DATE
JESUS CHRIST’S VIEW OF PERSECUTION
Matthew 5:9-13; Acts 4:15-21.
INTRODUCTION: (Mat 5:13) "Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savor, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men."
The N.T. church is to be the salt of the earth and the light of the world. If the salt had not lost it’s savor and the light had not dimmed, then evil would not have advanced.
What’s happened to the salt? Why has it lost its savor?
Why has the light dimmed?
Because we have handled persecution wrongly. How are we supposed to look at persecution? Matt. 5:9-12.
(Mat 5:9) "Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God."
(Mat 5:10) "Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness’ sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven."
(Mat 5:11) "Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake."
(Mat 5:12) "Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you."
“Blessed” are those who are persecuted. How many of us want to have experiences like that so we can share them during “blessing time” on Sunday?
Remember that Jesus’ view of happiness is totally different than is ours.
Listen to the Bible definition of the word “Blessed”:
“Supremely blest; fortunate, well off:--blessed, happy.
Jesus is saying, “Happier are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake.” “Happier that who”? “Happier than those who are not persecuted”. This is Jesus’ definition.
“Supremely blessed” are those “...when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake."
“Fortunate” - “...are ye when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake."
“Well-off” are ye who are persecuted.
(Mat 5:12) "Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you." We are missing something that the 1st Century Christians had.
We have lost the desire to serve God at any cost. There was a time when Christianity was willing to pay whatever cost was necessary to be a disciple of Christ. The “drive through religion”; “easy access to discipleship”; and “microwave repentance and salvation” has destroyed the “Old Time Religion”. Now to serve Christ in any economy is considered to be persecution or at the least a matter of hardship.
We make membership too easy in the average Baptist church today.
Our church would be much better off if we were to undergo a great persecution. I am afraid for us to pray toward that end because God would answer our prayer, and I’m not sure if we would withstand the persecution or not.
We read all throughout the N.T. where persecution came to all those who believed and then enacted their faith into service.
Think with me for a few moments about what persecution would do for us here at BHBC if we really underwent Bible persecution. What would happen if we experienced the same persecution that the N.T. Church did here in Acts chapters 4-8?
No one has been persecuted like Jesus Christ has been. He has been persecuted for 2000 years.
Through the N.T. church.
Through the Saints.
I. IT WOULD DECREASE OUR NUMBER OF MEMBERS
Those who are insincere will run away from persecution.
Carnality will not withstand persecution. If real persecution ever comes, our number will decrease.
Suppose that it comes to pass that to attend church we have to take the chance of being arrested, thrown in jail, convicted and then beheaded. Would you still be one of the number?
Next Saturday as we go to fulfil our “Knock on 1000 Doors” challenge and we knew that some would be arrested and thrown in prison, would you go?
If laws were passed that everyone that owns a KJV Bible will be taxed an additional 25%, would you get rid of yours?
Suppose with me that to be a member of an Independent Baptist Church means being persecuted severely, would you continue with your membership here?
Persecution would decrease our number of members.
II. IT WOULD DRAW THE TRUE MEMBERSHIP CLOSER TO GOD Acts 4:29-31.
If it draws us closer to God, then we should welcome persecution. We should covet after it. Anyone who is drawn closer to God for any reason is much better off. God’s primary desire for us is to conform us to the image of His Son.
There is no cost that is too great to pay for the accomplishment of being conformed to the image of Christ. If persecution would do that we should welcome the thought of that happening.
When everything is going against us and there is nowhere to go but to the Lord, we would be drawn closer to Him. (James 4:8) "Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you......”
I am convinced that the reason that the Christians of the last half of the 20th Century have dropped the ball in this matter of Christianity is that we have not really been persecuted. The reason our salt is tasteless and our light is not burning bright is that we have not really been persecuted. We don’t want to suffer for the sake of Christ.
A. Notice The Prayer. Vs. 29, “And now, Lord behold their threatenings...”.
1. They are looking to God for their protection and welfare.
2. In reading the Psalms we see David again and again drawing closer to God through the persecution of King Saul and other of his enemies. (Psa 37:32) "The wicked watcheth the righteous, and seeketh to slay him."
B. Paul Hasn’t Been Saved Yet, And He Is Taking His Henchmen Into Every Area Of The Christian Communities And Killing Them. (Acts 8:3) "As for Saul, he made havock of the church, entering into every house, and haling men and women committed them to prison."
C. The Governmental Officials Were Dedicated On Eliminating Them.
They didn’t want the name of Christ mentioned.
We see today that society is trying to stop the name of Christ in Christmas. (No nativity scenes.)
(The cross at Edmond, OK.) They don’t want to be reminded of Christ.
Prayer and Christ have been kicked out of the schools.
Dope, contraceptives, and witchcraft abounds in His stead.
One hundred years ago had things been done like we see it now - there would have been another revolutionary war.
Listen to what (John 16:2) says, "They shall put you out of the synagogues: yea, the time cometh, that whosoever killeth you will think that he doeth God service."
This is the mind set of most of our elected officers - they think it is politically correct to silence the people of God.
Real Christianity forces a change upon a society. The society during these days in Acts didn’t want Christianity forced down their throat. The hatred for Christ and the Local Church is not just relevant in our time. It has always been so.
Satan will use persecution to try to stop us. Christ will use persecution to shine us.
Satan will use persecution against us in hope that we might give up. Christ will use persecution for us that we might grow up.
Satan will use persecution against us in attempt to drive us away from Christ. Christ will use persecution to draw us to Him.
Satan will use persecution hoping to make us useless. Christ will use persecution to make us more useful.
ILLUSTRATION: A vacationer watched with curiosity as a lumberman occasionally jabbed his sharp hook into a log, separating it from the others that were floating down a mountain stream. When asked why he did this, the worker replied, "These may all look alike to you, but a few of them are quite different. The ones I let pass are from trees that grew in a valley where they were always protected from the storms. Their grain is coarse. The ones I’ve hooked and kept apart from the rest came from high up on the mountains. From the time they were small, they were beaten by strong winds. This toughens the trees and gives them a fine and beautiful grain. We save them for choice work. They’re too good to make into plain lumber."
Friend, God often allows some of His dearest saints to be bent by trial or buffeted by the winds of adversity so that they may be strengthened for His service and prepared to fulfil His highest purposes.
Why don’t we adopt the conclusion that whatever our persecution and or tribulation is for the betterment of our relation with Christ Jesus. If we use persecution in that manner the persecution is no longer negative but is now a positive that will benefit us greatly.
III. IT WILL DRAW THE MEMBERSHIP CLOSER TO EACH OTHER Acts 4:32.
(Acts 4:32) "And the multitude of them that believed were of one heart and of one soul: neither said any of them that ought of the things which he possessed was his own; but they had all things common."
A. There Is To Be A Bond Between We The Members Of This Church That Nothing Can Break.
If someone attacks us it must just make us stronger in our commitment.
If a hardship comes to one or to all, then we just use that hardship to climb the next mountain.
If persecution causes us to lose all that we have as a church or as an individual then the approach to the persecution must be held by each of us that this is the will of God for us for the time.
B. When One Of Us Is Attacked The Remainder Should Quickly Go To The Rescue. If anyone picks a fight with one of us then they will have to fight all of us.
(The African Honey Bee will attack anyone or anything that harms one bee. The documentary on TV where the man swatted one bee and the entire colony covered his head and killed him. (It was a re-enactment of a true story.)
IV. IT WILL DIVIDE THE GOSPEL INTO ALL PARTS OF THE WORLD Acts 4:33; 8:4
(Acts 4:33) "And with great power gave the apostles witness of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus: and great grace was upon them all."
(Acts 8:4) "Therefore they that were scattered abroad went every where preaching the word."
America was Christianised because of persecution in Asia and Europe. If you are saved today it is because a saint or saints of God were persecuted somewhere sometime.
Your children are saved because someone suffered persecution somewhere.
We are trying to challenge the membership of this church to get involved in the “1000 Doors” next Saturday and some will say, “Preacher, you are asking too much.”
“Saturday is my day off”.
“Saturday is my golf day.”
I understand that next Saturday is to be the best day of the year for the foliage scenery.
I remember Joe Hood in Louisville, KY. He was permanently crippled and walked on crutches all of the time. Every Saturday he would walk at least 5 miles while visiting a bus route on crutches. Our measly efforts aren’t worth much.
The persecution time, those times of testing, are to make you stronger in service for the Lord.
ILLUSTRATION: Don’t think it strange when you desire to serve God and then seem to encounter a severe time of testing. God’s purpose at every juncture of testing is to make the person more valuable. Let me illustrate:
A $5 bar of steel cut into ordinary horseshoes is worth $10.
A $5 bar of steel cut into needles is worth $350.
That same bar of steel cut into delicate springs for watches becomes worth $250,000.
Next time you get discouraged at what God is putting you through, think of that bar of steel!
V. IT WILL DESTROY SELFISHNESS AMONG US Acts 4:34-37.
A. Notice How These Christians Responded To Their Times Of Persecution. Vs. 34&35.
B. Barnabas - I wonder why the Holy Spirit recorded this one act by Barnabas. He had land and sold it and brought the money and laid it at the apostles’ feet.
1. He would no longer need the land.
2. He had committed himself totally to the Lord.
3. The land would have been a hindrance to him.
4. The church couldn’t use the land, so he converted it into money and gave the money.
I wonder why he put it at their feet and not in the treasury? I wonder why he didn’t put it in the offering plate? Had he put it in the offering plate he might have still had some control where it went.
When something is laid at the feet of another it means a complete surrender of ownership. (The captive kings in Rome would lay their crown at the feet of Caesar, signifying a total surrender to the king of Rome.)
When my life as a Christian ceases to be my life and becomes a source of service to others, then I have made a great stride in Christian growth.
Paul said, “I am become all things that I might by all means win some.”
John The Baptist said, “He must increase, I must decrease.”
When we are ready and willing to make self become nothing and put Christ on the throne of our life then we have accomplished what God wanted to be accomplished.
The entire Lord’s Prayer must be something that flows out of a truly committed heart. It ought to be a definition of your spirit, your attitude toward God, what is inside you. An unknown author put it this way:
I cannot say "Our" if I live only for myself.
I cannot say "Father" if I do not endeavour each day to act like His child.
I cannot say "who art in heaven" if I am laying up no treasure there.
I cannot say "hallowed be Thy name" if I am not striving for holiness.
I cannot say "Thy kingdom come" if I am not doing all in my power to hasten that wonderful event.
I cannot say "Thy will be done" if I am disobedient to His Word.
I cannot say "in earth as it is in heaven" if I’ll not serve Him here and now.
I cannot say "give us this day our daily bread" if I am dishonest or seeking things by subterfuge.
I cannot say "forgive us our debts" if I harbour a grudge against anyone.
I cannot say "lead us not into temptation" if I deliberately place myself in its path.
I cannot say "deliver us from evil" if I do not put on the whole armour of God.
I cannot say "Thine is the kingdom" if I do not give the King the loyalty due Him from a faithful subject.
I cannot attribute to Him "the power" if I fear what men may do.
I cannot ascribe to Him "the glory" if I’m seeking honour only for myself, and I cannot say "forever" if the horizon of my life is bounded completely by time.
Persecution is the one thing that churches shun today. We will avoid it at all and any cost. Maybe it should be just the opposite. Persecution just might be what this church needs to make it into a greater church.
Oh! I know that if great persecution did come that most of those who are present every Sunday AM would go off into the shadows and hide. I also know that many who are faithful would become defeated, but I also know that those who really mean business with God in all that they say and do would be moulded into a great vessel for the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.
How do you look at persecution?
How do you handle persecution?
Would you remain faithful amidst great and terrible persecution? The N.T. Christians did.
If the continuation of Christianity depended upon how the members of this church handled persecution - would Christianity continue? You be the judge of yourself.
INVITATION
BETH HAVEN BAPTIST CHURCH MINISTRIES
PO BOX 891523
OKLAHOMA CITY OKLAHOMA 73189-1523
405-691-8701
email icasteel1@cox.net
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