Sermon Info
Summary
Not all difficulty is persecution. Jesus said that in this world, we are guaranteed trouble. He also said that we should take heart and have peace because He overcame this world. The way that Christ described “suffering for His namesake” may haunt you, but know that it’s one of the indicators that you are where you need to be doing what you need to be doing. If you aren’t facing some sort of opposition, you may not be heading in the right direction. If you are enduring hostility because of your faith in Jesus, that’s persecution. Don’t let it make you afraid and retreat. Don’t let it make you hostile yourself and risk doing more damage. Let it lead you, like Paul, to keep speaking boldly about Jesus and demonstrating what it’s like to live a life trusting completely in Him.
Content
Believers in Jesus are called to live life (like Jesus) on an evangelistic rescue mission.
For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost. Luke 19:10
One part of our problem is that we don’t have a pattern and we’re out of practice.
At Iconium Paul and Barnabas went as usual into the Jewish synagogue. Acts 14:1
The other part is that the center of God’s will is always met with resistance.
There they spoke so effectively that a great number of Jews and Greeks believed. But the Jews who refused to believe stirred up the other Gentiles and poisoned their minds against the brothers. Acts 14:1b-2
So how do we respond?
Persecution made Paul persevere.
So Paul and Barnabas spent considerable time there, speaking boldly for the Lord, who confirmed the message of His grace by enabling them to perform signs and wonders. The people of the city were divided; some sided with the Jews, others with the apostles. There was a plot afoot among both Gentiles and Jews, together with their leaders, to mistreat them and stone them. But they found out about it and fled to the Lycaonian cities of Lystra and Derbe and to the surrounding country, where they continued to preach the Gospel. Acts 14:3-7
Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. Romans 5:3-4
We shouldn’t be surprised or stayed when we face difficulty for Jesus. He warned us.
Then He said to them, “Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be great earthquakes, and in various places famines and pestilences. And there will be terrors and great signs from heaven. But before all this they will lay their hands on you and persecute you, delivering you up to the synagogues and prisons, and you will be brought before kings and governors for my name's sake. This will be your opportunity to bear witness. Settle it therefore in your minds not to meditate beforehand how to answer, for I will give you a mouth and wisdom, which none of your adversaries will be able to withstand or contradict. You will be delivered up even by parents and brothers and relatives and friends, and some of you they will put to death. You will be hated by all for my name's sake.” Luke 21:10-17
Sometimes difficulty comes in the form of persecution. Other times, it’s pressure.
Even with these words, they had difficulty keeping the crowd from sacrificing to them. Then some Jews came from Antioch and Iconium and won the crowd over. They stoned Paul and dragged him outside the city, thinking he was dead. Acts 14:18-19
Keep moving on mission. The point is always Jesus, no matter what we face.
But after the disciples had gathered around him, he got up and went back into the city. The next day he and Barnabas left for Derbe.They preached the gospel in that city and won a large number of disciples. Then they returned to Lystra, Iconium and Antioch, strengthening the disciples and encouraging them to remain true to the faith. “We must go through many hardships to enter the kingdom of God,” they said. Paul and Barnabas appointed elders for them in each church and, with prayer and fasting, committed them to the Lord, in whom they had put their trust. Acts 14:20-23
