How Do We Handle Persecution? - Part 2

Today on Fellowship in the Word pastor Bill Gebhardt challenges you to become a fully functioning follower of Jesus Christ. That's his purpose.

I will have purposes and eventually I guess we'll have to just jump.

He was born.

That was the point when he started his ministry. John the Baptist said what behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world. That's who he is.

He was predestined to dine across. So why did he die on the cross.

You think Herod or Pilate of the Sanhedrin or the Gentiles could do it without God's consent.

No computers and I'm I think the Lord I just want to thank you you are a sovereign loving God that we need to do is joining us today on this additional Fellowship in the Word pastor Bill Gebhardt Fellowship in the Words the radio ministry of Fellowship Bible church located in Metairie, Louisiana Pastor Bill Gebhardt now is again he shows us how God's word meets our world, have a history of bravery with the crucifixion on another point in the night before Heidi is strong. Now he wasn't memory did three denials and he denied to who to the Sanhedrin.

Note the servant girls three times and the third time he curses.

I never knew that blankety-blank what coward is just like a coward. You anything that you want the name I tell you the name Jesus. Wait a minute you don't misunderstand the Nazarene. Now they know you see this I did. This is just yes or why this is Jesus the Nazarene all by the way who you crucified.

You think you want to tell the high priest in the Sanhedrin, a crucified. You see, they don't like this idea or Sagal us want to tell you that notice how aggressive he is who you crucified, and then God raise the dead.

He said by this name. This guy's dancer in good health and he does this he said he is the stone which was rejected by you, the builders, by which he said became the chief cornerstone, that is Jesus. He quote Scripture to them that hate this is because the scribes and Sadducees. There expert on the Old Testament he quote Psalm 118 oh by the way, you know, when the Psalmist says that the he's going to come this don't you reject to become the chief cornerstone. That's what you did when you rejected him. This is unbelievable courage on his part. Then it gets even narrower. He says this and there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved. While that's amazing when you think about there no other name you don't believe in Jesus and I saved and you never will be. That's what his tone he stonewalled by the Wayland your lost, there is no other name given among men, why would Peter say that within Jesus say in John. I am the way the truth and the life. No one will come to the father but through me, not some of you will. No one will seek one of the problems were having in our culture now as Christians in one of the reasons were going to be persecuted so simple Christianity is exclusive because we made an exclusive, but because the Lord made it exclusive. You see we live in an we have an exclusive faith in an inclusive culture and so our culture just hates it are called disbelievers pluralism.

That's what the culture believes how many roads lead to heaven all they all need to heaven. Everyone does matter what you believe as long as you believe everybody gets to go. All roads lead to the same place.

That's our culture you say no that's not right within your hater see in this culture, your hater that your senior ways.

The only way you misunderstood.

I wouldn't say I'm not saying my ways. The only way my Lord said, his way is the only way I said that once the professor at University Pittsburgh. He said I was being too exclusive and I said I would never be exclusive whom I the Lord Jesus Christ is nice that I am the way the truth and the life basis.

So if you have a problem you have it with him taken up with him.

Don't take don't say it's what I'm saying. I'm not saying that at all but see we live in a culture that says now that Christianity is too narrow.

Jesus does say that in a way but he said there's only two religions in the world that the Jesus one is broad. He said broad is the way that leads to destruction, and many people find it. Most people find it narrow is the gate that leads to life and only if, you will find that's Jesus speaking that's not me speaking this and for up to me. I just let everybody in our right.

But I'm not God that work like that so that's what ends up happening here with Peter he says is no other name you can give. This is the way that it exactly has, to be. It says, then now as they observed with confidence of Peter and John and understood that they were uneducated and untrained men, they were amazed and they began to recognize and hate this guys with Jesus, I love this, they noticed they were uneducated and untrained. The exact opposite of ascendancy was highly educated, see Sadducees are educated at Harvard. These boys are from the Ozarks to see the baby.

Who are these guys heavy accent, Galilean, uneducated and standing up in the temple and the preaching didn't have any credentials listening to love to do that but there still a problem there was a guideline for 40 years and is now walking what we do. Everybody and that everybody on the Temple knows the guy. And so now they have this dilemma. Notice they are amazed, but are not saved to be amazed by Jesus but not saved in the well so you Peter sees this as an opportunity to confront them with the gospel. They would never come to hear Peter speak anywhere but they brought him and him he's going to have to sent say what he believes, fourthly, be obedient to God at all costs. Watch what happens and seeing the man who had been healed standing with them, then nothing to say in reply to what you can't say it's not a miracle.

He's not really stand standing. He is standing and everybody knows he standing and everybody knew for 40 years. He never stood so you can say that that's a problem. It says that when they had ordered them to leave the Council, they began to confer with one another, they said, what shall we do with these men for the fact of a noteworthy America was taken place through them and is apparent to all who live in Jerusalem can't deny it, but so that it will not spread any further among the people. Let's warn them to speak no longer about it. He says no longer to any man.

His name that's what no more talking about Jesus. It's it's kind of funny you what I think they expected them to comply. Sanhedrin is used to dictating orders and everyone listens to know more talking about Jesus.

And when they had summoned them, they commanded them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus put Peter and John answered and said I whether it's right in the sight of God, to give heed to you or AE said, rather than the God.

How might you be the judge that okay okay who should we listen to you, or God not you decide should we listen to God OSHA we listen to you. I mean this is a insulting place to be having a standard say listen to me, not the God he said, you decide. So Peter just confronted again.

He knew that there be some very fertile form and he says then after they do that. He said you be the judge. For we cannot stop speaking about what we have seen and heard. This is the first clue we saw Jesus we heard Jesus. We can't stop speaking about the way we saw and resurrected from the dead. She wanted Peter get all his courage from some resurrected from the dead. While you think the change of conviction any it changed all the errors some resurrected in the you walk right through a wall should peace be with you so you think I might be threatened by you, I will lose my conviction about him. I'm not so they say that and he says when they had threatened them further.

Some more threats they let them go. Finding no basis on which the punishment know why they let him go on account of the people.

Now they know the have an insurrection. How many people are on their know that man was an invalid for 40 years. Everybody how many know we standing right in front of Mao everybody so they going to get blamed for this incident, Sadducees, and the priests.

He said because they were all glorifying God for what happened. The people going well. Look at this man asked 40 years ago was one.

He said for the man was more than 40 years old from the miracle of the healing have been so there was nothing they could do well that's kind of an interesting thing now what happens next. Peter and John go right to the body of believers. They go right back to fellow Christians and want to tell them what happened, why would they want to tone to encourage and they know both of them know this is just the beginning of persecution going to get a lot worse than it did, but we want to tell you what happened says when they had been released. They went to their own companions and reported all that the chief priests and elders had said to them, and here we are, that would be encouraging right up till now this is surprise you a little when you think of these three Turkish believers in a Muslim country. What happened to them. They have their throats right what happened to the Lord. When the Jesus they mocked him, spit on him, slapped them Ron put a crown of thorns on amount across a dead but it didn't happen here.

Why, why didn't happen here. Well, the school and see verse 24 and when they heard this, they lifted their voices the God with one accord, and said, oh Lord. He said it is you who made heaven and earth and the sea and all that is in them, who by the Holy Spirit through the mouth of our father David, your servant said why did the Gentiles rage and the peoples devise futile things the kings of the earth took their stand and the rulers were gathered together, and against the Lord and against his Christ. Now the back pulling the Old Testament and the Psalms again to the point what's what's this have to do with it. He said God's people always been persecuted always, even when their name was Israel always that's why it says and that Psalms you know why the people futile in their thinking was the one of the Gentiles in an upper what's going on will think about it this way. Jesus said this your reason for me what your dancing that your choice before Morgan's them is up to you. That's always going to be that way the people in this world for Jesus and more people in this world, against Jesus and eventually when they can.

The people against Jesus to persecute the people were for Jesus and that's exactly what's going to happen here where smaller and smaller minority all the time in the United States know oneself. He said for truly, in this city there were gathered together against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed, both Herod Pontius Pilate and with the Gentiles and the peoples of Israel. So who was against Jesus and Israel well is is a material Herod was against them. Pontius Pilate was against them. The Gentiles were against him and the people of Israel were against everybody was against. He says to do that were going to do whatever your hand in your purpose predestined to occur. So why was Jesus crucified because he was predestined because you see why Peter and John gone free because her predestined at this time to go free. By the way of the 12 disciples 11 a more martyred, including Peter, Chauncey, only one wasn't. They all died but is pointed is trying to make is that something God. You see, that's up to God to decide. I say this every Christmas been there was a Mary had a Little Lamb. Think of this.

This child was born to die. That's his purpose in life. I will have purposes and eventually I guess we'll have to die. Not this job.

He was born to die. That was the point when he started his ministry. John the Baptist said what behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world. That's who he is. He was predestined to dine across.

So why did he die on the cross. You think Herod or Pilate or the Sanhedrin or the Gentiles could do it without God's consent. No computers that I want to thank you Lord. I just want to thank you you are a sovereign loving God using them to give you thanks for that, and that's what the point is he thanks God for being sovereign and for loving that's what we need to do as well and then the last one verse 29, and now Lord, take note of their threats and grant that your bond servants may speak your word with all confidence while you extend your hand to heal and signs and wonders take place through the name of your holy servant Jesus.

And when they had prayed, the place where they were gathered were shaken just like an ax to know what and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak the word of God with boldness is so often missing in today's culture, especially among modern Pentecost. Why what did the Pentecost say all the time. In acts chapter 2, the Holy Spirit moved into the room.

If you remember, and a all began to speak in what times and that's the baptism the Holy Spirit that proves I don't know if that proves it all because notice here the same thing happens it says and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak the word of God with boldness. I still remember one woman in Plano Texas runs a student seminary, and she was always having this dilemma but she said to me, I gotta tell you just messed up on my thinking because she said I been coming to your Bible study for a long time and she said I been. I've learned more about Christ than the word of God that I've ever known in my life and she said, and not only have you not been baptized in the Holy Ghost, and spoken in tongues you deny it. You see, I would never do that. I said well so I can still be first filled with the spirit of God right just playing with her and she said how could you say that I said I just quoted the first or it says that if you're filled with the Holy Spirit of God, you speak the word with boldness dry speak the word with boldness but see we said no, no, it's got have experience of that's not true. People, that's not true, you and I can speak the word of God with boldness in this group.

The whole group got a boldness shot.

I guess a boldness vaccine if you will. You see, they all got it so that they could do it when the time is needed. That's the way this works.

So what you end up seeing here is that you see all of this sort of working together, be submissive, be dependent on the Holy Spirit, be a good, aggressive, and sees an opportunity to share the gospel. Be obedient to God at all cost be committed to the other believers. Be thankful to a loving and sovereign God and be dependent on God for more opportunities and boldness to speak. Persecutions coming in summer you are going to try to decide. Can I avoid it for a while I tell you how do nothing for the Lord and say nothing about you see just blend in, just blend in your office. Blend in your neighborhood blind in your vamp just blend in and don't say anything in a work. Dogs don't bark. I parked cars given notice that car has to be moving in metal how do you park your spirituality and it will bark at you for a while but eventually they may see, that's the point we can to avoid it. We can embrace it. So what should I do I should do what the disciples did live in the presence of Christ.

I mean if you want to know something. If you want to be bold tomorrow.

Just be with Jesus today spend every day with him focus on his grace that was in his words talk and pray with him. You see, the whole idea is that your relationship now with grace to make a difference when you persecuted. That's where your boldness will come from Peter, understood this, he wrote in his own epistle how to respond to persecution first Peter three and a read Eugene Peterson's paraphrase, because it's so pointed he writes this Peter said don't give the opposition a second thought through thick and thin. Keep your hearts at attention in adoration before Jesus your master, be ready to speak up until anyone will ask you why you're living the way you are and always do it with utmost courtesy. That's is a summation of what happened next. Peterson yeah that's the way we should act as still as true all over the world today's visit was then the final sample was a Chinese believer name zoo young high and he's a Christian living in a communist China, he decided in order to try to help the cause. He went to the government and asked the government if they would legalize house churches. Their answer was pretty simple. They locked them in abusing prison and it turned out for 24 months, but where they locked him up was the place. But we did we would call death row. That's what they put it says his cell was 8' x 8' had no no Windows no door with a window in a very dim light thought it had a hole in the corner in the concrete that's and sometimes it would back up and go over the floor.

That was the only drainage system and anyway he said my cell happened to be a last stop for prisoners who were sentenced to die. He said at times there were as many as three other prisoners in the tiny damp room that I lived in all them awaiting their date with the executioner young guy survived, though, and asked him how did you survive this will first of all, because God wanted him to.

He thought for sure he was there to be executed there told him, but he said I survive through prayer and meditation in writing on the walls of my cell. He wrote the major points for a book about God on his walls. He did it with a bar soap can imagine Chinese in a bar soap on dark prison wall, but he did it once he finished he committed all those thoughts to memory and upon his release, he turned, he turned his prison thoughts into a 50,000 word book called God the creator. He wrote the book is like Peter and John young deteriorated in the presence of Jesus, and he found strength and courage always comes when we spend time in the Lord's presence.

See the three men in Turkey gave your life. This Chinese believer set there to be executed was spared. All because of a loving God who is sovereign over everything.

So the question comes down will I be bold tomorrow and the only answer and I know God's grace is sufficient when the time comes, but the only way you could have any answer always what your relationship like today with Jesus because how you would react with Jesus today is how bold you will be if your time comes. Spring father persecution, something we don't like to think about, but I think it's time we do here because it's coming and it's okay every time there has been persecution.

The church is grown anywhere in the world at the persecution exist.

Even the early church with all of the desks and all the persecution one the Roman Empire over to Jesus Christ territory in the church father said that the seed of the church is the blood of the martyrs and it's a true fact ensuing perk persecution comes our way.

I pray were prepared and prepared to have a bold speech and a piece beyond all understanding. As we serve our risen as fast you broke apart on the radio ministry of fellowship in the world.

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