In high school, what kind of a person were you? Were you considered “popular” or were you someone who not very many people liked to be around or associate with? For the latter, it doesn’t feel the greatest, does it? It is not a very pleasant experience to be disliked.
However, when we become Christians it is this very experience that we will likely face. As Christians, we need to accept the fact that the world is going to fight against everything associated with the name of Christ, including those who follow Him. Persecution and hatred may even come at you from those who you considered closest in your friends and family. Friends may leave you, family may separate from you and not want anything to do with you, and why? Because you choose to live for Christ, and serve Him above everything else.
There can be nothing that we allow to take precedence over Christ in our lives. Not money, not possessions, not friends, or even our families. He needs to be put first always; first in all of our decisions, actions, and speech. Because of this stand that we must take, we will be on the receiving end of persecutions, revilement, false accusations, and hatred.
But this should not be a surprise to us. Outside of His disciples and followers, Jesus Himself was hated, persecuted, and falsely accused by the world. Even many of the Jews who Jesus came to save rejected Him, and eventually crucified Him.
But what does our Lord say to us when these events happen?
Matthew 5:10-12 “Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake.
Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.”
Blessed are you. To be blessed means “having divine aid, or protection, or other blessing.” So if we are persecuted, the blessings of God will come upon us, and as we know, our God is rich in blessings. “Rejoice” Jesus tells us, for great is our reward in heaven. In this we can have great comfort and confidence, and know that even if the whole world is against us, He will be on our side.
Psalms 18:1-6 “I will love thee, O LORD, my strength.
The LORD is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower.
I will call upon the LORD, who is worthy to be praised: so shall I be saved from mine enemies.
The sorrows of death compassed me, and the floods of ungodly men made me afraid.
The sorrows of hell compassed me about: the snares of death prevented me.
In my distress I called upon the LORD, and cried unto my God: he heard my voice out of his temple, and my cry came before him, even into his ears.”
Good things happen to those who love God, and our times of need He will be there to deliver us from evil. He is our Shepherd, and our rock of defense, our Deliverer in our times of trouble.
Psalms 23:1-6 “The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.
He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.
He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.
Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.
Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever.”
In the world, we will have persecution, but let the Lord fill you with peace. What can man do to us when we have Christ on our side?
John 16:33 “These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.”
In Christ,
Andrew
Teufer Lake King James Bible Church 