1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:08,520 morning we'll be taking as our text verses 10, 11, and 12. The Lord Jesus 2 00:00:08,520 --> 00:00:13,760 speaking to those who are gathered on that day, he said, blessed are those who 3 00:00:13,760 --> 00:00:20,720 are persecuted for righteousness sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 4 00:00:20,720 --> 00:00:27,840 Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you and say all kinds of evil 5 00:00:27,840 --> 00:00:36,200 against you falsely for my sake. Rejoice and be exceedingly glad for great is 6 00:00:36,200 --> 00:00:42,240 your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before 7 00:00:42,240 --> 00:00:45,800 you. Let's pray. 8 00:00:47,640 --> 00:00:53,560 Our God this morning, Lord, we pray God for your help. We pray that your spirit 9 00:00:53,560 --> 00:00:59,120 would work and open our eyes. Lord, let us see the glory of Christ and the futility 10 00:00:59,120 --> 00:01:04,600 of living life for this world. And Lord God, I pray, Lord, as I prayed for my 11 00:01:04,600 --> 00:01:09,460 family and I pray for this church, would you fill us with courage to stand in the 12 00:01:09,460 --> 00:01:14,560 evil day when the floods of affliction and the trials of fire come upon us. Lord, 13 00:01:14,560 --> 00:01:20,160 let us not retreat in fear or cowardice, but Father Lord, we pray strengthened by 14 00:01:20,160 --> 00:01:24,600 your spirit that we will stand and suffer if need be for the testimony of 15 00:01:24,600 --> 00:01:30,640 Jesus Christ our Lord. Lord, he is the glorious one. There is no one else to go 16 00:01:30,640 --> 00:01:35,640 to. There is no other kingdom worth living for, but alone the eternal kingdom, 17 00:01:35,640 --> 00:01:40,240 the one that is made without hands. And Lord, we look forward to that day. Lord, 18 00:01:40,240 --> 00:01:45,000 help us by faith as Abraham did. Look for that city whose builder and maker is God. 19 00:01:45,000 --> 00:01:48,840 Oh God, we know that we can't do this on our own, so Lord, we pray for the 20 00:01:48,840 --> 00:01:55,040 spirit's help. God, help us Lord to hear clearly and once again very soberly, Lord, 21 00:01:55,040 --> 00:02:01,640 this difficult passage that you have given to us as the people of God. And we 22 00:02:01,640 --> 00:02:07,840 pray, Lord, for your help now in Jesus' name, amen. For about two months now, we've 23 00:02:07,840 --> 00:02:12,000 been in the study of the Beatitudes. They've been a real comfort to my soul, 24 00:02:12,000 --> 00:02:17,280 but they've also been a real challenge to my soul. And I think it's an important 25 00:02:17,280 --> 00:02:21,440 reminder that we keep before us that these Beatitudes are not a list of 26 00:02:21,440 --> 00:02:27,240 virtues for you to achieve. That would be the wrong way to think about them. We do 27 00:02:27,240 --> 00:02:31,280 see their high and noble calling. There's no denying that, but then once we see how 28 00:02:31,280 --> 00:02:36,240 high and how noble they are, we start to realize you and I are absolutely unable 29 00:02:36,240 --> 00:02:42,240 to achieve them on our own. We can't do it. But here's the blessing. If we take 30 00:02:42,240 --> 00:02:47,720 our weakness to Christ, the blessing's already begun because the very first 31 00:02:47,720 --> 00:02:53,640 Beatitude pronounces a blessing upon those who are poor in spirit. So it is a 32 00:02:53,640 --> 00:02:58,440 blessing when we take our spiritual bankruptcy, our spiritual impotence, our 33 00:02:58,440 --> 00:03:03,800 inability, and we take them to the feet of Christ. Now as we look at each of these 34 00:03:03,800 --> 00:03:08,720 characteristics, we have a composite picture of what a Christian is. These 35 00:03:08,720 --> 00:03:13,640 Beatitudes, they're really character qualities of those who are already in 36 00:03:13,640 --> 00:03:17,840 the kingdom. This is not how you enter the kingdom. This is not how you gain 37 00:03:17,840 --> 00:03:21,840 access to the kingdom. This is the type of person who has already been 38 00:03:21,840 --> 00:03:26,600 transferred into the kingdom. And we see that. So the Beatitude, the first one, you 39 00:03:26,600 --> 00:03:31,680 are poor in spirit. You're a spiritual beggar, a spiritual pauper. Beatitude two, 40 00:03:31,680 --> 00:03:35,760 they mourn. They mourn because they understand they're so bankrupt 41 00:03:35,760 --> 00:03:41,200 spiritually, so they mourn and weep over their sin. As a result of that, they are 42 00:03:41,200 --> 00:03:46,680 humble. They become meek before God and humble before man. Their appetites start 43 00:03:46,680 --> 00:03:50,200 to change. There's now a hunger and a thirst for righteousness because they 44 00:03:50,200 --> 00:03:55,880 have gone to the Lord to satisfy that hunger and thirst. Having received mercy 45 00:03:55,880 --> 00:04:01,240 from God, they become merciful to other people. And God has given them a new 46 00:04:01,240 --> 00:04:05,200 heart and they are now pure in heart. They're given this and their promise is 47 00:04:05,200 --> 00:04:11,880 they're going to see God. And then as we looked last week, they want others to 48 00:04:11,880 --> 00:04:16,600 know this wonderful peace that they alone have received in Christ. So they 49 00:04:16,600 --> 00:04:19,960 seek to be peacemakers. They want to bring resolution between people who are 50 00:04:19,960 --> 00:04:24,000 at odds with each other, but also they want to be ambassadors for Christ, 51 00:04:24,000 --> 00:04:29,400 preaching peace to those who are at odds with God. And today we come to the very 52 00:04:29,400 --> 00:04:34,640 last Beatitude, the eighth one, and this is the one that makes the least sense 53 00:04:34,640 --> 00:04:40,480 from a human perspective. Now listen to what Christ said. Blessed are those who 54 00:04:40,480 --> 00:04:46,560 are persecuted for righteousness sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Now 55 00:04:46,560 --> 00:04:50,520 I've been just saying as a side note, this is not one of my central texts, but 56 00:04:50,520 --> 00:04:56,440 this ought to put a nail in the coffin of the false prosperity gospel. I mean if 57 00:04:56,440 --> 00:05:00,360 anyone thinks following Jesus is going to make you healthy, wealthy, this ought 58 00:05:00,360 --> 00:05:05,920 to be the death nail right here. Blessed are those who are persecuted because they 59 00:05:05,920 --> 00:05:11,480 get heaven. Now what does it mean to be blessed? Blessed is to be favored by God, 60 00:05:11,480 --> 00:05:16,200 it's to be spiritually prosperous. God's favor is upon the blessed man or the 61 00:05:16,200 --> 00:05:20,360 blessed woman, and here he says his favor rests upon those who are being persecuted 62 00:05:20,360 --> 00:05:26,640 for the cause of righteousness. Now that's not the way you and I think. We 63 00:05:26,640 --> 00:05:31,480 think or we assume the man who is blessed, the favored of God, is the one 64 00:05:31,480 --> 00:05:36,600 for whom life goes very smoothly. We would say, yeah God's blessing is on 65 00:05:36,600 --> 00:05:41,280 that man who has a good family, he has a network of friends, he has good health, 66 00:05:41,280 --> 00:05:48,200 and he has enough money to enjoy it. That man has been blessed of God. But Jesus 67 00:05:48,200 --> 00:05:53,320 that day, he looks about the people who are suffering, and he says God's favor is 68 00:05:53,320 --> 00:05:59,360 upon you if you're being treated terribly for the righteousness stand that 69 00:05:59,360 --> 00:06:03,600 you're taking. Now like each of the Beatitudes, there is a promise that is 70 00:06:03,600 --> 00:06:07,480 given and attached to each one of them. Here those who are persecuted for 71 00:06:07,480 --> 00:06:12,360 righteousness, it says theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Now if you look back to 72 00:06:12,360 --> 00:06:17,640 verse 3, that's the same promise that was given to the poor in spirit. So put them 73 00:06:17,640 --> 00:06:22,560 together, they're like bookends of the Beatitudes. Heaven belongs to those who 74 00:06:22,560 --> 00:06:28,080 sees themselves as spiritual beggars and having no righteousness on their own. You 75 00:06:28,080 --> 00:06:32,440 don't hope to enter into heaven because you were somehow very righteous. But 76 00:06:32,440 --> 00:06:38,160 heaven belongs, now look at verse 10, heaven also belongs to those who 77 00:06:38,160 --> 00:06:45,560 prove or demonstrate their salvation, their faith if you will. How do they do 78 00:06:45,560 --> 00:06:49,920 that? They're willing to stand for righteousness amidst great suffering 79 00:06:49,920 --> 00:06:56,560 and great persecution. So what we're saying is we should not be surprised to 80 00:06:56,560 --> 00:07:04,440 live godly lies in a fallen world and then invite warfare, to invite distress, 81 00:07:04,440 --> 00:07:09,120 and as the text says to invite persecution. I mean can you imagine 82 00:07:09,120 --> 00:07:12,880 American soldier going into the Afghanistan into the Taliban stronghold 83 00:07:12,880 --> 00:07:17,200 and then being surprised that it's being shot at? We would say no, what did you 84 00:07:17,200 --> 00:07:20,360 expect? You're in enemy territory, you're in hostile territory right 85 00:07:20,360 --> 00:07:28,960 there. You and I, according to this text, will be persecuted because we are exiles, 86 00:07:28,960 --> 00:07:36,880 we are pilgrims, we are sojourners, we are ambassadors for Christ all the while 87 00:07:36,880 --> 00:07:41,160 living in enemy territory. And we're reminded of this truth. This is not an 88 00:07:41,160 --> 00:07:44,800 isolated text. This is how I don't even understand how the false prosperity 89 00:07:44,800 --> 00:07:49,240 gospel gained traction. I mean you cannot be looking at the New Testament in any 90 00:07:49,240 --> 00:07:53,440 serious way and come up with that gospel. Only Americans could export a gospel 91 00:07:53,440 --> 00:07:58,640 prosperity. It's absolutely damning. But if you look at 2nd Timothy 312, Paul 92 00:07:58,640 --> 00:08:03,320 writing, all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution. 93 00:08:03,320 --> 00:08:08,440 Jesus in his high priestly prayer says I have given them, his apostles, his 94 00:08:08,440 --> 00:08:14,960 disciples, I've given them your word. The world has hated them. Why? Because they're 95 00:08:14,960 --> 00:08:20,320 not of the world just as I'm not of the world. Acts chapter 14, listen to what Paul 96 00:08:20,320 --> 00:08:25,240 said, and when they, that is Paul and Barnabas, had preached the gospel to that 97 00:08:25,240 --> 00:08:29,680 city and made many disciples, they returned, they went backwards to Lystra, 98 00:08:29,680 --> 00:08:34,680 Iconium, and Antioch, strengthening the souls of the disciples, exhorting them to 99 00:08:34,680 --> 00:08:39,720 continue in the faith, and here's what they said, we must through many 100 00:08:39,720 --> 00:08:45,160 tribulations enter into the kingdom of God. That's the message Paul was 101 00:08:45,160 --> 00:08:50,440 preaching. Hey listen, this is going to cost you something. And then finally Paul 102 00:08:50,440 --> 00:08:54,680 writing the church at Philippi chapter 1 verse 29, for to you has been granted, 103 00:08:54,680 --> 00:08:59,960 it's a grace gift, on behalf of Christ. Not only believe in him, faith is a gift, 104 00:08:59,960 --> 00:09:04,640 the divine gift of faith has been given to you, but God also blessed you with an 105 00:09:04,640 --> 00:09:11,080 another gift. You're going to suffer for his sake. So as we read these texts and 106 00:09:11,080 --> 00:09:15,120 put it together, we should not be caught off guard when adversity comes our way. I 107 00:09:15,120 --> 00:09:20,160 don't mean before we begin to even believe that somehow following Christ 108 00:09:20,160 --> 00:09:25,100 is going to make life easier, we have to seriously deal with texts like this. Now 109 00:09:25,100 --> 00:09:28,680 I do want to get into what the text says, but I want to begin what it does not say. 110 00:09:28,680 --> 00:09:34,440 What this verse does not say is blessed are they who are persecuted. There are 111 00:09:34,440 --> 00:09:38,080 many people throughout the world who are persecuted and it has nothing to do with 112 00:09:38,080 --> 00:09:43,480 the favor of God resting upon them. Our Lord never says persecution is blessed. 113 00:09:43,480 --> 00:09:48,880 He says those who are being persecuted for righteousness sake are blessed. 114 00:09:48,880 --> 00:09:54,240 There are people who through foolishness or poor decisions on their part invite 115 00:09:54,240 --> 00:09:59,320 persecution into their own lives. That's not persecution. So I think about, 116 00:09:59,320 --> 00:10:03,120 let's say a person today in our culture here and they said, well I'm just being 117 00:10:03,120 --> 00:10:08,040 persecuted at work because I'm sharing my faith. Well no, he's not doing his work. 118 00:10:08,040 --> 00:10:12,080 He's taking company time and he should be working and he's not. That's not 119 00:10:12,080 --> 00:10:18,320 persecution. That's not being blessed. That's being foolish. There are some, and 120 00:10:18,320 --> 00:10:23,560 I appreciate zeal. We need to be zealous. That's a command. But there are some who 121 00:10:23,560 --> 00:10:28,600 are fanatical in a way that is not godly and they invite the scorn and ridicules 122 00:10:28,600 --> 00:10:36,400 of others. They push themselves. They force doors open. That's not the 123 00:10:36,400 --> 00:10:41,040 persecution that our Lord is discussing here in this text. He says, he doesn't 124 00:10:41,040 --> 00:10:44,880 say blessed are those who are persecuted because they're foolish, difficult in 125 00:10:44,880 --> 00:10:49,640 personality, or unwise in their choice of actions. Some people have a martyr 126 00:10:49,640 --> 00:10:54,400 complex. They bring on persecution because they're obnoxious in personality. 127 00:10:54,400 --> 00:10:59,720 And we need to understand that. Martin Lloyd-Jones says this. He said, we can 128 00:10:59,720 --> 00:11:04,440 bring endless suffering upon ourselves. We can create difficulties for ourselves 129 00:11:04,440 --> 00:11:09,280 which are quite unnecessary because we have some rather notion of witnessing 130 00:11:09,280 --> 00:11:14,160 and testifying or because in a spirit of self-righteousness we really do call it 131 00:11:14,160 --> 00:11:17,920 down on our heads. And I don't need to give examples because I think we've all 132 00:11:17,920 --> 00:11:22,200 met this type of person. I've been around Christians and I told someone, I'm like, 133 00:11:22,200 --> 00:11:26,840 I'm a Christian and if I weren't I'd be so off put by them. That's not what our 134 00:11:26,840 --> 00:11:32,480 Lord is talking about. So having seen what it is not, now we do need to take a 135 00:11:32,480 --> 00:11:38,120 look and see what does the verse say. Blessed, God's favors resting upon those 136 00:11:38,120 --> 00:11:41,280 who are persecuted for righteousness sake, which means they are being 137 00:11:41,280 --> 00:11:47,320 persecuted for living like our Lord Jesus Christ. Happy, merkadias in Greek, 138 00:11:47,320 --> 00:11:52,240 happy, rejoicing for those who live Christ-like and dare to live like our 139 00:11:52,240 --> 00:11:58,960 Lord and suffer for it. I think of John chapter 15. In John 15 Jesus said this 140 00:11:58,960 --> 00:12:05,000 and it's such a helpful text. If the world hates you, you know that it hated me 141 00:12:05,000 --> 00:12:11,200 before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet 142 00:12:11,200 --> 00:12:16,120 because you are not of the world but I chose you out of the world, this is what 143 00:12:16,120 --> 00:12:22,160 the world hates you. Remember the word that I said to you, a servant is not 144 00:12:22,160 --> 00:12:27,720 greater than his master. If they persecuted me, well they're going to 145 00:12:27,720 --> 00:12:33,280 persecute you and if they kept my word they will keep yours also. Being 146 00:12:33,280 --> 00:12:38,360 persecuted for righteousness sake is a sign that you have been chosen by God 147 00:12:38,360 --> 00:12:45,000 out of this evil world system. The fact that you don't walk in step with a 148 00:12:45,000 --> 00:12:51,600 culture is an evidence of your salvation. I mean you go through the whole Bible 149 00:12:51,600 --> 00:12:55,280 and there are so many examples of people being persecuted. At the very beginning 150 00:12:55,280 --> 00:12:59,520 Cain kills his brother Abel. Why did Cain kill Abel? And we are told because 151 00:12:59,520 --> 00:13:04,280 Abel was more righteous than Cain. He didn't like it. Oh God will accept your 152 00:13:04,280 --> 00:13:09,240 offering, I'll kill you. That's the way it went down, Genesis 4. You go through the 153 00:13:09,240 --> 00:13:14,640 prophets, Jeremiah, he had many attempts made on his life. He was ridiculed. 154 00:13:14,640 --> 00:13:19,360 Mocked endlessly. He was called the weeping prophet, that's what we know of 155 00:13:19,360 --> 00:13:25,800 Jeremiah. He also wrote lamentations. He was put in prison. Why? He was preaching 156 00:13:25,800 --> 00:13:30,160 the message that God said go preach. And all of this came down upon his head. 157 00:13:30,160 --> 00:13:34,000 The same thing happened to a prophet that many of y'all will not know but it's 158 00:13:34,000 --> 00:13:38,600 the prophet Micaiah. I like Micaiah. He's found in 1 Kings 22 and I wanted to 159 00:13:38,600 --> 00:13:42,000 actually show this because I think this is a little bit funny as well. In 1 Kings 160 00:13:42,000 --> 00:13:47,160 22 you have Jehoshaphat is the king of Judah, southern kingdom. Ahab is the king 161 00:13:47,160 --> 00:13:51,640 of Israel, northern Israel. Okay they're usually not at peace with each other but 162 00:13:51,640 --> 00:13:55,400 they're trying to make peace and have an alliance here. So in Jehoshaphat, he's a 163 00:13:55,400 --> 00:13:59,760 good king, he said to Ahab, is there still not a prophet of the Lord here that 164 00:13:59,760 --> 00:14:03,880 we inquire of him? Before we go out and make war shouldn't we ask God? So the 165 00:14:03,880 --> 00:14:08,920 king of Israel, that's Ahab, said to Jehoshaphat, yeah there's still this one 166 00:14:08,920 --> 00:14:13,800 Micaiah, the son of Imla. Yeah we can inquire the word by him, he's a true 167 00:14:13,800 --> 00:14:20,680 prophet, but I love this. But I hate him. I loathe him. Why? Because he does not 168 00:14:20,680 --> 00:14:25,680 prophesy good concerning me but evil. He never tells me what I want to hear. Okay 169 00:14:25,680 --> 00:14:29,480 look down verse 14. So they bring Micaiah and by the way some other prophets said 170 00:14:29,480 --> 00:14:34,160 hey go along with what we've already told him. Micaiah says as the Lord lives 171 00:14:34,160 --> 00:14:38,520 whatever the Lord says to me that's what I want to speak. That's a good prophet. 172 00:14:38,520 --> 00:14:43,520 Verse 18. And the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, because by the way Micaiah 173 00:14:43,520 --> 00:14:47,320 then finally said Ahab I've got some really bad news. First of all he tries to 174 00:14:47,320 --> 00:14:50,160 trick Ahab and says no go it's going to be peaceful and he said don't lie to me. 175 00:14:50,160 --> 00:14:54,840 He said yeah you're right you're gonna die. So then verse 18. He said didn't I 176 00:14:54,840 --> 00:14:59,840 tell you he would not prophesy good concerning me but evil? And so Ahab's 177 00:14:59,840 --> 00:15:06,080 just like this whiny baby. And then verse 26. So the king of Israel said well take 178 00:15:06,080 --> 00:15:10,440 him take Micaiah return him to Ammon the governor of the city and to Joashah king's 179 00:15:10,440 --> 00:15:15,600 son and say thus says the king put this fellow in prison and feed him with bread 180 00:15:15,600 --> 00:15:19,760 of affliction and water of affliction until I come in peace. He's going to pay 181 00:15:19,760 --> 00:15:23,760 for what he just said to me. And I love verse 28. I think this is actually funny 182 00:15:23,760 --> 00:15:29,600 here. Micaiah said can I raise my hand say one thing if you ever return in peace 183 00:15:29,600 --> 00:15:34,960 the Lord has not spoken by me. And he said by the way take heed all you people. 184 00:15:34,960 --> 00:15:38,160 It's kind of like he said I've done what I'm supposed to do peace out I'm done 185 00:15:38,160 --> 00:15:43,440 with you guys. And by the way exactly what Micaiah said comes to pass. You see 186 00:15:43,440 --> 00:15:47,640 but why he's speaking he's suffering what's he doing? Telling the truth. 187 00:15:47,640 --> 00:15:52,240 Elijah we know him as a great prophet he suffered under Ahab and Jezebel that 188 00:15:52,240 --> 00:15:56,400 same king there. Most of the Old Testament prophets were far too familiar 189 00:15:56,400 --> 00:16:01,160 with suffering for preaching the message of truth that God had sent them to 190 00:16:01,160 --> 00:16:05,800 preach. So here's what I'm saying to the church today there has always been 191 00:16:05,800 --> 00:16:09,920 hostility between the seed of the woman and the seed of the serpent. From 192 00:16:09,920 --> 00:16:13,840 Genesis 3 forward there's always been the hostility. The seed of the serpent 193 00:16:13,840 --> 00:16:18,080 that is the line of Satan has always tried to stamp out the seed of the woman 194 00:16:18,080 --> 00:16:22,220 the godly line that comes through Christ. I mean think about when Pharaoh had 195 00:16:22,220 --> 00:16:26,560 ordered and gave an edict that all the male Hebrew boys be killed upon their 196 00:16:26,560 --> 00:16:31,760 birth. But the author of Hebrews he also he recounts so much suffering on the 197 00:16:31,760 --> 00:16:35,440 part of God's people. And friends we are not going to be the first generation 198 00:16:35,440 --> 00:16:42,360 that are exempt from this. In Hebrews 11 and 36 to 38 he goes and gives that 199 00:16:42,360 --> 00:16:46,720 great litany of people who did valiantly and they delivered people and it was 200 00:16:46,720 --> 00:16:54,440 just wonderful. Verse 36 and others had trials of mockings and scourgings yes 201 00:16:54,440 --> 00:16:59,640 and a chains and imprisonment. They were stoned, sawn in two that's Isaiah by the 202 00:16:59,640 --> 00:17:06,740 way, tempted that's tested, slain with a sword. They weren't about in sheep skins 203 00:17:06,740 --> 00:17:12,440 and goat skins being destitute afflicted, tormented, tormented of whom the world 204 00:17:12,440 --> 00:17:16,480 was not worthy. They wandered in deserts and mountains and dens and caves of the 205 00:17:16,480 --> 00:17:20,440 earth. I mean just look at that list they're enslaved, they're beaten, they're 206 00:17:20,440 --> 00:17:23,860 scourged, they're imprisoned, they're stoned, they were literally drawn and 207 00:17:23,860 --> 00:17:27,400 quartered, they were sawn in two, they were killed by the sword, they were left 208 00:17:27,400 --> 00:17:31,000 homeless and poorly clothed and the Bible says they were 209 00:17:31,000 --> 00:17:37,780 destitute, afflicted, and tormented. And Jesus says they're blessed. They're 210 00:17:37,780 --> 00:17:43,800 blessed. Why? They all lived for righteousness. Go to the New Covenant you 211 00:17:43,800 --> 00:17:47,760 see the same dynamic at play. All the Apostles everyone in face persecution 212 00:17:47,760 --> 00:17:51,680 they all died as martyrs except the Apostle John. The first martyr the church 213 00:17:51,680 --> 00:17:55,920 that we see record in the book of Acts was Stephen and he is stoned to death. 214 00:17:55,920 --> 00:18:00,320 Why? Because he's preaching the truth about Christ and they didn't like it. You 215 00:18:00,320 --> 00:18:04,480 go over to Acts chapter 12 James the brother of John he's beheaded by the 216 00:18:04,480 --> 00:18:09,440 order of King Herod. Why? King Herod didn't like what he was saying. Go through 217 00:18:09,440 --> 00:18:13,120 church history and time would fail me. Fox's book of martyrs. History is 218 00:18:13,120 --> 00:18:17,320 replete with examples of men and women who were persecuted simply because they 219 00:18:17,320 --> 00:18:22,440 took a stand for truth and righteousness. The reformers many of them were 220 00:18:22,440 --> 00:18:26,560 seriously persecuted. Many martyrs throughout the time of the Reformation. 221 00:18:26,560 --> 00:18:31,560 Today right now currently in other parts of the world we have brothers and 222 00:18:31,560 --> 00:18:35,120 sisters in Christ who are being hunted down and killed because of their 223 00:18:35,120 --> 00:18:41,600 faithfulness to Jesus Christ. And then there's us. Now we are not in danger 224 00:18:41,600 --> 00:18:46,880 right now of being persecuted physically. Most of us don't sit and worry that 225 00:18:46,880 --> 00:18:51,920 we're going to have our lives taken from us because we are Christians. But I will 226 00:18:51,920 --> 00:18:57,240 say this to you. If you are faithful to Christ it will cost you something. If you 227 00:18:57,240 --> 00:19:03,360 just think if you stand for biblical morality right now in our own culture 228 00:19:03,360 --> 00:19:07,680 here in the United States that bastion of freedom may cost you a promotion at 229 00:19:07,680 --> 00:19:12,880 work. You may not even get the job in the first place. In some states you won't be 230 00:19:12,880 --> 00:19:19,920 able to adopt a child. In some states like Indiana, the Midwest, children are 231 00:19:19,920 --> 00:19:23,200 being removed from their parents home because their parents refuse to give 232 00:19:23,200 --> 00:19:26,600 their children gender-affirming care meaning they're not going to go along 233 00:19:26,600 --> 00:19:32,480 and allow their child to be transgender. There's court case in Indiana. Many forms 234 00:19:32,480 --> 00:19:38,160 of persecution become. Many Christian parents being denied access to adoption. 235 00:19:38,160 --> 00:19:43,560 Why? Because if you can't espouse the LGBTQ plus movement you're not going to 236 00:19:43,560 --> 00:19:48,920 adopt. But why are the righteous persecuted? I mean if they're doing what 237 00:19:48,920 --> 00:19:52,720 is right and they're doing what is good why would anyone want to harm them? That 238 00:19:52,720 --> 00:19:55,920 doesn't make sense. And here the answer. Because there's something different 239 00:19:55,920 --> 00:20:01,000 about them and there's something in them that condemns other people. You and I 240 00:20:01,000 --> 00:20:08,000 live in a world of darkness, fallen world, and you are light and you're light 241 00:20:08,000 --> 00:20:12,960 exposes their darkness and people don't like it. I love what Alexander McLaren 242 00:20:12,960 --> 00:20:16,920 says, a true Christian ought to be a standing rebuke to the world and 243 00:20:16,920 --> 00:20:23,680 incarnate conscience. Your life you don't have to say a word sometimes a rebuke to 244 00:20:23,680 --> 00:20:29,560 those who are living evil. I think about the Pharisees. They looked they were the 245 00:20:29,560 --> 00:20:33,480 most righteous upstanding citizens of their day and yet they hated Jesus 246 00:20:33,480 --> 00:20:42,080 because his righteousness showed them their lack of. Darkness hates light. John 247 00:20:42,080 --> 00:20:47,160 3 19 Jesus said this is the condemnation this is why men are condemned. Light has 248 00:20:47,160 --> 00:20:50,640 come into the world that's Christ. Men love darkness rather than light. Why? 249 00:20:50,640 --> 00:20:56,120 Because our deeds were evil. It's the same today. Paul talking to the 250 00:20:56,120 --> 00:20:59,760 Sainte-Cédière Ephesus there he says for you were once darkness you and I 251 00:20:59,760 --> 00:21:06,960 once darkness but now you are light in the Lord. You are light in the Lord and 252 00:21:06,960 --> 00:21:11,200 the world doesn't like light because it exposes them for what they are. That's 253 00:21:11,200 --> 00:21:15,920 why they love the cover of darkness. I mean just even naturally if you're in a 254 00:21:15,920 --> 00:21:19,520 completely dark room in the morning and I have to have pitch darkness I can't 255 00:21:19,520 --> 00:21:22,900 stand any light so ever but someone comes in when my kids we have there's 256 00:21:22,900 --> 00:21:27,000 strong LED lights and they turn it on do I love the fact that light just suddenly 257 00:21:27,000 --> 00:21:33,560 came on in the solid dark room? No of course not. If our lights are going to 258 00:21:33,560 --> 00:21:39,680 shine a dark world you and I will stand out. You will be conspicuous and while 259 00:21:39,680 --> 00:21:44,680 you are you're stirring up the anger of the world against you. Now let me just do 260 00:21:44,680 --> 00:21:49,040 a little caveat here. Here's a little statement. Don't seek to be offensive. 261 00:21:49,040 --> 00:21:55,040 Don't seek to be foolish but by mere virtue of you being a light bearer you 262 00:21:55,040 --> 00:22:00,040 will invite the hatred and scorn of the world system because they don't like the 263 00:22:00,040 --> 00:22:05,600 light that condemns them and they'll try to snuff it out. They hated our Lord. Jesus 264 00:22:05,600 --> 00:22:14,240 they hated me. They're going to hate you but some some don't want to stand out. 265 00:22:14,240 --> 00:22:18,440 They don't want to shine brightly. They go along with the culture and they try 266 00:22:18,440 --> 00:22:24,040 to live in both worlds. Vance Havner a lot of you my generation older remember 267 00:22:24,040 --> 00:22:29,480 Vance Havner. He said one of our biggest problems today is that most of our 268 00:22:29,480 --> 00:22:34,160 church people have never really made up their minds to follow Jesus Christ. They 269 00:22:34,160 --> 00:22:38,320 are like Mr. Looking Both Ways in Pilgrim's Progress or they are like Lot's 270 00:22:38,320 --> 00:22:42,520 Wife looking back towards Sodom. They're like the man in the Civil War who wore a 271 00:22:42,520 --> 00:22:47,480 blue coat and a gray trousers and who shot it from both sides. They're like a 272 00:22:47,480 --> 00:22:51,760 donkey between two bales of hay undecided as which to eat. They're like 273 00:22:51,760 --> 00:22:58,080 the son in our Lord's parable who said I go sir and yet went not. They receive the 274 00:22:58,080 --> 00:23:02,440 word with joy but they have no root nor depth and they soon fall away. They never 275 00:23:02,440 --> 00:23:07,120 really make up their minds and are like the man who was asked do you have trouble 276 00:23:07,120 --> 00:23:15,600 making decisions and he replied yes and no. To live for Christ, to stand for 277 00:23:15,600 --> 00:23:20,720 righteousness will cost you but this is the question. Who are you going to serve? 278 00:23:20,720 --> 00:23:26,280 You cannot serve Christ in culture. You cannot serve Christ in the gods of this 279 00:23:26,280 --> 00:23:30,760 culture. If you want to avoid persecution it really is pretty easy. Live as a 280 00:23:30,760 --> 00:23:34,640 cultural Christian. Oh yeah you may say you're a follower of Christ but you live 281 00:23:34,640 --> 00:23:38,920 in the same manner of the world. Just be quiet about Christ and him being the 282 00:23:38,920 --> 00:23:42,720 only way of salvation. That won't cost you anything. Don't say anything about 283 00:23:42,720 --> 00:23:47,560 sin and certainly less about eternal judgment. You won't be hunted down. Just 284 00:23:47,560 --> 00:23:51,040 embrace the philosophy of the world. Religious pluralism. Live and let live. 285 00:23:51,040 --> 00:23:56,920 Live and let live. That won't cost you anything. To be ashamed of Christ don't 286 00:23:56,920 --> 00:24:04,160 take a stand for him. No persecutions come in your way but when and if you 287 00:24:04,160 --> 00:24:10,000 stand for Christ and you let your light shine for Christ you will pay a price 288 00:24:10,000 --> 00:24:16,240 but it's worth it. For Jesus said for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. The 289 00:24:16,240 --> 00:24:21,800 kingdom of heaven belongs to those who stand amidst great persecution. This 290 00:24:21,800 --> 00:24:25,840 doesn't earn you a spot in heaven. This is an evidence that you are a citizen of 291 00:24:25,840 --> 00:24:31,760 heaven. Look at verse 11. We're going to go through this lesson quickly. Bless are 292 00:24:31,760 --> 00:24:35,000 you when they revile and persecute you and say all kinds of evil against you 293 00:24:35,000 --> 00:24:39,400 falsely for my sake. Really? That's blessed? Yeah he said there's three types 294 00:24:39,400 --> 00:24:43,800 of persecution in the verse 11 there. There's physical persecution. This is 295 00:24:43,800 --> 00:24:49,280 obviously unjust treatment on a physical level. We think of martyrs or imprisonment. 296 00:24:49,280 --> 00:24:52,960 People who are beaten for their faith. Today that still happens in many 297 00:24:52,960 --> 00:24:56,680 communist countries and the church is forced to be underground. They can't meet 298 00:24:56,680 --> 00:25:01,680 openly but you know what the churches in those places like China and North Korea 299 00:25:01,680 --> 00:25:06,160 they're vibrant and they're growing in places where there is persecution. From 300 00:25:06,160 --> 00:25:12,600 what I'm told there's like revival happening in Iran. Just hordes of Muslims 301 00:25:12,600 --> 00:25:20,320 converting to Christ. Persecution always purifies the church because persecution 302 00:25:20,320 --> 00:25:25,000 will always separate the weak from the chaff. It separates the saints from the 303 00:25:25,000 --> 00:25:30,480 inks is how one person put it. Jesus said this there are people who receive the 304 00:25:30,480 --> 00:25:34,480 word with joy and they're not a Christian. They received the word the 305 00:25:34,480 --> 00:25:38,640 gospel with joy and they're not a Christian. Jesus said he who received the 306 00:25:38,640 --> 00:25:44,880 steed on stony places he hears the word he immediately receives it with joy but 307 00:25:44,880 --> 00:25:50,600 there's no root there's no depth there. He springs up he endures for a while but 308 00:25:50,600 --> 00:25:55,040 when tribulation or persecution arises because of that same word they received 309 00:25:55,040 --> 00:26:00,760 a joy immediately he stumbles and the word there it means it is scandalitsa 310 00:26:00,760 --> 00:26:06,680 it means he falls into apostasy. He falls away. There are Christians who are 311 00:26:06,680 --> 00:26:10,800 Christians in name only and they may stand around when things are smooth but 312 00:26:10,800 --> 00:26:14,520 when you are called to suffer for Christ they're nowhere to be found because 313 00:26:14,520 --> 00:26:18,200 there's no depth in there there's no root holding them there. So persecution 314 00:26:18,200 --> 00:26:23,440 the trying of our faith as Peter said serves to purify our faith and show our 315 00:26:23,440 --> 00:26:30,360 resolve. It's good. Secondly there are verbal insults. When men shall revile 316 00:26:30,360 --> 00:26:34,920 you. Literally in Greek it's to cast in your teeth. This is when someone speaks 317 00:26:34,920 --> 00:26:41,160 about you in a very critical insulting way. When others mock you viciously or 318 00:26:41,160 --> 00:26:46,680 hurl abusive words toward you. Now it's what's interesting the rabbis of Jesus 319 00:26:46,680 --> 00:26:51,520 they considered reviling such a terrible sin on the level of murder because they 320 00:26:51,520 --> 00:26:56,880 said when you revile someone what you do is you defame their character and when 321 00:26:56,880 --> 00:27:00,960 you defame their character you lowered their status in society and you can make 322 00:27:00,960 --> 00:27:05,760 life unbearable for them. Think of today just think with me I mean you can think 323 00:27:05,760 --> 00:27:10,680 of examples of times when someone is attacked when he takes a stand for 324 00:27:10,680 --> 00:27:15,120 Christ in the public square. To stand up let me just give you a few examples even 325 00:27:15,120 --> 00:27:21,520 in the church. When someone stands up for male headship in the home he's called a 326 00:27:21,520 --> 00:27:24,780 misogynist. If he stands up for male headship in the church he's called a 327 00:27:24,780 --> 00:27:28,800 misogynist. To say that the man is the head of the home and only mentioned 328 00:27:28,800 --> 00:27:34,360 service pastors and elders is to invite scorn and derision. You're backwards 329 00:27:34,360 --> 00:27:39,240 you're not progressive. To stand up for biblical sexuality you will be called a 330 00:27:39,240 --> 00:27:45,480 bigot, homophobic. When you say that marriage is reserved only for men and 331 00:27:45,480 --> 00:27:49,240 women in a lifelong monogamous covenant that is to invite the hatred of our 332 00:27:49,240 --> 00:27:55,080 sexually permissive and perverse culture. If you say that Jesus Christ is the only 333 00:27:55,080 --> 00:27:58,960 way to the Father and the only way to heaven you will be called arrogant, 334 00:27:58,960 --> 00:28:04,200 narrow-minded, and again a bigot. If you want to say Christ is not just a way but 335 00:28:04,200 --> 00:28:10,960 the way, the only exclusive way, they hate you. They don't like it. You and I live in 336 00:28:10,960 --> 00:28:15,320 a cancel culture where they're going to seek to cancel your any influence. If 337 00:28:15,320 --> 00:28:20,240 you're out of step with them maybe your job. There have been people we know on 338 00:28:20,240 --> 00:28:23,200 TV that's been removed. Why? Because they said something that the culture didn't 339 00:28:23,200 --> 00:28:28,920 like. I think about the medical community. I think about Christian OBs right now, 340 00:28:28,920 --> 00:28:33,960 obstetricians, gynecologists, doctors who raise their voice over concerns with 341 00:28:33,960 --> 00:28:37,760 abortions and some of these medicines and the transgender movement and gender 342 00:28:37,760 --> 00:28:42,840 reassignment surgeries particularly upon minors. There are states where these 343 00:28:42,840 --> 00:28:46,480 doctors and nurses are in real danger of losing their job and their medical 344 00:28:46,480 --> 00:28:53,800 license. But remember what are you going to do? Our Lord promises great blessing 345 00:28:53,800 --> 00:28:59,080 to those who are treated this way if it's on the count of Christ. I will say 346 00:28:59,080 --> 00:29:03,100 this, if you're loyal to Christ it may even cost those closest to you. You may 347 00:29:03,100 --> 00:29:07,840 have family and friends who turn their backs on you. Jesus said, I have come to 348 00:29:07,840 --> 00:29:11,000 set a man against his father and a daughter against her mother, a daughter-in-law 349 00:29:11,000 --> 00:29:13,760 against her mother-in-law, and a man's enemies will be those of his own 350 00:29:13,760 --> 00:29:19,920 household. What's he saying? The allegiance that we naturally feel toward 351 00:29:19,920 --> 00:29:25,320 our families cannot supersede the allegiance we have to our Lord. He can't. 352 00:29:25,320 --> 00:29:30,400 Thirdly, and he said there's false accusation. They're going to say all kinds 353 00:29:30,400 --> 00:29:35,080 of evil against you falsely for my sake. So insults, well those are abusive words 354 00:29:35,080 --> 00:29:39,880 but at least they're said to your face. False accusations are abusive words 355 00:29:39,880 --> 00:29:44,320 but they're said behind your back. These are hurt harder and they hurt more 356 00:29:44,320 --> 00:29:47,880 because you can't protect yourself because you may not even be aware that 357 00:29:47,880 --> 00:29:53,160 they're being said. But here's the truth, unbelievers will try to personally 358 00:29:53,160 --> 00:29:58,640 discredit you and lie about you to remove any influence you may have. They 359 00:29:58,640 --> 00:30:03,560 secretly lie about you. Think about what do they call Jesus? They said, it's King James, a 360 00:30:03,560 --> 00:30:09,800 wine-bibber and a glutton. He's a drunk. He's a wine-bibber. He's a glutton. The 361 00:30:09,800 --> 00:30:14,960 guy has no self-control. It's a lie. They said about Jesus. What do you think 362 00:30:14,960 --> 00:30:19,480 they're gonna say about you? If your ways please the Lord you can be sure that you 363 00:30:19,480 --> 00:30:24,840 will expect difficulties to arise. 1st Peter 4, we read it earlier. If you 364 00:30:24,840 --> 00:30:29,720 are reproached for the name of Christ, blessed are you. The Spirit of glory and 365 00:30:29,720 --> 00:30:33,640 of God rests upon you. On their part he's blessing but on your part he's 366 00:30:33,640 --> 00:30:41,280 glorified. How do we endure then? You focus on the promises of God. Look at 367 00:30:41,280 --> 00:30:48,360 verse 12. Rejoice, be exceedingly glad. For great is your reward in heaven. For so 368 00:30:48,360 --> 00:30:54,120 they persecuted the prophets who were before you. Persecution takes many forms 369 00:30:54,120 --> 00:31:00,440 but we don't hide from it. Let your light shine. Literally when he says rejoice and 370 00:31:00,440 --> 00:31:04,280 being seen glad, this literally means to skip and jump with happy excitement. You 371 00:31:04,280 --> 00:31:08,280 ever seen a child like promised Disney World and they're skipping around and 372 00:31:08,280 --> 00:31:13,360 jumping with excitement? That's what he's saying there. Why? Why would you do that? 373 00:31:13,360 --> 00:31:19,400 You're getting pummeled. Two reasons. For great is your reward in heaven. I'm like 374 00:31:19,400 --> 00:31:24,000 okay. So here's how you do that. I go back to the Hebrew believers. They endured 375 00:31:24,000 --> 00:31:28,000 persecution because they believed that God was telling the truth. They took him 376 00:31:28,000 --> 00:31:31,840 at his word. This is one of my favorite passages and every time I read it I'm 377 00:31:31,840 --> 00:31:36,640 convicted by it. The author of Hebrews writing to believers he says, recall the 378 00:31:36,640 --> 00:31:42,040 former days in which after you were illuminated you endured a great struggle 379 00:31:42,040 --> 00:31:46,360 with sufferings. Partly why you were made a spectacle both by reproaches and 380 00:31:46,360 --> 00:31:49,960 tribulations. So some of you really suffered. Partly why you became 381 00:31:49,960 --> 00:31:53,400 companions of those who were so treated. Some people got put in prison and you 382 00:31:53,400 --> 00:31:57,880 decided to identify with them. But look at verse 34. For you had compassion on 383 00:31:57,880 --> 00:32:03,800 me and my chains and I can't believe it's here but it is. And you joyfully 384 00:32:03,800 --> 00:32:09,000 accepted the plundering of your goods. This is where you lose homes and lands. 385 00:32:09,000 --> 00:32:14,840 Knowing that you have a better and an enduring possession for yourselves in 386 00:32:14,840 --> 00:32:18,120 heaven. Now this doesn't make, I can understand. I mean what choice do you 387 00:32:18,120 --> 00:32:20,560 have? The state comes and takes your home, takes your horse, takes your 388 00:32:20,560 --> 00:32:24,800 livelihood. Okay. I mean I can't do anything about it. He said no. Here's what 389 00:32:24,800 --> 00:32:32,440 you did. You joyfully accepted that. You rejoiced. You're plundered. You're left 390 00:32:32,440 --> 00:32:41,480 bereft of all property and you rejoiced in that. They knew they had a better and 391 00:32:41,480 --> 00:32:48,280 an enduring eternal lasting possession in heaven. And listen that's so good. 392 00:32:48,280 --> 00:32:53,720 John Piper says whatever measure of material and physical loss that God may 393 00:32:53,720 --> 00:32:57,720 call you to in this world, one thing is certain. Being a Christian means being 394 00:32:57,720 --> 00:33:01,560 willing and ready to let it all go for the sake of Christ and his word. Are you 395 00:33:01,560 --> 00:33:07,000 willing and ready if you lose it all? Do you see this Christ is greater? I might 396 00:33:07,000 --> 00:33:12,920 lose everything I have but I can't lose him. I see we're not prepared like this. 397 00:33:12,920 --> 00:33:17,800 Parents prepare your children. Our days are growing darker. Suffering may come. 398 00:33:17,800 --> 00:33:22,280 They're not going to come with little tiny devotions. They're not going to cut 399 00:33:22,280 --> 00:33:27,120 it with cute little Bible stories. Our Lord he tells you rejoice when you're 400 00:33:27,120 --> 00:33:30,680 slandered. Rejoice when you're attacked because you have a great reward in 401 00:33:30,680 --> 00:33:37,760 heaven. Now some people brag about gifts but they never live up to the hype. But I 402 00:33:37,760 --> 00:33:40,280 would say this when the Lord Jesus Christ says your heavenly reward is 403 00:33:40,280 --> 00:33:47,040 great, it must be great. I mean can you not get excited about that gift? What 404 00:33:47,040 --> 00:33:52,680 does a great reward from great God look like? There's no promise here. You can 405 00:33:52,680 --> 00:33:57,920 lose it all. Earthly possessions, yep they can go. Eternal dividends, they're 406 00:33:57,920 --> 00:34:01,880 there. Now some of you are very falsely pious. You're saying well I don't think 407 00:34:01,880 --> 00:34:04,920 we should serve God for reward. Well it's true we serve him because we love him 408 00:34:04,920 --> 00:34:10,120 but the Bible often speaks of motivation reward for faithful living. I don't want 409 00:34:10,120 --> 00:34:14,200 to be more spiritual than the Bible. It is not unscriptural to look for reward. 410 00:34:14,200 --> 00:34:19,680 God speaks of it so many times. Jesus endured the cross for the joy that was 411 00:34:19,680 --> 00:34:25,000 set before him. The Apostle Paul told believers to labor for that crown and 412 00:34:25,000 --> 00:34:29,880 reward which is and the crown and reward which is imperishable. He said labor for 413 00:34:29,880 --> 00:34:35,320 it. Jesus said God knows how to give good gifts to his children. I bet he does. 414 00:34:35,320 --> 00:34:39,480 Christ says your reward is great in heaven if you suffer from him on the 415 00:34:39,480 --> 00:34:45,800 earth. And secondly, we're closing here. You and I are in good company. They also 416 00:34:45,800 --> 00:34:51,680 persecuted the prophets who are before you. It's a mark of your faithfulness. It 417 00:34:51,680 --> 00:34:55,120 confirms that we are members of the righteous line. It confirms that you and 418 00:34:55,120 --> 00:34:59,160 I are members of seed of the woman. When the world can't tolerate you and seeks 419 00:34:59,160 --> 00:35:03,200 to silence you, rejoice. Remember who Israel accepted? They loved the false 420 00:35:03,200 --> 00:35:08,240 prophets but they couldn't tolerate the righteous ones. They were persecuted. It's 421 00:35:08,240 --> 00:35:14,960 not easy and I think it's even harder to stand alone. That's why church you and I 422 00:35:14,960 --> 00:35:20,600 need each other. You and I will not stand isolated as isolated believers. We need 423 00:35:20,600 --> 00:35:24,000 the community of the church if we're going to stand in perilous times 424 00:35:24,000 --> 00:35:29,240 especially with the looming threat of persecution. You don't know if any of 425 00:35:29,240 --> 00:35:32,960 y'all ever heard of Dietrich Bonhoeffer? Many of y'all probably have. He was the 426 00:35:32,960 --> 00:35:38,000 famous German martyr, died under Hitler. He was in a Flossenburg prison cell and 427 00:35:38,000 --> 00:35:45,320 he wrote this, 1937. Suffering is the badge of the true Christian. The 428 00:35:45,320 --> 00:35:49,000 disciples not above his master, Luther, that is Martin Luther because he's 429 00:35:49,000 --> 00:35:53,300 Lutheran, reckons suffering among the marks of the true church and one of the 430 00:35:53,300 --> 00:35:57,560 memoranda drawn up in preparation for the Augsburg Confession simply defines 431 00:35:57,560 --> 00:36:01,320 the church as the community of those who are persecuted and martyred for the 432 00:36:01,320 --> 00:36:08,240 gospel's sake. Discipleship means allegiance to the suffering Christ and 433 00:36:08,240 --> 00:36:11,880 it's therefore not at all surprising that Christians should be called upon to 434 00:36:11,880 --> 00:36:19,200 suffer. All right so now what? What do we do? The Holy Spirit lives in you 435 00:36:19,200 --> 00:36:23,600 believer. He's going to begin to produce these character qualities in you, poor 436 00:36:23,600 --> 00:36:29,400 in spirit, mourning, meek, hungry for righteous living, merciful, pure in heart, 437 00:36:29,400 --> 00:36:35,560 peacemaking, and a willingness to suffer for the cause of Christ. That's going to 438 00:36:35,560 --> 00:36:38,880 show others that you are indeed a follower of Christ. Everyone's going to 439 00:36:38,880 --> 00:36:43,400 know you follow the word Jesus but not everyone's going to like it. It's foolish 440 00:36:43,400 --> 00:36:49,960 if you seek it out. Don't do it but it will seek you out. Simply be faithful to 441 00:36:49,960 --> 00:36:53,640 the Lord and be faithful to his call and he will give you all the persecution you 442 00:36:53,640 --> 00:36:57,360 can handle. I'm gonna leave you with these last words that the Apostle Paul 443 00:36:57,360 --> 00:37:01,200 gave to Timothy. These are Paul's some of his last words before he goes and has 444 00:37:01,200 --> 00:37:08,160 his head cut off by the king. Youth, therefore, my son, be strong in the grace 445 00:37:08,160 --> 00:37:12,080 that is in Christ Jesus and the things that you've heard from me among many 446 00:37:12,080 --> 00:37:15,120 witnesses, commit these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also. 447 00:37:15,120 --> 00:37:21,200 Verse 3. You therefore must endure hardship as a good soldier of Jesus 448 00:37:21,200 --> 00:37:27,080 Christ. Just endure it. No one engaged in warfare and tangles himself with the 449 00:37:27,080 --> 00:37:32,840 affairs of this life that he may please him who enlisted him as a soldier. As a 450 00:37:32,840 --> 00:37:38,240 good soldier make it your aim in all things to live a life pleasing unto the 451 00:37:38,240 --> 00:37:45,600 Lord Jesus. But rejoice you get the kingdom. Be exceedingly glad because you 452 00:37:45,600 --> 00:37:51,160 have a great reward. Do you believe that? Do you believe Jesus was telling the 453 00:37:51,160 --> 00:37:55,520 truth there? Do you believe that Jesus is better than all the lands that this 454 00:37:55,520 --> 00:37:59,400 world has to offer? If you lose everything you have tomorrow but you 455 00:37:59,400 --> 00:38:06,120 can't lose him, you put it in the scales, there is no comparison friends. Do you 456 00:38:06,120 --> 00:38:14,480 see Jesus as the all-glorious Son of God that he is? If you do, ask the Holy 457 00:38:14,480 --> 00:38:19,200 Spirit to help you to stand for him whatever it may cost you. Let's pray. 458 00:38:19,200 --> 00:38:26,200 Father we thank you Lord. It's a difficult word.