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.
Each year, many people participate in some type of marathon. As they run down the highways or through a city, they will hear applause and encouragement from people who are watching from the sidelines. They are very supportive of the participants, even holding out a cold bottle of water to give to the runner as they pass by. They excitedly cheer when the runners eventually break the ribbon at the finish line. But the Christian race is a lot different. This is because many people who are watching want to prevent you from finishing the race. They aren’t there to cheer you on, but hurl insults at you instead. Some of them will throw rocks, or fiery darts in a concerted effort to discourage you from what you are doing. They will even stick out their foot in order to trip you up, trying to do whatever they can to make you fall down. A lot of them are damned already, and want to try to take you down with them.
This reminds me of the Christian Life.
The Christian life is not a simple walk in the park, because we are surrounded on all sides by many people who reject the truth of the Christian faith. But remember, that we are given power and authority over the devil, and all those who follow Him. This world is a wicked place, and we must actively strive against sin, as we race for the finish line of eternal life.
Hebrews 12 ¹ Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, ² Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. ³ For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds.
⁴ Ye have not yet resisted unto blood, striving against sin.
Those who take a stand against sin, are going to enter into some type of persecution. In a world that is filled with lies, those who preach the truth in Christ will always meet some type of opposition. But like soldiers on a battlefield, we must endure all the way to the end.
“Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.” 2 Timothy 2:3
2 Timothy 3 ⁸ Now as Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses, so do these also resist the truth: men of corrupt minds, reprobate concerning the faith. ⁹ But they shall proceed no further: for their folly shall be manifest unto all men, as theirs also was.
Many people will begin the Christian Life, but won’t be able to complete it. One of the main reasons is because the preaching of the Gospel brings on hatred by the impenitent. Many people in this dark world do not want to hear the message of repentance, and will revile those who preach it. Rather than accept this as a normal response from those who are living in sin, some will get offended. They don’t want to be hated. They don’t want to be disliked by others. They want everybody to love them and get along with each other. At that point, they love the world more than the teachings of Christ.
Matthew 13 ²⁰ But he that received the seed into stony places, the same is he that heareth the word, and anon with joy receiveth it; ²¹ Yet hath he not root in himself, but dureth for a while: for when tribulation or persecution ariseth because of the word, by and by he is offended.
Those who are ashamed of the truth, are not worthy of God.
“Whosoever therefore shall be ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation; of him also shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he cometh in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.” Mark 8:38
True men of God are never ashamed of biblical truth. It is the road to salvation, not only for us, but all those who believe and repent of sin.
“For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.” Romans 10:11
To beset, means to be attacked on all sides, just like an invading army who surrounds a castle. The path that we must run is surrounded on both sides by many people who refuse to repent. They hate the message of Christ, along with those who preach it. Because of this, they will cast out your name as evil, and falsely accuse you. They will spread lies about you, and even betray you. Personally, this has been going on in my own life since the first year I became a believer. Many times, those on the sidelines will be your own wicked relatives, or even a spouse who desires to see you suffer. When I first began preaching the gospel my own mother called me the devil, but she attended a church that ordains homosexuals, while she preached from a lectern. I have no mother. To finish this race, we must endure the afflictions of the Gospel out of love for Christ Jesus and His Word, with the understanding that God will deliver His servants out of the hand of the wicked.
Psalms 34 ⁶ This poor man cried, and the LORD heard him, and saved him out of all his troubles. ⁷ The angel of the LORD encampeth round about them that fear him, and delivereth them.
Even today, God will pour out his wrath against those who cause His servants to suffer.
“And the LORD thy God will put all these curses upon thine enemies, and on them that hate thee, which persecuted thee.” Deuteronomy 30:7
When we patiently suffer, God will avenge and deliver us.
“Be not thou therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me his prisoner: but be thou partaker of the afflictions of the gospel according to the power of God;” 2 Timothy 1:8
“Many are the afflictions of the righteous: but the LORD delivereth him out of them all.” Psalms 34:19
Timothy knew Paul very well, and had first-hand knowledge of all the evil that people had done to him.
2 Timothy 3 ¹⁰ But thou hast fully known my doctrine, manner of life, purpose, faith, longsuffering, charity, patience, ¹¹ 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.
¹² Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.
We must learn to embrace hatred, because Jesus was persecuted preaching the truth.
“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.” John 15:20
The Christian life is not going to be smooth sailing, and is definitely not going to be a walk in the park. It is strewn with potholes and other entanglements, designed by the wicked to knock you down. Like I said already, a lot of them are false Christians who are damned already, and they hate knowing the judgment that is coming upon them.
Get ready to be hated, by your spouse, by your friends, and by your own relatives. When you turn to the truth in Christ, many will turn on you. Jesus endured such contradictions of sinners against himself, and we must endure the same in order to complete the race that is set before us. Are you ready to run? Are you ready to deal with everybody’s dirty tricks? Will you patiently wait for God’s deliverance, in order to finally win,….
……The Marathon
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 all, and Lord willing, we will talk with you some more tomorrow. Till then, bye bye everybody.♥️
Teufer Lake King James Bible Church 