Jesus, Hope of the Nations
“The Persecuted Church”
Month of Missions - 2003
Various Scripture Texts – © Dr. Larry L. Thompson (2003)
John 15:20 (NIV)
“Remember the words I spoke to you: ’No servant is greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also. If they obeyed my teaching, they will obey yours also.”
Introduction:
Alarming reports are streaming in from all over today’s world -- believers in many countries are being tortured and even killed because of their stand for Jesus.
An attack upon any part of the body is an attack upon every part of the body because it is an attack upon Christ with whom we all identify. There is no Biblical model to endure persecution if one has the ability and power to do something about it. ( Peter, Acts 5; Paul, Acts 16; Acts 25).
Facts of the Persecuted Church
• More than estimated 160,000 believers were martyred in 1996, and countless others were subjected to unimaginable horrors. (David C. Barrett, "Annual Statistical Table on Global Mission." International Bulletin of Missionary Research, Jan. 1997, p. 25)
• There are close to 100 million martyrs in this so-called "modern" 20th century. (World Mission Digest)
• There have been more people martyred for their faith in Jesus Christ in the 20th century than in all the previous nineteen combined. (James and Marti Hefley, By Their Blood)
• More people have died in circumstances related to their faith in this century than in all the 20th century wars combined. (statistical research of the WEF Religious Liberty Commission)
• Pakistan recently passed a blasphemy law that forbids speaking or acting against the prophet Mohammed. The punishment for violators is death. A 12-year-old Christian child was recently sentenced to death under this law and was freed from Pakistan only by international pressure. He is now hiding in a Western country with a bounty on his head similar to that which keeps Salman Rushdie on the run. -- Mona Charen, Washington Times
• The United Nations reports that the militant Islamic government of central African Sudan has declared a systematic battle against Christians. Since 1982, 300,000 Sudanese Christians have been killed. Each year hundreds of Christian believers are sold into slavery and taken where they have to work as slaves or as concubines for their Muslim masters.-- Religious Liberty Commission of World Evangelical Fellowship
• Lai Man Peng was a 22-year-old Chinese Christian evangelist. In 1994, at a meeting of one of China’s "house churches" (a non-government-sanctioned prayer meeting), he and four other evangelists were seized by agents of the Public Security Bureau, China’s KGB. In front of the congregation, Mr. Lai and the others were beaten severely. The security officers next handed the rods to the congregants and ordered them to beat the preachers, on pain of being beaten themselves. Mr. Lai was so badly injured that the security team feared he would die in their presence (leaving too much to explain), so they released him. He crawled and hobbled for several miles attempting to reach his home, but finally collapsed and died on the road. Such persecution is commonplace in China, where only a fraction of the estimated 30 million to 70 million Christians belong to government-approved sects. Amnesty International reports cases of Christian women hung by their thumbs from wires and beaten with heavy rods, denied food and water and shocked with electric probes.-- Washington Times, 1997
Why is this happening? Is this a new occurrence? What does the Bible say about the persecution of Christians? What are the responsibilities of believers like us who may not be facing the same type of persecution…at this time?
I. Why Is the Church Persecuted?
Persecution of the Church today is…
A. DIRECTED BY SATAN: It is Satan’s way of attempting to usurp God’s authority. (1 Peter 5:8)
1 Peter 5:8 “Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.”
Satan is seeking to devour believers -- devour in the Greek means to swallow or destroy.
B. DESIGNED TO STRENGTHEN: It is also one of God’s methods of strengthening His children. (James 1:1-5)
James 1:1-5 “James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, To the twelve tribes scattered among the nations: Greetings. [2] Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, [3] because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. [4] Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. [5] If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him.”
Our faith is tested to produce endurance in our walk with the Lord.
C. DESTINED FOR THOSE WHO STAND: It is a direct result of our stand for Jesus says the apostle Paul. (2 Timothy 3:12)
2 Tim. 3:12 “In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.”
This stand results in our ultimate Reward: The crown of righteousness (2 Timothy 4:7-8)
2 Tim. 4:7-8 “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. [8] Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day--and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing.”
Those who live godly lives will be persecuted. It is not an option. (The word "persecution" can mean “the act or practice of persecuting,” especially those who differ in origin, religion or social outlook.)
II. What are the Biblical Examples of Persecution?
A. Daniel and the lion’s den (Daniel 6)
In light of pending persecution, Daniel did not alter his godly lifestyle.
Even when "push came to shove," Daniel persevered; he trusted God in life or death. Reward: "No wound was found on him because he trusted his God." (Daniel 6:23b)
B. The Apostle Paul (2 Corinthians 11:23-27; 2 Corinthians 12:9-10)
Paul viewed persecution as a constant reminder of his weakness.
Through persecution Paul recognized his utter dependency on God.
Reward: 2 Corinthians 12:8-10.
2 Cor. 12:8-10 “Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. [9] But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. [10] That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.”
C. The Roll Call of the Faithful (Hebrews 11)
Our focus is to be on the eternal not temporal. (Heb. 11:1-3)
Hebrews 11:1-3 “Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. [2] This is what the ancients were commended for. [3] By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God’s command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible.”
Faith in the Lord is the bottom-line of our S.O.P. [Standard Operating Procedure]. (Heb. 11:6)
Hebrews 11:6 “And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.”
We are able to desire a "better country." (Heb. 11:16)
Hebrews 11:16 “Instead, they were longing for a better country--a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them.”
God is able. (Heb. 11:19)
Hebrews 11:19 “Abraham reasoned that God could raise the dead, and figuratively speaking, he did receive Isaac back from death.”
Our Eternal Reward: Hebrews 11:39-40
Hebrews 11:39-40 “These were all commended for their faith, yet none of them received what had been promised. [40] God had planned something better for us so that only together with us would they be made perfect.”
D. Stephen: Acts 7:57-58
Acts 7:57-58 “At this they covered their ears and, yelling at the top of their voices, they all rushed at him, [58] dragged him out of the city and began to stone him. Meanwhile, the witnesses laid their clothes at the feet of a young man named Saul.”
III. How Can our Mission Efforts Support Those Being Persecuted?
A. Remember them and empathize with them. (Hebrews 13:3; 1 Corinthians 12:26)
Hebrews 13:3 “Remember those in prison as if you were their fellow prisoners, and those who are mistreated as if you yourselves were suffering.”
1 Cor. 12:26 “If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it.”
B. Pray for them. “Far be it from me that I should sin against the Lord by ceasing to pray for you.”
C. Communicate with them and affirm them.
• Of their faithfulness to the church. (2 Thessalonians 1:4)
1 Thess. 1:4 “For we know, brothers loved by God, that he has chosen you.”
• Of their injustice by their government.
Proverbs 31:8 “Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute.”
Isaiah 1:7 “Your country is desolate, your cities burned with fire; your fields are being stripped by foreigners right before you, laid waste as when overthrown by strangers.”
“When I see something like this Christian persecution, my heart aches because the believers here don’t even know about it, don’t care. We’re not expressing moral outrage; we’re not indignant of the indifference of the United States government towards this. And we ought to be marching in the streets because our brethren are being persecuted, imprisoned, beaten, sold into slavery, and butchered and we don’t seem to care in this country.” Dr. James Dobson
D. Actively support them.
Write various government officials. (See "Living it out" section.)
Form a coalition among churches.
Contact organizations involved in ministering to the persecuted church (See "Fact Sheet.")
E. Go to them.
Participate in our short-term missions trips; i.e., Macedonia (Acts 16:9)
Acts 16:9 “During the night Paul had a vision of a man of Macedonia standing and begging him, "Come over to Macedonia and help us.”
If you can’t go to them then write to them or email them. (1 Peter 1:1-2)
1 Peter 1:1-2 “To God’s elect, strangers in the world, scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia and Bithynia, [2] who have been chosen according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through the sanctifying work of the Spirit, for obedience to Jesus Christ and sprinkling by his blood. Grace and peace be yours in abundance.”
Contribute financially toward our missions goal of $50,000 to use a portion of these funds to be distributed among persecuted peoples. (2 Corinthians 9:6-8)
2 Cor. 9:6-8 “Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. [7] Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. [8] And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.”
IV. Conclusion
(Either use the following or have Mike furnish me with a strong illustration of persecuted church for close.)
China, Shaanxi Province: "The officers stripped three [Christian] brethren naked from the waist and forced the women to stand with them...The three men were beaten until they were totally covered with blood and had gaping wounds and injuries all over their bodies. As if such violent beating wasn’t enough, the officers then hung them up and began to hit them with rods on their backs. They did this until the three men were unconscious and barely breathing." The victims were Protestants. Their crime was communicating the love of Christ with foreigners.-- Jeff Jacoby, "Christian Suffering Is on the Rise," Boston Globe, 1996
The words of martyred missionary Jim Elliott: "He is no fool who gives up what he cannot keep to gain that which he cannot lose."
