Good morning and welcome in everyone. Today, we are going to take a look at a passage of scripture, but before we do that, I wanted to tell you a little story.
Many years ago Andrew and my family were traveling around, visiting different flea markets. We had rented a spot at one of them, and I was talking to people about the gospel and singing songs about Jesus. There were numerous people who came up to express their appreciation for what we were doing. After I finished talking, I began to sing another song, when a woman walked up to me. She got within one inch of my face and started screaming at me, insomuch that she was spitting on my face, but I kept singing. Later that day, the woman had complained to the organizers, and went so far as to have us kicked out of the flea market.
This reminds me of the Christian Life.
Even though there were other musical groups who had performed that day, we were the only ones to receive such treatment. I hadn’t done anything to provoke this woman, but the things that she had heard certainly had an effect on her.
John 15:20 Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept my saying, they will keep yours also.
To persecute means to treat someone with hostility and ill will, especially because of their religious beliefs. It’s to treat someone cruelly or unfairly, or to harass or punish in such a manner designed to injure, grieve, or afflict them. It’s causing them to suffer because of their faith. When you take a stand for the teachings of scripture, you are going to end up entering into some type of persecution. The reason why is that not everybody believes the truth of God’s Word, even some members of your own family.
Matthew 10:36 And a man’s foes shall be they of his own household.
Another time, Andrew and I were walking on the streets of a Wisconsin town. We were visiting with people, handing out flyers and talking about the Bible. We met a group of people who professed to be Christian, so I began a discussion with them. One of the marks of spirituality is not allowing women to speak in the church or to teach God’s Word, so I asked him how he felt about this passage. They got very upset, and one of them yelled at me that he knew a woman that could slam me into the ground! I didn’t provoke him, I just asked him how he felt about the passage.
Luke 10:16 He that heareth you heareth me; and he that despiseth you despiseth me; and he that despiseth me despiseth him that sent me.
When people will not hear and accept the teachings of Jesus Christ, they hate both Jesus and the heavenly Father. God loves and cares for us but God sent His only begotten Son into the world to bless us by turning each of us away from our iniquities. Those who refuse to accept His guidance found in scripture do not love God. Those who genuinely love God will desire to obey His Word, those who don’t will be anathema, or cursed to eternal fire. It doesn’t matter if they profess to be Christian or not, what matters is the performance of God’s will, otherwise it’s just words. Scriptural truth brings on hatred from the world.
John 15:18-19 If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you. If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you.
Being persecuted and harassed is part of the territory. When you become a Christian, it is to be expected, because not everybody will believe in the truth as you do. You become a punching bag, simply because they won’t receive what you are telling them. They hate the messenger, because of the message that they bring. These are wicked times that we live in, and you certainly won’t get persecuted for the truth if you don’t stand up for the truth. I think one of the greatest things you can do with your life is to lead people to scripture, so they can recover themselves out of the snares of the devil, but you will need to be prepared for a spiritual battle. Just as Jesus was hated by the world, a true follower Christ will be also.
1 Peter 4:14 If ye be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are ye; for the spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you: on their part he is evil spoken of, but on your part he is glorified.
Many of the disciples were hated simply because they stood up for the teachings of Christ. Many people were irritated because of the things they were teaching, bringing on a response of ill will towards the disciples. This happened numerous times to the Apostle Paul.
2 Timothy 3:10-11 But thou hast fully known my doctrine, manner of life, purpose, faith, longsuffering, charity, patience, Persecutions, afflictions, which came unto me at Antioch, at Iconium, at Lystra; what persecutions I endured: but out of them all the Lord delivered me.
2 Timothy 4:14 Alexander the coppersmith did me much evil: the Lord reward him according to his works:
We love our neighbor by loving them with the truth. You also must remember that God’s Word is the sword of the Spirit. If you were to put a sword into somebody else, what is going to be the result? If you stick a knife in someone’s leg, they are going to get upset. If you shot them in the foot, they would attempt some type of retaliation. We are involved in a spiritual battle with the greatest weapon that you could ever have in your possession. It pierces deeper than any other; into the depths of the heart and soul. For those who reject scripture, this sword is going to hurt, because of which they will have a great desire to take it out on you.
Matthew 5:11-12 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.
When you stand up for biblical truth some people are going to speak evil of it. They will cast out your name as evil and call you a liar. This is the same thing that they did to Jesus, because some claimed that he was deceiving the people.
2 Peter 2:2 And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of.
In the parable of the sower, it teaches that some will turn away from the Christian Life because they don’t want to be persecuted. They don’t want to be hated by others. They just want everybody to get along. I have some news for you, persecution happens to those who believe and serve Christ. I remember this every time I think about…..
….The Flea Market.
Let’s think about these things for right now. We can be found on your web browser by searching, tlkjbc where you can find our diaries distributed through various platforms. We are not associated, nor affiliated with any other religious groups. You can get our entire podcast feeds directly, along with transcripts at tlkjbc.com or I suppose that you could find us somewhere up here, in the Great Northern Minnesota woods. Peace to you, and Lord willing, we will talk with you some more tomorrow. Till then, bye bye everybody. ❤️
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