Reacting to Ridicule

Why does the world love the Christians listen to Adrian Rogers why worldwide Christians.

I'll tell you why ridicule is a substitute for race last as a substitute for logic and reason is out of work for God is out of work for God is out of work for God tried to laugh as I work for God. Welcome to find a beloved pastor. The claimed Bible teacher Adrian Rogers once said, you know that there are many things lions all with her under ridicule. The book of Nehemiah tells the story of Nehemiah's return to his homeland, rebuild the fallen walls of Jerusalem in chapter 4, he and his team faced criticism for their work ridicule is one of the hardest things will face as believers the world doesn't believe that we can do what we been commissioned and empowered to do by Jesus when ridiculed, we ought to remember three things that Nehemiah did. If you have your Bible turned out a Nehemiah chapter 4 is Adrian Rogers shows us what to do when reacting to ridicule Bibles. Now in chapter 4 the first six verses of chapter 4. Now remember God's man. He's going back to his homeland back to Israel to Jerusalem to help the Jews to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem N disgrace in disrepair and we read here in chapter 4 verse one, but it came to pass, when Sambol heard that we build the wall. He was raw and great indignation and mop the Jew and he spake before his brethren in the Army of Samaria and said what do these people do. Will he fortify themselves.

Will they sacrifice will make an end in a day will they revived the stones out of the heaps of the rubbish which are burned not via the Ammonite was by him and he said, and I can just see old Caballo popping his knee as he says it still he shall even break down their stone wall and then Nehemiah speaks and he says God's findings and turn the reproach upon their own head and give them for a pray in the land of captivity and, not their iniquity or sin be blotted out from before the flood they revoked the two anger before the builders so built leave the wall and the wall was joined together under the hand thereof, for the people had on my work we speaking today on this subject.

Reacting to ridicule. Now the devil wants to stop any work for God and with God's people say let us arise and build all the host of hell say let us arise and drop them and you would be perhaps amazed to know that one of Satan's chief tools is ridicule that you think that ridicule is something we can just toss all but let me tell you something folks ridicule is one of the hardest things you ever face. As a Christian, did you know that. Did you know that there are men who can face a dental lions who will fall and whether under ridicule they read it when I remember as a young Christian myself that it was so hard for me when people would laugh at me for being a Christian I used.

If I work my way through college in one of the things that I did was work in the summertime construction jobs and and.I tried to witness to those men there that I work with. They found out I was a Christian family. God call me. You talk about having to take a ribbing and arrived and they would tell dirty jokes and cut their eyes over me to see if I was laughing or they would blaspheme God and they say something horrible or terrible about the Bible or sometimes bring several filthy pictures you know and try to pass them around all these things just go on and ready to "I love the Lord was hard to take hard to take some of you why you're Christian you imagine unsaved husband and he ridicules your faith and is probably the hardest persecution that you ever face that husband is the sum you guys in college, and a professor ridicules your faith in areas with an earned degree and he's a professor up there and he's mocking and making fun of you.

Sometimes these vessels have a way affecting out. Also Christians in the market. Some businessmen when you go out and you will go out of the ladies and and you will drink and you won't gambling you will do these other things they do and what you even think of to them.

When they land while ridicule is something else. Any true Christian is going to face some ridicule and if you are not facing ridicule.

Don't get too proud.

The service not better than his master, and they ridicule the Lord Jesus Christ going to ridicule you.

Why did they ridicule in this day look here. Nehemiah chapter 4 I want to notice the nature of the writ.

The first thing that ridicule was the feebleness of God's people notice in verse two and he spake before his brethren, and the Army of Samaria and said what do these people, Jews so they regular the feebleness of God's people and we are feeble people. If you look at it. According to Worldspan when the world measures things my numbers by size my prestige by finances and so forth and so Sambol is feeble people, feeble people, but don't you make a mistake different. If you're one of those was laughing, don't you measure Christianity by the size of the people. The Bible says God had chosen the weak things of this world to confound the wise and the mind and not many mighty, not many noble, are called, but we laughed at. Sometimes because of our feebleness and sometimes not only did they laugh at them because of the feebleness but I lack in them because of the futility of the task. Look at it again it says here in verse two.

Will they make an end in a day will they revived the stones out of the heaps of rubbish that are burned badly as they'll never do what they say they going to do it just can't be done. I got a secret folks. It may look like we have a few tasks we're going to win just market down. We are going to win, we cannot lose. We must prevail. Woodrow Wilson said I am rather temporarily lose with a cause that must ultimately succeed in temporarily succeed with a cause that must ultimately fail.

We will win and so they my only mark the feebleness they mark the futility. They also mark the foolishness of the faith look again in verse two is a sign. Now he's mocking their religion he's mocking is chapter 1 verse 18 for the preaching of the cross is to them. The parish hall.

They last things I preached the Heimlich amongst they hear us preaching about the crucified Christ, and I daresay you all and then they laughed at the frailty of their work. Look again in verse three now Caballo.

The Ammonite was by him and he said even that which they build up a box go up. He shall even break down their stone wall cavity is a little fox crawling over their stone walls and break it down.

That is not going to last world marks. Alaska is one of the world and it will last and they mock us one of the things I remember, perhaps more than anything else on my you that the God call me to preach a young boy and I didn't come from a household preachers.

My dad does not breach my dad and I would say the same night that income from a purely religious Baptist, a type of family but godly standing God call me to preach.

I told my folks everybody I knew that God call me and I remember being one time in my bedroom and my father had a friend of our families.

They were sitting out there on the patio.

This was a man that I admired and respected very much and this man said my father was Adrian going to do when he gets out high school. My dad said what he wants to go off to college and study to be a preacher. That man just laughed and he said he will make it, you'll never stick it out he'll quit. I went into my heart like a poison arrow almost felt like crying.

He won't make it and they just laughed my dad and my this man life, no friends, that hurts world says you make it so they mock what they mock.

They mock the feebleness of the people they mark the futility of the past.

They mock the closeness of the faith hasn't changed his tactics, not all.

He still mocking he still laughing and you if you know God, you might as well get ready you're going to face some now the three things that Nehemiah did that you need to do in your reaction to ridicule. First of all, a practical consideration. Notice in verse four hero God. For we are just files that you might as well put it down. Friend Christians are described just considerate with me for a moment and when you despise and when you are mock. Just consider several things. First of all I want to consider the cause of the ridicule.

Do you know why the world lasted Christians. I'll tell you one ridicule is a substitute for reason laughing is a substitute for logic that if they cannot reason is out of work for God they would try to write you out of work for God cannot logic us out of work for God. They will try to laugh as I work for God but not least, consider the cause of consider the character of those who do the ridicule. You see folks we are known only by the friends that we may also know my families that we may be something wrong with me if some people not laughing at me for some people, not laughing at you one with those disciples have been persecuted and the Bible says that, apart from the presence of the Council and rejoice that they were counted were to suffer shame for his name is me willing keep a secret, will you you haven't been to the place of some medical men and some businessmen today and so I know that you can live for Jesus Christ in your profession without some of your compatriots and your peers looking down you and laughing to Heimlich in the face of some college students. There is no that you can live a separated godly writers like Terry and play somebody pointing the fingers going to take a testimony for the Lord Jesus Christ without somebody laughing at you and it may overlap into is just simply because you've not been counted worthy. You just consider those who do bear the enemies of our Lord Christ you might as well put it down and put it down to be that when you go for God you going to face the godless gang in the Christ list click RII want to consider something else.

Not only because of the character of those who do it, but I want you to consider the company that you are in the company that you are. You see, Jesus was also score and the servant is not better than his master limited to some verses today that I'll break your heart and encourage at the same time, you will to Mark chapter 5 verse four. Jesus Christ is getting ready to perform one of his most notable miracles every time I read this I can hardly believe that it literally happened, but I know it did because in the Bible in Mark chapter 5, verse 40. This is talking about the Lord of glory Jesus Christ truth incarnate and notice what it says here in Mark five verse 40 and they laughed him to scorn Jesus beta-lactam Bay laughed in the face of the son of God. They laughed him to scorn turn to Luke chapter 22 and look at our Lord Jesus Christ at the hands of those soldiers in Luke chapter 22 I read in verse 63 and the man that held Jesus mock him and smoke and I believe all of my heart that was easier for Jesus to take the fisticuffs easier for him to take the clubs and beat up on his head that was that laughter and at ridicule in his face. They mock and nice. I want to look at chapter 23 for moment is the Lord Jesus Christ hanging and I am blown up on the cross. In verse 35 people stood before he was also him saying he saved others, let him save himself if he be the Christ, the son of God you were deriving me it means they rank you that they squat in verse 36, and the soldiers also him coming to him and offering him vinegar will field day.

They had a lack Jesus Christ should be laughed at. If you live for God to lead you out of work for God is one of his chief to how you react to it.

If you listen you consider the cause that you consider the character of those who do it you consider the company that you ran when you laughed at you with the Lord Jesus Christ.

I want to also consider the compensation that you go to get from England.

The Lord is going to pay you. Don't you worry about Jesus in Matthew chapter 5 verse 11 that when men will persecute you and revile you, and say all manner of evil against you falsely, for his namesake just rejoice and be exceeding glad of people laugh at you all day you go home and lab all night. You just rejoice and be exceeding glad something else I want you to notice not only the compensation because he says great is your reward in heaven. But the next thing I want to notice is the conclusion of the whole matter. You know what we say he who laughs last. He who laughs last has the best lab who's going to have the last laugh. You say the church no God himself. God himself you like the way right in the hill, but you can laugh your way out. I want to something else easy.

God, not man that have the last laugh. I want to look in Proverbs chapter 1 verse 24. This is God speaking. And God says because I've called and he refused.

I asked my hand and no man regarding which he said not all my counseling with my recruiter also calamity. I will mock when your fear, your fear, this desolation and instruction, when when the stress and anguish come upon you, so I call upon me but I will not answer, they shall seek me early, but they shall not find me God says now it's my turn to lie. This is not the laugh of some feed who's getting even. This is one of the cases in the Bible of the irony of our Thomas Paine, the old skeptic and infidel as Benjamin Franklin been what you think of my book the age of reason was a book that ridicule the Christian faith. You know what Ben Franklin said to Tom Payne.

He says Tom when a man spits against the wind.

He spits in his own face agri-was a young Roman. He had a boyhood friend named Julian and Agatha and Julian grew up together. They played together with Julian grew up to be the Emperor of Rome. He was known as the apostate Emperor Annie was cruel and he hated Christ any questions Christianity.

One day after both men were grown. Julian met Agatha and Julian trying to pop Agatha and for his fate, said Agatha. I have carpenter from Nazareth doing these days is he getting plenty of work.

Carpenter. Keeping busy.

Agatha said yes Julian. The carpenter is getting plenty of work and today he's nailing together a call from the butcher Empire in he served to be a prophet for them to years, Julian was slain by the Persians and his empire was crumbling. I want to taste it is God who get the last laugh you just consider the conclusion of the whole thing out whenever you just consider something, just consider some things Wyoming ridicule is doing the ridiculing along with you is being ridiculed. What is God pay you for being ridicule and what is the conclusion of all matter and body.

Let now the second line. Not only is there to be some consideration, some practical consideration, but some prayerful supplication. Look again here in Nehemiah chapter 4 and began in verse four, here's what'll Nehemiah does.

He says payroll God, for we are despised and turn the reproach upon their own head and use them for a play in the land of captivity and cut their iniquity and let this sin be blotted out from before the fall. They have revoked lead to anger before the that this is a prayer not for personal recrimination against them, Jesus and God it is you that they dishonored and God your righteous judge, and God glory to your name Lord, they have provoke you to anger when they are despising us, Lord, when they were laughing at us Lord there laughing at you and I want to know is what Nehemiah did. Nehemiah did not get into a name-calling contest with he didn't do it and don't you do about talking with us, but is not worth it simply just about stopping fueling and God you take action, you will.

I want to jump this verse down in the margin. Proverbs 3, verse 34 surely he God's call for scoffers, but he giveth grace unto the lowly is God who scoffs at the scoffers and then I want to put right under that first Peter chapter 2 verse 23 and he speaks of the Lord Jesus Christ and this is what it says when he was reviled, reviled not again and when he suffered, he threatened not but committed himself under him. The judge righteously, it had correct all Peter Shirley was impressed by the way, the Lord Jesus reacted to ridicule when he was reviled. He reviled not again.

He just told Carol we need to do vote to God in prayer and tell the Lord about now. I want to say some more about that. I better not find this go on to the third thing. The third legacy we can finish this message on time. Not only should there be some practical consideration, and not only should there be some prayerful supplication, but I may use the word that needs to be some physical perspiration as the third thing that he did. I want you to notice here in verse six, so we will all and always join together into 1/2 parable of people had a mind high like that, they had a mind of prior mind to criticize her mind to gossip on minded my head in spite of all the threats of the enemy, in spite of all the ridiculing all the store and they just started to do what God called them to do folks listen, we are not saved by work with saved by the grace of God. You know that don't. The Bible says in Ephesians chapter 2 verses eight and nine for by grace are ye saved through faith and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God not of works lest any man should boast.

When I say by works good works can save us salvation is in the mercy of God, not in the merit of man is in the grace of God, not in the goodness of man, salvation is not a prize that you receive at the end of the race. It's a gift that enables you to run the race.

You see, the minute I trust the Lord Jesus Christ. That moment God saves me in that one was not a works.

I cannot work my soul to say that my Lord has done but I will work like any slaying for the love of God's dear son want you keep away.

There is no easy way. As I look at all of you folks say, oh God, what would happen if everyone had a mind to play is only a mind people had a mind do you have a heart to pray as Nehemiah did a mind to work and accomplish the things God has called you to. Perhaps you have questions about your faith today would love to invite you to check out or discover Jesus page@lwf.org/radio to find resources and materials that can answer questions you might have about your faith. You can also leave a prayer request right there as well go to LWF.org/radio and click discover Jesus now if you'd like to order a copy of today's lesson on CD. Mention the title reacting to ridicule when you call us at 1877 love God.

This message is also part of a powerful series turning problems into possibilities for the complete collection featuring eight insightful messages. Call us to order 1877 love God or go online it LWF.org/radio or write us at love worth finding box 38, 600 Memphis, TN 38183 if you face ridicule for your faith in Jesus. Remember to practically consider it prayerfully speak your concern to God.

Get to work. Thanks for joining us today for this insightful message to the next time more profound truth. Simply stated, right on the way buying not long ago Alyssa reached out to share a kind note of encouragement to read it to you now. This message was so comforting to me today as I face the many problems ahead. I know that my Savior loves and cares for me and will provide for me. Thanks.

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