Let me share something I received from Pastor Rick Gray at St. Johns Assembly of God Church. Rick is one of my prayer partners and someone whom I respect deeply. He emailed me that Mr. Verbout [Principal at James John School] resigned under duress from Dr. Bettencourt effective July 1, 2002. An excerpt from principal Verbout states, "From the time that Dr. Ed Bettencourt assumed supervision of James John School, and as recently as Thursday, April 11, 2002, he stated that he does not believe I am the right person to be the principal of James John School. Dr. Bettencourt also stated that there are significant numbers of staff who are of the same opinion. ..."
The recently released “Schools Report Card” shows state test scores were up. Rick writes “…I know that there are significant numbers of staff who do not like Mike because of his faith and they have made complaints about our national motto, “In God We Trust” and patriotic songs sung just after Sept. 11. They also have been very vocal about his invitation to the Salvation Army Band to play traditional Christmas songs while he also gives opportunity for other religious expressions of the holidays. I feel he has come under attack because of his personal religious beliefs…”
With that said let’s listen to Peter’s letter to those who also were attacked because of their religious beliefs--1 Peter 4:12-14 & 5: 6-11.
It seems that every culture has its idea of how and when the world will end. In 960 Bernard of Thuringia, a German theologian calculated 992, as the most likely year for the world’s end panic was widespread as the time approached. A German astrologer, Johann Stoffler predicted an overwhelming flood on February 20, 1524. Believers started constructing arks. The calculations were revised when nothing happened and a new date given—1588.
Solomon Eccles was jailed in London’s Bridewell Prison in 1665 for striding through Smithfield Market, carrying a pan of blazing sulfur on his head, and proclaiming doom and destruction. Although the end of the world did not follow, the Great Fire of London did, in 1666. In 1874 Charles Taze Russell, founder of what we know as the Jehovah’s Witnesses, concluded that the Second Coming had already taken place and that people had 40 years to enter his faith or be destroyed. Later he modified the date to "very soon after 1914." The 16th-century seer Nostradamus is said to have favored 1999 as the year of a Martian invasion, while an 18th-century French prophetess, Jeanne Le Roger, established the year 2000 as the definitive one. Even today this “entertainment” is as prevalent as ever. The “Left Behind” series are runaway best sellers. And there are countless guesses about who is the Antichrist and when all the Biblical prophesies will take place.
Don’t misunderstand me, the second coming is real to be watched for and expected at the most unlikely time (Mt 24:41-43; Mk. 13:33-37; Lk. 21:7-12). It’s a comfort for us to recall what it promises (1 Thess. 4:8-18). It’s just that the Body of Christ sometimes sounds an awful lot like those disciples who are asking Jesus, “Will you now restore the Kingdom to Israel?” With everything they’d seen and experienced a part of them still didn’t “get it”. Jesus’ answer is rather telling “It’s not for you to know the time and dates… but” (Acts 1:7-8).
The disciples hear Jesus’ words and remain standing and staring up into the sky. There is a part of me that believes the reason the angels came to the disciples was because they showed no sign of leaving. They didn’t understand that while they were waiting for God to return and establish His kingdom, they were missing Jesus’ point that their focus was on the wrong place. While we wait for God our eyes are to be on the crowds not the clouds; on humanity not the heavens; on people not “pie-in-the-sky-by-and-by”. And when our attention is refocused in this way we can discover that waiting for God brings power; provides a purpose; and results in persecution.
Persecution:
Peter wrote his first letter to a group of Christians who were facing the backlash of Rome’s great fire. Nero blamed the Christians and suddenly the followers of Jesus Christ no longer enjoyed the protection of Rome. Instead there were various problems and persecutions taking place.
What Peter tells them and us is important. Persecution isn’t personal. They aren’t out to “get you”. Other believers too have suffered and are suffering for the sake of Jesus (cf. 4:12; 5:9). The suffering we go through is proof that we belong to Christ (4:13). The question for us as we go through such times is whether we endure or rejoice in the sufferings we face. Some church folks are really good about “gutting it out” when it comes to hard times. They put on a determined face. They don’t let anyone know what’s going on. They quietly endure what the world tosses their way. Unfortunately our human effort has the affect of stopping God’s work in our life.
Last week we saw how God insisted on taking out an enemy with 300 soldiers instead of 32000 and the reason was that a large army wouldn’t allow Israel to see how God had defeated the enemy. In the same way, when we use our “human” power to endure times of trouble we effectively cut Christ off for receiving the glory for seeing us through those times. We run the very real risk of becoming proud when we are called to be humble.
The persecution we face is also satanic at its deepest core. His desire is to destroy the work and witness of Jesus’ people. Distractions work just as good as destruction for accomplishing his goal. If he can keep us staring up into heaven so that we don’t obey Christ he’s just as happy as if he had us locked up in some dungeon—maybe more so. Facing persecution takes God’s Power and His Purpose
Power
On a balmy October afternoon in 1982, Badger Stadium in Madison, Wisconsin, was packed. More than 60,000 die-hard University of Wisconsin supporters were watching their football team take on the Michigan State Spartans. It soon became obvious that MSU had the better team.
What seemed odd was that, as the score became more lopsided explosions of applause and shouts of joy burst forth from the Wisconsin fans. How could they cheer when their team was losing? It turns out that seventy miles away the Milwaukee Brewers were beating the St. Louis Cardinals in game three of the 1982 World Series. Many of the fans in the stands were listening to portable radios--and responding to something other than their immediate circumstances. We will find we are able to rejoice even in hardships as we see Christ’s larger victory. It’s seeing the unseen around us that allows us this joy.
Greg Asimakoupoulos, Naperville, Illinois. Leadership, Vol. 15, no. 4
In Greek the word we translate “power” is the basis for our English words “dynamic” and “dynamite”. This Dunamis, this power, is poured out on the Church at Pentecost. It’s a gift to us from God. As we discovered, Jesus said, “it’s not for [us] to know the time and dates… but you will receive power…” The power we receive is more important to God than our second guessing Jesus’ return. Next week on Pentecost we’ll be reminded of how this power has been lived out in the lives of various members of this congregation.
Purpose
The presentation next week not only shows the power of the Holy Spirit at work but how this power has directed us in working out Christ’s purpose for the Church. What is Christ’s purpose? It ‘s the second half of verse 8, “…you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth." If Jesus were saying this to us today he’d say something like, “you will be my witnesses to North Portland, to Oregon and the United States and everywhere else in our world.” Throw a rock into still water and the ripples spread out and eventually impact every shore. That’s what Jesus’ command does in our world. It takes us from where we’re most at home and puts us on the front lines for the sake of Jesus. Jesus’ command is a simple thing really. You WILL be my witnesses. He doesn’t say, “you will be my witnesses if you have the time; if you have the training; or if you have the desire” Likewise Jesus doesn’t say, “you will be witnesses only if you’re between the age of 25 and 55; haven’t got too many other things going and haven’t already overcommitted yourself to your family and job.” No, Jesus simply says; “You WILL be my witnesses”
It’s the Power of the Holy Spirit that enables us to live out Christ’s Purpose and this is what leads us into Persecution. This is part of what has happened to principal Verbout at James John. His faithfulness to being Christ’s person has led him into a place where he is suffering for the sake of Christ.
It’s not comfortable to be persecuted for the sake of Jesus and it doesn’t matter if the persecution is the type suffered by our sisters and brothers in Saudi Arabia, Indonesia or Pakistan or a more subtle type such as we face in a culture that wants everyone to be content even if means destroying “truth” in the process. Today’s persecutions take place in city and county zoning meetings; rules about what clothes a child can wear to school and what they can write a report about. Wherever the distinctiveness of Jesus is lived out it will be fought against because it has the power of condemning those who don’t want to change their lives.
We wait for Christ to establish His Kingdom but we wait looking at the world around us as we live lives that mirror His love and call to holiness. It’s not without it’s downside but any difficulties is well worth our reward.
