Soldiers Of Christ

Did you ever wonder why Dan Qualye received such abuse from the media, I really feel that a large part had to do with his Christian faith, he was not afraid to stand up for the Bible, even telling Barbara Walters "yes I believe the story of Noah and the flood is true". He was not afraid to stand up for Christian value like abortion and homosexuality, calling them what God calls them.

We all need to honestly look at our lives and see if we are being persecuted for our faith. If we have trouble finding any examples is it because we are lucky or is it because we are not really taking a firm stand for the Lord.

Now the rest of the story!!!

B. The GOOD NEWS!!!

Jesus can also expect to rejoice and be exceedingly glad. To "leap for Joy" as Lukes Gospel puts it, rejoice because we are persecuted?

Not in the actual acts of persecution but because of what it means and because of it’s results.

1. it means we must being doing something right. Peter says in I Peter 4:16 "However, if you suffer as a Christian do not be ashamed, but praise God that you bear that name."

2. and the results are definitely reason to jump for joy, Because the kingdom of God is ours now, as God rules in our lives (And I can you from personal experience, that there is no better road to walk then the road that leads to heaven).

3. And even better than that the kingdom of God is ours as we move into that mansion that God has prepared for us.

4. A final reason that we can rejoice is that we are not alone. We can find courage in the fact that we are treading in the steps of God’s great spokesmen of the past, me like Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Peter and Paul. We can know we are part of a movement that is greater than ourselves. And that when we stand we are not alone, when we are persecuted we are not alone because these men and the Lord are standing right beside us.

CONCLUSION

We need to be what a servant of Christ is.

And when we need to remember that we are influential. When we are at school, at work, at the restaurant after church, at home, in the neighborhood, on the football team or anywhere we are with non-christians we are salt and light. What kind of job are we doing, what kind of picture of Christ are we painting.

And we must not forget that the world is not going to applaud us as we serve Christ. But we have a reward and we will receive an even better one in ther future.

Henry Morrison, after serving for forty years on the African mission field, headed home by boat. On the same boat also rode Theodore Roosevelt. Morrison was quite dejected when, on entering the New York harbor, President Roosevelt received a great fanfare as he arrived home. Morrison thought he should get some kind of recognition for forty years in the Lord’s service.

Then a small voice came to Morrison and said "HENRY-- YOU’RE NOT HOME YET!!!!!!!"

Friends we are not home yet!

But can you imagine the celebration when we get there.

Christians let’s really be as servant of Christ.

Non-Christians Come home to God now!