OceanSide church of Christ

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PERSECUTION!  REALLY?

Victor M. Eskew

 

INTRODUCTION

 

A.    What if I were to say:  “Let’s talk about persecution?

1.      You might say:  “Persecution!  Really?”

2.      You might say:  “We don’t need a lesson on persecution.”

a.      We live in a free country.

b.      The very First Amendment states:  “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof…”

3.      You might say:  “We have need for a lot of other sermons instead of one on persecution.”

 

B.      Let’s read two verses:

1.      John 5:16a

 

And therefore did the Jews persecute Jesus, and sought to slay him…

 

2.      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…

 

a.      Jesus said that if He was persecuted, we will be persecuted.

1)      He was persecuted.

2)      This means we will be persecuted.

b.      Couple these thoughts with II Timothy 3:12.

 

Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.

 

C.     Persecution is a “fact” of the Christian life. 

1.      Sometimes it is on a personal level.

2.      At other times, it involves persecution of the entire church.

 

D.    Let’s talk about persecution in this lesson.  The title of our lesson is:  “Persecution!  Really?”

 

I.                   PERSECUTION OF GOD’S PEOPLE IS NOT SOMETHING NEW

 

A.    The prophets of old were persecuted (Acts 7:52a).

 

Which of the prophets have not your father’s persecuted?...

 

B.      The apostles were persecuted (Matt. 10:23a).

 

When they persecute you in this city, flee ye into another…

 

C.     We read specifically of Barnabas and Saul being persecuted (Acts 13:50).

 

But the Jews stirred up the devout and honourable women, and the chief men of the city, and raised persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and expelled them out of their coasts.

 

 

D.    The first century church was persecuted (Acts 8:1b).

 

And at that time there was a great persecution against the church which was at Jerusalem; and they were all scattered abroad throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles.

 

II.                PERSECUTION OF GOD’S PEOPLE CAN COME FROM MANY PLACES

 

A.    Family:  David was oppressed by his brother Eliab when he stood in faith against Goliath (I Sam. 17:28).

 

And Eliab his eldest brother heard when he spake unto the men; and Eliab’s anger was kindled against David, and he said, Why camest thou down hither?  and with whom hast thou left those few sheep in the wilderness?  I know thy pride, and the naughtiness of thine heart; for thou are come down that thou mightest see the battle.

 

B.      Friends

1.      David was betrayed by Ahithophel his chief counselor (II Sam. 15:31).

2.      Jesus was betrayed by one of His apostles, Judas (Matt. 26:14-16)

 

C.     Co-workers

 

D.    Company

 

E.      The worldly (John 15:19)

 

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.

 

F.      Other religious groups

1.      The Jews did not hesitate to persecute the church in the first century (Acts 6:12, 7:54, 57-59).

2.      Paul often admitted how he had persecuted the church (Acts 22:4; 26:11; I Cor. 15:9; Gal. 1:13; Phil 3:6).

 

For ye have heard of my conversation in time past in the Jews’ religion, how that beyond measure I persecuted the church of God, and wasted it.

 

G.     Governments:  In the first century, the Roman government was one of the main persecutors of the church.

1.      The first persecutions were by Nero after the Great Fire in Rome in A.D. 64.

2.      There were four major persecutions from then until the Edict of Milan in A.D. 313.

3.      There were many localized persecutions against Christians in various areas as well.

 

III.             PERSECUTION OF GOD’S PEOPLE CAN TAKE MANY FORMS

 

A.    Verbal persecution

1.      Types

a.      False charges

b.      Rebukes

c.       Mockings

2.      Matthew 5:11

 

Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake.

 

3.      Example:  Jesus (Matt. 27:41-44).

 

Likewise also the chief priest mocking him, with the scribes and elders, said, He saved others; himself he cannot save.  If he be the King of Israel, let him now come down from the cross, and we will believe him.  He trusted in God; let him deliver him now, if he will have him:  for he said, I am the Son of God.  The thieves also, which were crucified with him, cast the same in his teeth.

 

B.      Intimidation/Threats

1.      The persecutors attempt to strike fear into the hearts of Christians with their intimidations and threats.

2.      Example:  Peter and John were threatened (Acts 4:17).

 

But that it spread no further among the people, let us straitly threaten them, that they speak henceforth to no man in this name.

 

C.     Physical persecution

1.      Physical persecution can involve being cast into prison to having your life taken from you.

2.      In Acts 5:18, we read:  “And laid their hands on the apostles, and put them in the common prison.”

In Acts 5:40, we learn that they were beaten.

In Acts 7:57-60, Stephen is stoned to death.

 

D.    Financial persecution

1.      Fired from jobs

2.      Business regulated

3.      Assets frozen

4.      Heavy fines enacted

 

E.      Governmental persecution

1.      Monitoring and censoring one’s words and actions, esp. sermons and classes

2.      Higher taxes:  removing tax exempt status for churches

3.      Injustice in the court system

4.      Incarceration for religious beliefs

5.      Physical persecution and even death

 

IV.             REACTIONS OF GOD’S PEOPLE TOWARD PERSECUTION

 

A.    To be offended and leave the truth (Matt. 13:20-21).

 

But he that received the seed into stony places, the same is he that heareth the word, and anon with joy receiveth it; 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.

 

B.      To compromise so we do not have to suffer persecution (Gal. 6:12).

 

As many as desire to make a fair shew in the flesh, they constrain you to be circumcised; only lest they should suffer persecution for the cause of Christ.

 

C.     To rejoice (Matt. 5:11-12; I Cor. 4:12)

 

Bless 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.

 

1.      Two reasons to rejoice:

a.      Great is your reward in heaven.

b.      We are like the prophets who were persecuted before us.

2.      Example:  The apostles (Acts 5:41)

 

And they departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for his name.

 

CONCLUSION

 

A.    Let’s close with three verses.

 

B.      The first two we will put in comparison with each other.

1.      Matthew 5:10

 

Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness’ sake:  for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

 

NOTE:  We are blessed when we are persecuted.

2.      Matthew 5:44

 

But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them that despitefully use you, and persecute you.

 

NOTE:  We are to bless those who persecute us.

 

C.     II Corinthians 4:8-9

 

We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed.

 

1.      Yes, we will be persecuted.

2.      But, in our persecution, God will never, never forsake us.