Expect Persecution
Message 16 – Expect Persecution (Part 2) What Causes it? Matthew 10: 16-39; John 15: 18 – 16: 4; 1 Peter 4: 12-16 INTRODUCTION: Last Sunday we introduced this section on persecution by answering the question WHAT IS IT? We also talked about some of the basic causes (WHAT CAUSES IT?) of persecution that Jesus explained in John 15: 18-16: 4. To summarize what Jesus taught we would say that persecution comes because (1) The world hates God the Father (2) The world also hates His Son, Jesus; (3) The world also hates anybody who joins the family of God (believers) (John 15: 18-19, 23). Due to the length of this section, we will take only the first point in the outline: THE BOOK ON PERSECUTION. Understand the setting of those receiving Peter’s letter: When Rome burned, Nero blamed the Christians. It is believed Nero burned Rome, but blamed the Christians to deflect the blame to them. They were already hated, so Nero had an easy target in the Christians. Persecution spread from Rome to the area Peter targeted in his letter (1: 1). Persecution was escalating throughout the Roman Empire. Peter writes to: ● Teach them how to live victoriously ● Not lose hope ● Not becoming bitter ● Trust the Lord ● Looking for His second coming The MacArthur Bible Commentary by John MacArthur, p. 1901 1 Peter 4: 12-16 HCSB 12 Dear friends, don’t be surprised when the fiery ordeal comes among you to test you as if something unusual were happening to you.
13 Instead, rejoice as you share in the sufferings of the Messiah, so that you may also rejoice with great joy at the revelation of His glory. 14 If you are ridiculed for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you. 15 None of you, however, should suffer as a murderer, a thief, an evildoer, or a meddler. 16 But if anyone suffers as a “Christian,” he should not be ashamed but should glorify God in having that name.
I. THE BOOK ON PERSECUTION NOTE: Persecution is a major subject in the Bible – From Genesis to Revelation. A. It has been a common occurrence in the past (Bible and church history) 1. Cain and Abel (Genesis 4) 2. Joseph (Brothers sell him to Egyptians) (Genesis 37) 3. Old Testament prophets (Matt. 5: 12; James 5: 10) Matthew 5: 12 HCSB 12 Be glad and rejoice, because your reward is great in heaven. For that is how they persecuted the prophets who were before you. James 5: 10 HCSB 10 Brothers, take the prophets who spoke in the Lord’s name as an example of suffering and patience. 4. Jesus – Persecuted and martyred. 5. The church in Acts a. Chapter 3 – Peter and John heal a crippled man at the temple – crowd gathers – Peter preaches. b. Chapter 4 – Jewish leaders show up – arrest Peter and John – c. Chapter 5 – Apostles arrested and jailed
d. Chapter 7 – Stephen – the first Christian martyr e. Chapter 8 – Saul leads intense persecution against the church and the church is scattered (Acts 8: 1) f. Paul (Converted in Chapter 9( (In 2 Corinthians 11: 23-27 he defends himself and lists the sufferings he had endured for the gospel. 6. Bible Heroes: The writer of Hebrews gives us a short description of their sufferings. (Hebrews 11: 35-38) Hebrews 11: 35-38 HCSB 35 Women received their dead—they were raised to life again. Some men were tortured, not accepting release, so that they might gain a better resurrection, 36 and others experienced mockings and scourgings, as well as bonds and imprisonment. 37 They were stoned, they were sawed in two, they died by the sword, they wandered about in sheepskins, in goatskins, destitute, afflicted, and mistreated. 38 The world was not worthy of them. They wandered in deserts and on mountains, hiding in caves and holes in the ground.
II. WHAT CAUSES IT? IT’S ALL ABOUT THE WORLD! A. The world hates God the Father and Jesus His Son (John 15: 18, 23) What do we mean by the world? It is a term that we “throw around” in church but may not fully understand. 18 “If the world hates you, understand that it hated Me before it hated you. 23 The one who hates Me also hates My Father.
B. We (believers) are hated us also because we are related to God and Jesus (Feuding families hate all members of the opposing families – Hatfields and McCoys) (John 15: 18b-20) 18 “If the world hates you, understand that it hated Me before it hated you. 19 If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own. However, because you are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of it, the world hates you. 20 Remember the word I spoke to you: ‘A slave is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you. If they kept My word, they will also keep yours. C. Because of righteousness (Matthew 5: 10) Matthew 5: 10 HCSB 10 Those who are persecuted for righteousness are blessed, for the kingdom of heaven is theirs. D. Because we are not of this world (John 15: 19b) John 15: 19b HCSB 19 If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own. However, because you are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of it, the world hates you. 1. Defining “the world.” 2. Commanded not to love the world (1 John 2: 15-17) 1 John 2: 15-17 HCSB 15 Do not love the world or the things that belong to the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in him. 16 For everything that belongs to the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride in one’s lifestyle—is not from the Father, but is from the world. 17 And the world with its lust is passing away, but the one who does God’s will remains forever.
E. Jesus came to bring a sword, not peace (division) (Matthew 10: 34-36) Matthew 10: 34-36 HCSB 34 Don’t assume that I came to bring peace on the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword. 35 For I came to turn a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law; 36 and a man’s enemies will be the members of his household.
II. WHAT DOES IT LOOK LIKE? A. Civil (governmental) persecution (Matthew 10: 18) Matthew 10: 18 HCSB 18 You will even be brought before governors and kings because of Me, to bear witness to them and to the nations. B. Familial (Divided families) (Matthew 10: 21-22) NOTE: Cain and Abel Matthew 10: 21-22 HCSB 21 “Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child. Children will even rise up against their parents and have them put to death. 22 You will be hated by everyone because of My name. But the one who endures to the end will be delivered. C. Religious persecution (synagogues and churches) (John 16: 2) John 16: 2 HCSB 2 They will ban you from the synagogues. In fact, a time is coming when anyone who kills you will think he is offering service to God.
13 Instead, rejoice as you share in the sufferings of the Messiah, so that you may also rejoice with great joy at the revelation of His glory. 14 If you are ridiculed for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you. 15 None of you, however, should suffer as a murderer, a thief, an evildoer, or a meddler. 16 But if anyone suffers as a “Christian,” he should not be ashamed but should glorify God in having that name.
I. THE BOOK ON PERSECUTION NOTE: Persecution is a major subject in the Bible – From Genesis to Revelation. A. It has been a common occurrence in the past (Bible and church history) 1. Cain and Abel (Genesis 4) 2. Joseph (Brothers sell him to Egyptians) (Genesis 37) 3. Old Testament prophets (Matt. 5: 12; James 5: 10) Matthew 5: 12 HCSB 12 Be glad and rejoice, because your reward is great in heaven. For that is how they persecuted the prophets who were before you. James 5: 10 HCSB 10 Brothers, take the prophets who spoke in the Lord’s name as an example of suffering and patience. 4. Jesus – Persecuted and martyred. 5. The church in Acts a. Chapter 3 – Peter and John heal a crippled man at the temple – crowd gathers – Peter preaches. b. Chapter 4 – Jewish leaders show up – arrest Peter and John – c. Chapter 5 – Apostles arrested and jailed
d. Chapter 7 – Stephen – the first Christian martyr e. Chapter 8 – Saul leads intense persecution against the church and the church is scattered (Acts 8: 1) f. Paul (Converted in Chapter 9( (In 2 Corinthians 11: 23-27 he defends himself and lists the sufferings he had endured for the gospel. 6. Bible Heroes: The writer of Hebrews gives us a short description of their sufferings. (Hebrews 11: 35-38) Hebrews 11: 35-38 HCSB 35 Women received their dead—they were raised to life again. Some men were tortured, not accepting release, so that they might gain a better resurrection, 36 and others experienced mockings and scourgings, as well as bonds and imprisonment. 37 They were stoned, they were sawed in two, they died by the sword, they wandered about in sheepskins, in goatskins, destitute, afflicted, and mistreated. 38 The world was not worthy of them. They wandered in deserts and on mountains, hiding in caves and holes in the ground.
II. WHAT CAUSES IT? IT’S ALL ABOUT THE WORLD! A. The world hates God the Father and Jesus His Son (John 15: 18, 23) What do we mean by the world? It is a term that we “throw around” in church but may not fully understand. 18 “If the world hates you, understand that it hated Me before it hated you. 23 The one who hates Me also hates My Father.
B. We (believers) are hated us also because we are related to God and Jesus (Feuding families hate all members of the opposing families – Hatfields and McCoys) (John 15: 18b-20) 18 “If the world hates you, understand that it hated Me before it hated you. 19 If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own. However, because you are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of it, the world hates you. 20 Remember the word I spoke to you: ‘A slave is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you. If they kept My word, they will also keep yours. C. Because of righteousness (Matthew 5: 10) Matthew 5: 10 HCSB 10 Those who are persecuted for righteousness are blessed, for the kingdom of heaven is theirs. D. Because we are not of this world (John 15: 19b) John 15: 19b HCSB 19 If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own. However, because you are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of it, the world hates you. 1. Defining “the world.” 2. Commanded not to love the world (1 John 2: 15-17) 1 John 2: 15-17 HCSB 15 Do not love the world or the things that belong to the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in him. 16 For everything that belongs to the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride in one’s lifestyle—is not from the Father, but is from the world. 17 And the world with its lust is passing away, but the one who does God’s will remains forever.
E. Jesus came to bring a sword, not peace (division) (Matthew 10: 34-36) Matthew 10: 34-36 HCSB 34 Don’t assume that I came to bring peace on the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword. 35 For I came to turn a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law; 36 and a man’s enemies will be the members of his household.
II. WHAT DOES IT LOOK LIKE? A. Civil (governmental) persecution (Matthew 10: 18) Matthew 10: 18 HCSB 18 You will even be brought before governors and kings because of Me, to bear witness to them and to the nations. B. Familial (Divided families) (Matthew 10: 21-22) NOTE: Cain and Abel Matthew 10: 21-22 HCSB 21 “Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child. Children will even rise up against their parents and have them put to death. 22 You will be hated by everyone because of My name. But the one who endures to the end will be delivered. C. Religious persecution (synagogues and churches) (John 16: 2) John 16: 2 HCSB 2 They will ban you from the synagogues. In fact, a time is coming when anyone who kills you will think he is offering service to God.
