A Courageous Heart Part 2

Marie Flores looking to Jesus found in perfect or we can expect to always run a smooth race of life. When confronted by persecution today.

Final thoughts from Christ's final night on handling hatred and misunderstanding when it comes your way from the Moody Church in Chicago. This is running to win with Dr. clear teaching helps us make it across the finish line after Luther the world. Christ, should we, as his followers expect to be treated any differently with Dave and can answer your question in the moment, but first of all I want to get the word of encouragement to all who are listening. I don't need to tell you that we are going through a very difficult time personally to our families through what is happening politically, health issues, well we can make a long list, but in the midst of this, would you remember that Jesus Christ is with us. He never abandons his children now answer to your question gave the answer of course is given to us by Jesus Christ. He said that if the world hates him. The world will hate us and we can expect that. But at the same time we need to see it as a blessing and we as Americans need to think through how different it would be if we were to accept rejection for the sake of Christ as a badge of honor. I've written a book entitled prepare your heart for an uncertain future. Now, this book deals with the upper room discourse where Jesus Christ was indeed preparing his disciples for difficulties ahead. It'll be a blessing to you for a gift of any amount. It can be yours. Go to RTW offeror.com that's RTW offeror.com or if you prefer. Hope you get an opportunity to write this number down call 1-888-218-9337 that's 1-888-218-9337. Now let us listen to God's word. The words of Jesus preparing his disciples largest Sayville notice in chapter 16 the same thought continues and he says in verse two they will put you out of the synagogue. In fact, the time is coming when anyone who kills you will think that he is offering a service to God and they will do such things because they have not known the father nor me while I was there, thinking they're doing got a service what you're going to have today under the banner of religious tolerance is restriction on religious freedom under the guise of doing what's best for America and what is best for God so you here today that there are many paths to the divine in our age of spirituality. You can get to God in whatever way you want to get to him.

Remember the words of Jesus. If you do not honor the father did not honor the son. If you honor the son you honor the father you can't get to God in any way you choose.

If you're listening to this message today, either here or by radio or whatever to give you this test.

If you believe that there is more than one way to God and everybody can get to God to his own way, I can assure you that you are not honoring the son, and therefore you do not know the father. What a message. No wonder it breeds and elicits antagonism from the world and Jesus said that yes there are those who are going to think that they're doing got a service you come to the fulfillment of that in the early church where you have all those persecutions until under Diocletian. It became so bad that even the pagan said this has to stop and then you leave the time of Diocletian and you get to the Reformation. You remember the reading baptizer's who believe that one should be baptized upon profession of faith. They were put to death whole villages of men, women and children massacred because they believe that one should be baptized as an adult rather than an infant. In fact, as pastor Morley will confirm a church historian and theologian wrote a book on the Reformation told us something that was startling but I can only repeat what he said more reading baptizer's were put to death during the 16th century right after the time of the Reformation then died in the early persecutions of the Christian church in Rome you think about that and and these people that did that they thought that they were doing God a service. The text says they did it in the name of God, they did it in the name of Christ. They did it in the name of the Bible and thought that they were doing God a favor. There are many places in the world that I've been but still many that I desperately want to go to and one of them is the palace of Versailles, Louis XIV.

Someday I want to go to verse I say because its history is so awesome.

But Louis XIV persecuted the Christian church.

In fact, he drove the Huguenots out of France and many of them came to Germany 20,000 of them came to the Berlin area and that's why even in Berlin today when you listen to the German. It has French accents and ranch words inserted and there are some churches you can visit in Berlin that were built by the Huguenots during those centuries, but before he died he said Louis XIV said that God owed him a favor because he had performed such a great service for God and expelling these Huguenots.

These born-again Christians out of France.

Jesus predicted it.

He said the time is coming when they are going to do it in my name and thing they are doing God a favor but they do it because they don't know the father because if they knew the father they recognize his children, so let's keep in mind, would you that Jesus knows all about the persecutions that are taking place today how we ought to be praying for the churches in other lands. More people died in the 20th century, more people were martyred in the 20th century for the cause of Jesus than were martyred in the first, 1900 years of the Christian church and today there are people in Indonesia. People in this is Don people in all kinds of different countries where you have the radical Muslim movement and not all Muslims would agree with what is happening, but the simple fact is Christians are having their children taken and taken from them and their auctioned off to the highest bidder in the town square. We look at it we say God where are you, and we should be following any leads or channels that can help us we should be praying we should be highlighting their plight because they are people. The latchet of whose shoes we are unworthy to unloose these dear people, and yet I also want to remind you that Jesus knew it was coming, and Jesus has not forsaken his persecuted church so let's not become so pessimistic we say why all of this taking place. Jesus said the day is coming when this is going to happen.

We will be hated by the world.

First of all, in many instances, that hatred will graduate to another level will be persecuted by the world and what does Jesus say Blessed are you when men persecute you and say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake you're at work there in your living for Christ and you don't carouse around like the other people or you've been bypassed for promotion because you won't play the games that are being played there in the office and you take your Bible to work and you have it on your desk and therefore your looked at as if to say you you're very very strange. People say well you know his light is on but nobody's at home because he's got in of the Bible rejoice not complain. Let's not have a persecution complex. Let's not look at this and say what's taken place. My dear friend, God's promise that he will not forsake those who walk through the fire and he walks with you in your vocation all the way. Thirdly, we are misunderstood by the world. The misunderstanding of the world in two senses the first one I've already commented on, namely the world does not know God.

They don't know God that's in verse 21 and let's look at a second reason, however, we are misunderstood and that is because of the irrationality of the world if I can put it that way. This is in verse 25. I'll pick it up in verse 24.

If I had not done among them what no one else did they would not be guilty of sin. Now they've seen these miracles, and yet they have hated both me and my father. Verse 25 but this is to fulfill what is written in their Law. They hated me without reason without reason. It's irrational not a rational decision to hate Christ or to reject him or to say that there isn't enough evidence for him. There such a thing as legitimate doubt.

But there's there's a lot more illegitimate doubt where people simply do not want that man to reign over them and that their motivation and end they hated me without a cause.

Could I throw in a parenthesis the same word is used in Romans chapter 3 where it says that God justified us without a reason. Without a cause. And so it's interesting that the same word occurs here but but they they they hated him without a cause. There wasn't really an reason some time ago, in time magazine, a Jewish scholar, wrote an article as to why he would not of accepted Christ as Messiah. If he had lived in the first century, and I read that and I hope that there is someone who has both the background and the education and the knowledge and so forth to respond to what he has to say. It's very interesting that in the New Testament when you read it. Jesus was rejected for theological reasons. Okay the leadership the religious leadership complained that he was the son of God, and he made himself the son of God, and this was blasphemy, etc. I can't help but think that Pilate had a better sense of human nature.

Pilate said that it was for the that they delivered him afterwards.

Jesus made the religious leaders look bad was the motivation to put them to the cross and was irrational. But Jesus was rejected without a cause without reason. Now I want us to look at what all this means. Should we wring our hands and say well you know the situation in the world is so bad that let's just go live in a cave somewhere know it says in verse 25. This is to fulfill what was written in their Law. They hated me without reason. Jesus said this is a fulfillment of Scripture.

In fact it's going to be there hatred that is going to fulfill the will of God because of their hatred that Jesus is going to be nailed to the cross and the purposes of daughter going to be accomplished. I know it's so difficult when you're going through a trial to see this, but just believe me, based on the word when I tell you this that hidden behind the circumstances that so discourage us is always the providential government of God there hatred was a fulfillment of Scripture. It was not as if this was somehow happening out there and got kind of lost control for a while now. This was a fulfillment of Scripture and our struggles are a fulfillment of God's eternal purpose for us.

So it's not wring their hands and pretend that we are on the losing side and therefore all that we can do is to look at the world with antagonism and our own hatred towards people we should hate the system but not the not do that God is greater.

God is bigger than all that it all happened in the circle of God's providence, but you understand now why it's so difficult for the world to understand us folks, you know, Charles Colson said many years ago that for a secular newsman to do a story on evangelicals, he says, is like expecting a plumber to do open heart surgery.

In other words, they just don't they just don't understand Alex help them understand.

Let's not expect all kinds of wonderful statements and comments from the people of the world's okay okay let me give you some conclusions here very quickly.

Number one, we cannot love the world and I'm talking about the world system because the world hates Christ, and we we have to hate the world I'm talking about the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes and the pride of life and all that you need to do is to look at your television set and you see all of the world in front of you and I often wonder why do we invite the world into our home and into our lives, because all of that is of the world's all of the world and you know why some of us can't be free from the world with all of its floors is because we have never in our lives, made a fundamental decision to pursue holiness across the board without any pockets of resistance that have not been given over to the sovereignty of Christ.

We sang a few moments ago reign in me. If we meant that and if that meant every area of our lives every close closet you would soon discover that the Christian church would be invigorated by the blessed Holy Spirit and we cannot love the world because it is antagonistic to all the values, ideals, second, we can't ignore the world and I'm talking about the world of people.

Let's not just button the hatch noun saline of the world out there is so antagonistic you know and they don't want to believe anyway and therefore there is no way that we can we can fight against them and were losing. Just look at what's happening politically look at what's happening religiously culture war. By the way is over trash has one. Therefore, let's just go home and lick our wounds had some soup and get a good nights rest.

Now listen to this verse 26 when the counselor comes, whom I will send to you from the father, the spirit of truth who goes out of the father. He will testify about me and you also must testify, for you have been with me from the beginning, and I'm already excited about next week's message because it picks up this theme about the fact that God becomes the evangelist and the spirit of God convicts the world of sin and of righteousness and judgment and the spirit of God works through the proclamation of the gospel in men and women are transformed and it's happening today is thousands of people here in America each day become members of God's kingdom being translated from the kingdom of darkness into the kingdom of his blessed son. So lead us not think that we must ignore the world and not lovingly share with the world. The goodness and the wonders of the Jesus that they may dislike, but many of them will come to like him don't come to like him. My final word to you is that necessary for us to win in this world when in the next you know, we may say that in evangelicalism numbers seem to be dwindling. We have the incursion of moral laxness. We have the incursion of bad doctrine week doctrine in our churches. We look at the world. They seem to have the money they seem to have the personalities they seem to have all the beauty I was talking to the Sunday school class today that I taught about the fact that most of us look very very strikingly ordinary strikingly ordinary means for discouragement.

Jesus said you must testify for me and you go ahead and you testified you pay the consequences.

But think of the reword.

There is this life with all of its blessings. But there's a life to come.

There's an eternity that awaits us.

Why were not discouraged why we don't pick up and leave during the early time of the 20th century there was in China what was called the Boxer Rebellion it was called that because these were actual boxers who did calisthenics but the boxers were trying to approve Western influence in Christianity in China so they came to a mission school that had somewhere in the neighborhood of about 90 kids as I understand it and they said to the kids we're putting a cross out front of the door lying flat on the ground. If you trample on that cross. If you trample on that cross. And that is a sign that you're despising it and so you will live. If you respectfully walk around it will be put to death the first seven students trampled on the cross.

They walked on it and they lived. The next student, a girl prayed before she took her step and then respectfully walked around the cross and was shot and according to the story I read all the other students through that example followed her. They were all put to death. All the rest of the students you look at it. You say crazy you know you throw your life away all that you have needed to do is to just walk on the cross and you could even say Lord Jesus in my heart. I'm not really doing this it I'm just doing it physically. I'm not doing it mentally. I mean there is a dozen ways that you could of rationalized, so are they winners or losers depends looked at from the standpoint of this world. Of course it appears as if they are losers. My dear friend, you don't have to win in this world to be a winner in the next, look at Jesus was nailed to the tree at the age of 33. What a loser. Yeah what a winner. What a winner so we don't superficially judge things. The world may hate us.

At times they may persecute us. They misunderstand us but the words of Jesus spring out to me today and stick in my heart. You must testify, for you have been with me from the beginning and that's what we are called to do.

And for those of you who may be here today who have never trusted Christ as Savior. I would not want the opportunity to go by that you must believe in the Savior. You must honor him because if you don't honor him. You don't know the father.

I don't care what religion you're connected with. I don't know I don't care what Guru your learning from heated honors the sun honors the father.

There is no other way to get to God. Give it up and come to Jesus Christ. Acknowledge your helplessness and transfer your trust to him alone. Let's bow in prayer our father. Today we confess that to be hated by the world is uncomfortable, but it is infinitely more damning to be ignored and overlooked in dismissed.

Sometimes we know that the world looks at us as a set of children playing their futile childish games, doing no good, but neither any harm. Would you father invigorate us today. Help us to go into the world with confidence because of the gift of your spirit that there are men and women out there who are seeking and who need to know the message all father deliver us from a persecution complex.

May we rejoice in every opportunity to be reviled for the name of Christ, and we thank you from the bottom of our hearts we know how it will all turn out. Now, if you've never trusted Christ as Savior.

You may do that, even where you are seated. Simply reach out to him and say Jesus I'm a sinner and I want to receive you as mine.

Would you tell him that father complete the work that you begun in Jesus name Amen well-this is Pastor Luther and I want to clarify something. You know, when Jesus said that the world is going to hate us. It is so important as Christians understand that that does not mean that we in turn should hate. We are to love our enemies so we need to understand that no matter what kind of persecution or accusations. We are under.

We must always recognize that we show the love of Jesus, even to those whom we think don't deserve it. So if you're going through a difficult time today. Be sure to connect with someone if there is someone who is giving you a hard time because they're rejecting you show them love.

I've written a book entitled prepare your heart for an uncertain future.

This book is based on the words of Jesus to the disciples in the upper room. I think it will be a great blessing now for gift of any amount.

It can be yours. Here's what you can do. Go to RT W offered.com and then if you wish, you can call us.

In fact, you can call us right now at 1-888-218-9337 now let me give you that contact info again. You can go to RT W offered.com or you can call us at 1-888-218-9337 and thanks in advance for helping us. We appreciated together were making a difference. You can write to us run into when 1635 N. LaSalle Boulevard Chicago, IL 60614 just as a runner needs were to win a race. We need power to be effective witnesses for Christ. Next time, from the words of Jesus himself will learn how to witness with absolute confidence as we hear about the power of the indwelling Holy Spirit running to win is all about helping you understand God's roadmap for your race of life.

Thanks for listening for Dr. Erwin looks her, this is Dave McAllister running to win is sponsored by the teacher