Preparing for Persecution
A couple of years ago we had a bad wind storm and afterward, as Jenny and I walked around our block we saw where a huge tree had fallen on top of a neighbor’s van. The van looked like a new one, but it was totaled by the tree. There were lots of other big trees in the yard still standing and doing fine, but one thing was different. The tree that blew down was hollow. The center had rotted away. The heart was gone. It couldn’t stand in the high wind.
Faith is like this. Genuine Christian faith is more than a shell of performance. We need a heart full of hope in Jesus Christ. A core of conviction about the love of God. If we have a hollow faith, the winds of the world will blow us away. We can’t stand in the high wind.
I believe that there is a coming persecution that will test the core of our faith. Are you prepared? Do you have a faith that will not shrink back when faced with trials and troubles? God wants you to stand firm and he will help you. He will fill your life so that when the day of testing comes you can stand, but you and I must look to God and listen to his word and learn from him and live in his will and love with his love to be prepared.
1 Peter is a letter about handling hard hits from the host of hell while holding on to heavenly hopes in the strength of the Lord.
Right in the middle of this letter from Peter is our scripture reading for today. Sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready to make a defense (give an answer) to anyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and reverence.
In light of the rest of this letter, this verse is loaded with helpful instruction for God’s people who are preparing for persecution because of their faith.
Jesus had said in the sermon on the mount, Matt. 5:10 Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness sake for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Then he commented on that beatitude with these words: 11-12 Blessed are you when people insult you and persecute you and say all kinds of evil against you falsely because of Me. Rejoice and be glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
Those are Jesus words, but back to 1 Peter. The context of 1 Peter 3:15 is not that someone is watching how you live for Christ and is attracted to it so that they ask, “What makes you different? I want to be like that.” Look at verse 16… you are slandered, your good behavior is reviled… What does that sound like? That’s not an attraction. It sounds more like this:
How dare you say that homosexuality is a sin!
How dare you fight against a woman’s right to an abortion!
How dare you say that Christianity is the only true religion!
Who do you think you are? Why do you think such narrow minded, bigoted, fanatic things? Where do you get such hateful ideas?
Does any of that sound familiar?
Peter says, when someone approaches you like that, be ready to give the reason for your hope, but be careful! Answer with gentleness and reverence! Don’t get caught up into a quarrel and fight.
How do you handle it when someone mocks you or makes fun of you? Are you the type that blows up and has to have the last word? Or are you strong enough in Christ to bless those who curse you, as Jesus said in Luke 6:28? Or as Paul said in Romans 12:14 Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse.
How do you handle argumentative people who want to poke holes in your faith?
Paul told Timothy: 2 Tim 2:23 Don’t have anything to do with foolish and stupid arguments, because you know they produce quarrels. 24 And the Lord’s servant must not quarrel; instead, he must be kind to everyone, able to teach, not resentful. 25 Those who oppose him he must gently instruct, in the hope that God will grant them repentance leading them to a knowledge of the truth, 26 and that they will come to their senses and escape from the trap of the devil, who has taken them captive to do his will.
3:1 But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. 2 People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, 3 without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, 4 treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God-- 5 having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with them.
Doesn’t that sound just like today?
Let me try to blow away a myth that is often said to be the case about Christians during the New Testament times. I have often heard from preachers that the early Christians were in constant danger of losing their lives and always had to hide to worship. They were constantly being arrested and killed for the faith that they held in Christ. While it is true that there were times and places where the early church faced horrible persecution, Christianity was actually an amazingly popular religion in the first century, it spread like a wildfire from Jerusalem to Rome and to the known world. In fact, most of the worst persecutions took place after the New Testament was written. There are only a handful of martyrs mentioned in the New Testament. Stephen in Acts 7, which is followed by the persecution led by Saul of Tarsus in Acts 8-9. Later we read of the apostle James’ death by Herod in Acts 12:1-2, which is also followed by Peter’s rescue from death in the same chapter. After Saul’s conversion, he is so on fire for Christ that he upsets people everywhere he goes. Paul is a one man mission force who’s amazing energy and brilliant mind were none other than inspired by God. He is a rare sight in the New Testament, hand picked by Jesus for his life’s work. His attitude about hardship is exemplary.
Listen to his words when he is faced with danger and persecution: Acts 20: 22 "And now, compelled by the Spirit, I am going to Jerusalem, not knowing what will happen to me there. 23 I only know that in every city the Holy Spirit warns me that prison and hardships are facing me. 24 However, I consider my life worth nothing to me, if only I may finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me--the task of testifying to the gospel of God’s grace. 25 "Now I know that none of you among whom I have gone about preaching the kingdom will ever see me again.
In the next chapter, while Paul is in Caesarea, a prophet comes and warns Paul of the trouble that awaits him when he gets to Jerusalem. All the traveling companions then try to stop him from going.
Acts 21: 12 When we heard this, we and the people there pleaded with Paul not to go up to Jerusalem. 13 Then Paul answered, "Why are you weeping and breaking my heart? I am ready not only to be bound, but also to die in Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus."
Here’s Paul, “Persecution? Bring it on!” He said, for me to live is Christ, to die is gain!
Here is a man prepared for persecution. He has been through it ever since he obeyed the gospel and he continues to face persecution until he is killed in Rome. How did he get that way? The Bible shows us that Paul didn’t just go to church to worship, he went to work for Jesus in service and evangelism. He exercised his faith and God strengthened him.
What about us, here in the Signal Mountain Church of Christ? Are you and I prepared to stand if the wind of trouble comes and persecution breaks out? Is your faith solid and firm or hollow and heartless?
A strong faith is built on the word of God and the work of service in his kingdom. The exercise of practicing the Words of Jesus Christ is like building a house on a solid foundation. Jesus said, “Whoever hears these words of mine and puts them into practice… KJV doeth them. He is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The winds blew and the floods came and beat against that house, and it stood firm. But whoever hears these words of mine and doeth them not, or does not put them into practice, he is like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. The winds blew and the floods came and beat against that house and it fell with a great crash!
Don’t just come to church and hear the word of God, go forth and do what he tells you to do. Visit the sick, care for the needy, pray with those who are struggling, share your faith in Jesus Christ with each other, open the Bible at home with your family and speak the gospel to those lost in sin. Whatever you do in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord, Jesus Christ, giving thanks to God the father through him! Exercise your faith with works of service in Jesus name. God will strengthen your faith and prepare you for whatever comes so that you can stand!
