at CAYA.
When we force others there is Exile: I, John, both your brother and companion in the tribulation, and in the kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ, was on the island that is called Patmos for the word of God and for the testimony of Jesus Christ. (Revelation 1:9)
Exile is a form of punishment. It means to be away from one’s home (i.e. city, state or country) while either being explicitly refused permission to return and/or being threatened by prison or death upon return.
All this talk of “coming as you are” and inviting, and loving, etc. is making this place pretty revolutionary.
…
Let’s not cause fatalities
Jesus Christ. (Revelation 1:9)
15 The king of Egypt said to the Hebrew midwives, whose names were Shiphrah and Puah, 16 "When you help the Hebrew women in childbirth and observe them on the delivery stool, if it is a boy, kill him; but if it is a girl, let her live." 17 The midwives, however, feared God and did not do what the king of Egypt had told them to do; they let the boys live. 18 Then the king of Egypt summoned the midwives and asked them, "Why have you done this? Why have you let the boys live?"
19 The midwives answered Pharaoh, "Hebrew women are not like Egyptian women; they are vigorous and give birth before the midwives arrive."
20 So God was kind to the midwives and the people increased and became even more numerous. 21 And because the midwives feared God, he gave them families of their own.
22 Then Pharaoh gave this order to all his people: "Every boy that is born [b] you must throw into the Nile, but let every girl live."
And finally, death. God’s Word records so many of these that it would be futile to list them. From righteous Abel in Genesis to the prophetic record of Revelation, Satan has hounded the righteous even to death in his frenetic, insane attempts to destroy God’s purpose and plan and overcome Jesus Christ.
