What To Expect

Reading:

John 15:18-21 ““If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. Remember the word that I said to you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they kept my word, they will also keep yours. But all these things they will do to you on account of my name, because they do not know him who sent me.”

Introduction:

In the moment of salvation the whole world changes to that individual.

John Newton penned the phrase in Amazing Grace:

“Was blind but now I see”.

This phrase is rooted in

John 9:1-7 “As he passed by, he saw a man blind from birth. And his disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” Jesus answered, “It was not that this man sinned, or his parents, but that the works of God might be displayed in him. We must work the works of him who sent me while it is day; night is coming, when no one can work. As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.” Having said these things, he spit on the ground and made mud with the saliva. Then he anointed the man’s eyes with the mud and said to him, “Go, wash in the pool of Siloam” (which means Sent). So he went and washed and came back seeing.”

The thing that happens when you are “saved” is that you no longer fit in this sinful world we live in. Your now different and are aware of the truth; and that truth has set you free.

A portion of that truth is who it is that you will begin to struggle with:

Ephesians 6:12 “For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.”

The spiritual forces of fallen angels and Lucifer.

We are privy to the truth.

We don’t have to subject ourselves to Satan’s rule.

Jesus provides this truth about what struggle we will now have. He gave us victory over it; but that doesn’t mean that it will be easy, or comfortable.

Transition:

We are set free and placed in the:

Training Ground

Matthew 10:16-18 ““Behold, I am sending you out as sheep in the midst of wolves, so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves. Beware of men, for they will deliver you over to courts and flog you in their synagogues, and you will be dragged before governors and kings for my sake, to bear witness before them and the Gentiles.”

Transition:

The Lord lovingly expresses the new life struggle:

A. The setting

Matthew 10:16 ““Behold, I am sending you out as sheep in the midst of wolves, so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves.”

We are sheep lead by a great and mighty shepherd.

Sheep are very interesting, I have a quote from a shepherd about sheep:

Illustration:

“I often feel like we bred the world’s best fine wool into our merino sheep but in the process, bred the brains out. For example, if a lambing merino ewe is not in good condition or doesn’t feel up to it, she will walk away from the newborn lamb and leave it to die or have a second (twin) and leave the first one for the foxes.”

“Then there’s the situation of a sheep found out on its own – without other sheep as company, they will often walk in circles, going nowhere and not eating, until they die.”

“The next day, I found a big lamb, almost ready for sale, dead under a log in the paddock. It had pushed into a stack of timber to reach some morsel of food, found it was stuck but instead of backing out, it kept pushing forward and died there.”

Transition:

The setting is that we are selfishly stupid and cannot protect ourselves, and ultimately we are entirely helpless in the world full of wolves waiting to devour us.

Jesus gave the Holy Spirit as the helper so we have aren’t lost live in this world.

Not just surviving; but thriving.

How is that possible?

Through God’s wisdom: God’s word in action and listening to the Holy Spirit’s direction.

And we are told that we can be like the innocent dove.

Romans 16:19 “For your obedience is known to all, so that I rejoice over you, but I want you to be wise as to what is good and innocent as to what is evil.”

Having knowledge of good and evil to use for our discernment.

Philippians 2:15 “that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world,”

To remain clean from any stain of sin.

Transition:

Our sheepish selves aren’t to have any appearance of evil staining our testimonies or corrupting our connection with the Lord.

We are able since Jesus gives us:

B. The Situation:

Matthew 10:17 “Beware of men, for they will deliver you over to courts and flog you in their synagogues,”

We are going to be persecuted!

Persecution is:

“Mistreatment of a person or group on the basis of ethnicity, nationality, race, religion, or beliefs.” - Lexham Bible Dictionary.

There is a theme throughout history that is not hidden:

The hardships, murdering, and enslaving of those who’s faith rests in Jesus or YHWH.

If you were an investigator you would be able to conclude that there is a power working against God.

His name is Lucifer!

He hates you; because He hates God!

Transition:

In our persecution we have an opportunity to be a shining light for Christ.

When we are hated and delivered to give account for our beliefs:

We are provided a stage for a great and powerful presentation.

There was a Martyr who’s name was:

Illustration:

“Blandina, a slave, who had been taken into custody along with her master, also a Christian. Her companions greatly feared that on account of her bodily frailty she might not remain steadfast under torture. But although the legate caused her to be tortured in a horrible manner, so that even the executioners became exhausted "as they did not know what more they could do to her", still she remained faithful and repeated to every question "I am a Christian, and we commit no wrongdoing."[6]

Through fear of torture slaves had testified against their masters that the Christians when assembled committed cannibalism and incest, and the legate desired to wring confession of this misconduct from the Christian prisoners. In his report to the emperor the legate stated that those who held to their Christian belief were to be executed and those who denied their faith were to be released, and the legate received instructions from the Emperor Marcus Aurelius allowing the Roman citizens who persisted in the faith to be executed by beheading,[7] but those without citizenship were to be tortured. Blandina was therefore subjected to new tortures with a number of companions in the town's amphitheater (now known as the Amphitheatre of the Three Gauls) at the time of the public games.[6]

She was bound to a stake and wild beasts were set on her. According to legend, they did not, however, touch her. After enduring this for a number of days, in an effort to persuade her to recant, she was led into the arena to see the sufferings of her companions. Finally, as the last of the martyrs, she was scourged, placed on a red-hot grate, enclosed in a net and thrown before a wild steer who tossed her into the air with his horns. In the end, she was killed with a dagger.[6]” - Wikipedia

Transition:

Blandina exposes the truth for all that would hear what she said:

“I am a christian and we, commit no wrongdoing.”

She didn’t recant her faith in Christ, she spoke truth for all to hear and measure against her, her words were true and verified.

She could’ve saved her own life; but instead was obedient even to death.

Her death was a valuable display of the weak confounding the strong, which can only be possible through:

Faith and Trust

Matthew 10:19-20 “When they deliver you over, do not be anxious how you are to speak or what you are to say, for what you are to say will be given to you in that hour. For it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you.”

Illustration:

What makes a salesman successful?

Possessing the proper knowledge of their product.

Highlighting the “key points” of what they are selling.

Having the ability to know what their customer is thinking and being ready for their skepticism.

Salesman, maybe realize it, or maybe they don’t but with every contact they are “practicing, and refining” their pitches.

They are rehearsing what to say to achieve the goal of convincing the person to buy it.

When we are delivered into the hands of those with worldly authority:

There is no need to rehearse what you might say or do.

A. Have Faith.

Believe and know that God will provide for the immediate need.

It is normal for a person to be nervous when they are facing untruthful accusations or wrongful imprisonment.

Our automatic response is to defend ourselves to the present authoritit’s.

The ability to have faith in those big moments only comes from faith built up in all the little moments.

Illustration:

Have you ever heard the word dross?

Dross is the impurity that is boiled out of silver and other metals, making it a more precious and useful material, because the impurities are removed by the refining process.

The metal becomes more pure and less tainted. It is more valuable than it was before.

Correllation: your life; when God refines you through the trials and temptations are becoming more pure and the testimony you hold is more valuable.

The faith of a person begins on little things.

Do you trust God’s word and live according to it?

Do you believe God is in control of everything?

- Treat every situation as a moment for learning something from God or watching how He will reveal Himself through it?

Transition:

Those big moments you are ready for since your faith muscles have been conditioned for it.

It isn’t difficult to follow through or to:

B. Trust

Matthew 10:20 “For it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you.”

This is that moment when you boldly proclaim God’s truth to those who ask!

Acts 4:5-13 “On the next day their rulers and elders and scribes gathered together in Jerusalem, with Annas the high priest and Caiaphas and John and Alexander, and all who were of the high-priestly family. And when they had set them in the midst, they inquired, “By what power or by what name did you do this?” Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, “Rulers of the people and elders, if we are being examined today concerning a good deed done to a crippled man, by what means this man has been healed, let it be known to all of you and to all the people of Israel that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead—by him this man is standing before you well. This Jesus is the stone that was rejected by you, the builders, which has become the cornerstone. 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.” Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that t…”

These were men who scattered at the site of being arrested and killed before.

What changed?

They now lived in trusting the Holy Spirit and spoke with authority!

Unashamed about Christ; but boldly speaking and rebuking the leaders.

Transition:

They revealed to us that it is possible to have faith and trust what the Bible teaches:

Matthew 10:16 ““Behold, I am sending you out as sheep in the midst of wolves, so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves.”

Even through faith and trust we dont get a pass from:

Persecution

Matthew 10:21-23 “Brother will deliver brother over to death, and the father his child, and children will rise against parents and have them put to death, and you will be hated by all for my name’s sake. But the one who endures to the end will be saved. When they persecute you in one town, flee to the next, for truly, I say to you, you will not have gone through all the towns of Israel before the Son of Man comes.”

Transition:

Persecution has:

A. No Boundaries.

There are no laws about where and from who persecution can come from.

The reality is that when someone is saved by the grace of God it is personal.

It is only between them and God.

Salvation isn’t transferable to those you love and care for.

There may be those in your town who are offended by Jesus. (That’s their problem)

Jesus is offensive especially to those confident in their pride or good works.

They may believe that you are dead wrong and you need to be stopped from spreading your lies.

Illustration:

Nero was one of the worst persecutors of Christians. He ruled in A.D. 64.

He would wrap Believers in rope, dip them in hot wax, set them on pedestals and lite them on fire at night so he could walk through his garden at night whole it is lit up.

Guess how he started his persecutions against believers:

“he ordered that the city of Rome should be set on fire, which order was executed by his officers, guards, and servants. While the imperial city was in flames, he went up to the tower of Macaenas, played upon his harp, sung the song of the burning of Troy, and openly declared that 'he wished the ruin of all things before his death.' Besides the noble pile, called the Circus, many other palaces and houses were consumed; several thousands perished in the flames, were smothered in the smoke, or buried beneath the ruins. This dreadful conflagration continued nine days; when Nero, finding that his conduct was greatly blamed, and a severe odium cast upon him, determined to lay the whole upon the Christians, at once to excuse himself, and have an opportunity of glutting his sight with new cruelties.” - Fox’s book of Martyrs.

Believers were the scapegoat for his sinfulness.

Many Believers were offered up to the authorities by relatives, neighbors, friends, etc...

Non-believer isn’t a term that provides immunity to you because of relationships.

Matthew 24:9 ““Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and put you to death, and you will be hated by all nations for my name’s sake.”

Transition:

The life on earth is temporary. We are referred to as pilgrims passing through. Our citizenship is heaven!

Earthly life is the”journey” to eternity.

We will be given what we:

B. Deserve.

The truth is that eternity exists and there are only 2 locations you can take up residence:

Heaven

Hell

Everyone is already on their way to Hell, because of sin.

They are condemned already.

John 3:18 “Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.”

Only by grace can we be given heaven.

Ephesians 2:8-9 “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.”

Transition:

When you have a message to deliver this important Jesus makes sure others hear.

Since we are His ambassadors we are to:

C. Spread the message.

Matthew 10:23 “When they persecute you in one town, flee to the next, for truly, I say to you, you will not have gone through all the towns of Israel before the Son of Man comes.”

Your message won’t change:

Only you location.

Persecution isn’t death; only a means for knowing that your time in that location may be up.

The next place is ready for you!

Transition:

Satan hates your message and the allegiance you pledge.

He will use everything he can against you.

He will even use good things against you.

Heres what I mean:

We can fall into the trap to believe that because of our good deeds these things are happening.

people getting saved

people growing in their faith

great crowds coming to hear an eloquent speech or holding a powerful and convicting conversation.

people’s church attendance

We must keep perspective:

Conclusion:

Matthew 10:24-25 ““A disciple is not above his teacher, nor a servant above his master. It is enough for the disciple to be like his teacher, and the servant like his master. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebul, how much more will they malign those of his household.”

Jesus send us into the training ground

He reveals that we must have faith and trust Him

We will be hated and persecuted

These are the things that we should expect as believers going foreward from the day of salvation.

You will be hated, because you are a disciple of the one Lucifer truly hates.

We aren’t above Jesus, any success is His success and any moments that are triumphant are His victories:

We better praise Him for them!

Know and trust the great shepherd that is in charge. Believe the scriptures and allow the Holy Spirit full control. Our lives won’t be free from persecution so have faith that God is using you to reveal Him on that stage to an huge audience.

As disciples we know whats next after salvation: the struggles get harder and guess what we have a brotherhood here, the church, to help us in the discipleship journey!

Pray!