Sermons on Persecution Refines:

Anything Except Facing My Accountability To God Series

Contributed by Ed Vasicek on Feb 14, 2011

Society at large and individuals in general despise the idea of facing a God who holds them accountable and whose wrath is incurred.

Anything Except Facing My Accountability to God (Acts 14:1-20) 1. Sometimes there is no answer to conflict. It just is. 2. From Reader's Digest: "On his birthday, my husband was stuck driving our six rambunctious children around. As usual, they were yelling, punching, and annoying one another. ...read more

Scripture: Acts 14:1-20

Denomination: Independent/Bible

Growth In Suffering Series

Contributed by Warner Pidgeon on Mar 10, 2011

The Early Church experienced growth in numbers, and growth in depth and growth in community. It also experienced a growth in suffering. Jesus said blessed are those who suffer and are persecuted because of him! This talk encourages the church to proclaim

Although I’ve only seen part of it on YouTube there is a humbling episode from the 1961 British film called, ‘Whistle down the Wind’. A group of Lancashire children have experienced the death of a kitten. They had prayed fervently that the little cat would get well, but instead it died. They ...read more

Scripture: Acts 4:1-32

Denomination: Anglican

Responding To Ridicule

Contributed by Jerry Shirley on Sep 18, 2010

When reason fails, some turn to ridicule. They choose laughter over logic. Should the Christian respond? If so, how? Link inc. to formatted text, audio/video, PowerPoint.

Responding to Ridicule Nehemiah 4:1-3 http://gbcdecatur.org/sermons/Responding2Ridicule.html Sanballat has always lived in every time, and taken form in every church. He and others like him believe if God's kingdom is built up it will hurt their cause. They don't want to see it happen. They ...read more

Scripture: Nehemiah 4:1-3

Denomination: Baptist

Trusting God In An Unjust World Series

Contributed by Freddy Fritz on Sep 19, 2010

In today's lesson we learn that we can trust God even though the world is filled with injustice.

Scripture We like stories with happy endings. Whether the story is in a book or movie or even in real life, we like stories with happy endings. Sometimes, however, stories don’t have happy endings. Sometimes stories have sad endings. And although we prefer stories with happy endings to ...read more

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Three Aspects Of Kingdom Faithfulness

Contributed by Martin Wiles on Oct 5, 2010

When we live a dedicated life of obedience, we can expect persecution for our faith.

Three Aspects of Kingdom Faithfulness Matthew 5:10-12 INTRODUCTION A. Savonarola, Italian preacher 1. Greatest reformers of church period, condemned personal sin and ecclesiastical corruption. 2. Paved the way for the Protestant Reformation. 3. Biographer said of him: His preaching was a voice of ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 5:10-12

Denomination: Baptist

Responding To Enemy Behavior

Contributed by Martin Wiles on Oct 15, 2010

Believers should respond to opposition with love, prayer and a witness for their Savior.

Responding to Enemy Behavior Matthew 5:43-48 INTRODUCTION A. Lifeguard rescuing a drowning person. 1. Suppose it was your best friend or just a casual acquaintance. 2. We would probably risk our life to save them. 3. But suppose the drowning person was a contemptible person, your enemy. 4. Someone ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 5:43-48

Denomination: Baptist

How To Lose Friends And Anger People Series

Contributed by Glenn Durham on May 10, 2010

God prepares his people for persecution so that we will not fall away when proving that there are things in life worth dying for.

Scripture Introduction Dale Carnegie pioneered work in public speaking and was famous for helping others become successful. In 1936 he published How to Win Friends and Influence People; since then it has sold more than 15 million copies. Two of his most famous maxims are, “Believe that you ...read more

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Part 16 - Matthew 10:21-42 - Got To Get A Message To You. Hold On, Hold On! Series

Contributed by Ross Cochrane on May 22, 2010

Matthew 10:23 says "I tell you the truth, the Son of Man will return before you have reached all the towns of Israel." Reminds me of that song by the Bee Gees in 1968 "I've Gotta Get a Message to You. Hold on! Hold on!"

Part 16 - Matthew 10:21-42 - GOT TO GET A MESSAGE TO YOU. HOLD ON, HOLD ON! I recently read of a teenager in Florida in America who fled for her life from her Muslim family after she converted to Christianity. Fathima Rifqa Bary says her family will murder her in what is known as an "HONOUR ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 10:21-42

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Part 18 - Matthew 10:37-42 - My Family Is Acting Like They Belong To A Cult Series

Contributed by Ross Cochrane on May 27, 2010

For some Christians in the world today, the choice concerning family is a different one, especially in some parts of the Muslim world. Battle lines are drawn and it becomes a CHOICE BETWEEN FAMILY AND CHRIST. Becoming a Christian means certain OSTRACISM b

Part 18 - Matthew 10:37-42 - MY FAMILY IS ACTING LIKE THEY BELONG TO A CULT! We came to Sydney to live from the beautiful Whitsundays. Why would anyone leave the Whitsundays and come to the big city? We were Pastors of a great Church of people we had come to love. We had been there for 10 ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 10:37-42

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Suffering For The Sake Of The Savior Series

Contributed by Kevin L. Jones on Oct 18, 2015

Why must we suffer for doing what is right?

Suffering For The Sake Of The Savior I Peter 3:13-22 Back in April Noman Masih, a 14-year-old Pakistani boy was burned alive by a group of Muslim youths, he later died from his injuries. Noman was targeted because he admitted that he was a Christian. Before he died he said "I have neither enemies, ...read more

Scripture: 1 Peter 3:18-22

Denomination: Baptist

Suffering: Why? Series

Contributed by Bob Faulkner on Oct 19, 2015

One man's attempt to unravel the Scriptural reasons for suffering, especially the suffering of the people of God. Not an easy task.

SUFFERING, per the BIBLE Another man’s attempt to figure it out… It’s not as easy as we are led to believe. We get sick and right away someone tells us we are being judged of God. Maybe. Another person gets sick, and he is told there is no spiritual significance to the illness. ...read more

Scripture: Job 1:21

Denomination: Assembly Of God

Recycling Our Pain Series

Contributed by David Henderson on Jun 8, 2015

Listen. God never wastes a hurt. What good is a trial if something good doesn’t come from it? Let’s look at the first of two questions I want us to try to answer.

“Recycling our Pain” Matthew 5:10 In my personal study of the gospels one of the things I have noticed is that some of the teachings of Jesus are just very difficult for us to follow. At times when we read them they don’t even make sense. For instance, Jesus said: • If ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 5:10

Denomination: Baptist

Jesus Wants To Give Us Heavenly Happiness (Part 3)

Contributed by Rick Crandall on Apr 7, 2014

Jesus teaches us here that true happiness: 1. comes from having a pure heart (vs. 8). 2. comes from being a peacemaker (vs. 9). 3. can even come from being persecuted (vs. 10-12).

Jesus Wants to Give Us Heavenly Happiness (Part 3) Matthew 5:8-12 Sermon by Rick Crandall Grayson Baptist Church - March 6, 2013 *Tonight we will take another look at the happiness the Lord wants all of us to have, remembering that the word "blessed" here in the Sermon on the Mount means "happy." ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 5:8-12

Denomination: Baptist

Growth Through Oppression

Contributed by Dr. Ronald Shultz on May 3, 2014

Are you really ready for radical growth?

Exodus 1:8-12 8 Now there arose up a new king over Egypt, which knew not Joseph. 9 And he said unto his people, Behold, the people of the children of Israel are more and mightier than we: 10 Come on, let us deal wisely with them; lest they multiply, and it come to pass, that, when there ...read more

Scripture: Exodus 1:8-12

Denomination: Baptist

Remember The Earlier Days Series

Contributed by William R. Nabaza on Jun 14, 2014

To show that we need to remember our roots and how we suffer for the sake of the gospel and move on towards GOD's plan for us.

I. EXORDIUM: Do you remember the days when you got born again? II. AUDIENCE PROFILE: Believers III. OBJECTIVES: To show that we need to remember our roots and how we suffer for the sake of the gospel and move on towards GOD's plan for us. IV. TEXT: Hebrews 10:32 (New International Version) ...read more

Scripture: Hebrews 10:32

Denomination: Pentecostal