Prayer for the Persecuted Church
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This morning we said it would be different
This morning we want to focus our time on the persecuted church
This is why we changed the seating
The persecuted church doesn’t always have the comfortable seating
This is why we changed the lighting, the singing and even the format of the message
Its because we need to understand the persecuted church doesn’t all of the nice amenities that we are so very blessed to have
It is not that we are a better church because of them or they are a better church because they don’t have them
It is to highlight the fact that it is different but the message is still the same
And with it being different it should be noted that we I believe have a responsibility to be praying for them and helping them
So this morning as we look at the persecuted church we are going to put ourselves in a bit of a difficult or slightly uncomfortable situation this morning as a hope to remind ourselves of our responsibility to lift them up in prayer
The message as we have said is still the same
It is still the Gospel Message
21 He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.
That is the message they teach and preach and it is the message we teach and preach
nothing has changed
in fact they were commanded just as we are commanded to go into all the earth and preach and teach the Good News that Jesus Saves to a lost world
To make Disciples and to baptize them
The persecuted church lives out
14 “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden; 15 nor does anyone light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. 16 “Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.
They view themselves as a city on a hill that should be known to the rest of the world
They believe they have a light that must be shown
No one in their right minds lights a candle only to hide it from everyone
They allow their light to shine
Yes they have what is called secret church
In China it is called the underground church
This is where they are not registered with the government and are often harassed and persecuted for their gatherings
Because they refuse to allow the Government to tell them what to do
To tell them what to teach and preach
In China The Communist Party is also working on a new Bible translation intended to inject Chinese values into Scripture.
They have the home churches we hear so much about
These are the churches that have to disguise their meeting places where people show up at different times
And yet those people still gather for church
It is the same for those who are believers in Iran
It is against the law for a Muslim to convert to Christianity
And what is interesting is that region of the world the middle east is the fastest growing place for Christianity
Its interesting that the underground church is so very successful
They train up new pastors
They are arrested so they train up new pastors and the cycle goes on and on
The reason why is because those people are sharing truth sharing the Gospel Message in the midst of persecution
Church they are willing to risk it all for the sake of Christ and furthering His Kingdom
25 “For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it; but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it.
These people are willing to risk their lives and their families lives to share the Gospel Message
According to Open Doors UK every day 13 Christians are killed because of their faith
Everyday 12 church buildings are attached
Everyday 12 Christians are unjustly arrested
And another 5 are abducted
That is all on the average day around the entire world
In China you face beatings and arrest
In Iran you face death for converting to Christianity
No I understand that you and I don’t face that sort of persecution if any really but we should be just as willing to risk our lives for Christ
We must like them be willing to risk it all for the sake of Christ and His Kingdom
This is not a you should feel bad because you were born in America and don’t face those same persecutions
This is a call to prayer this morning to life up our brothers and sisters who are forced into risking it all for the sake of Christ and His Kingdom
This is a call to support the persecuted church
And dare I say it but this is a call to come along side the persecuted church
Do you understand what it costs to follow after Christ
But they are being obedient to the Word of God
They are a church and a body of believers who are not ashamed of the Gospel Message
16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.
We see the persecuted church living this verse out in front of us
And our first reaction to to find someway to stop the persecution so they are more comfortable
When in reality they are praying that we face some sort of persecution so that we become on fire for Jesus
So rather than trying to make them comfortable and trying to stop the persecution let us be praying for them
Let us be supporting them
Let us be coming along side them and working with them in the spread of the Gospel
Let us be praying for them
Church this is one of my favorite accounts in Scripture
17 “But so that it will not spread any further among the people, let us warn them to speak no longer to any man in this name.” 18 And when they had summoned them, they commanded them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus. 19 But Peter and John answered and said to them, “Whether it is right in the sight of God to give heed to you rather than to God, you be the judge; 20 for we cannot stop speaking about what we have seen and heard.”
Peter and John were just arrested because of what they had done
They had just healed a man
The government the established religious leaders got nervous that their power over the people would be taken away
So they arrest John and Peter
They beat them
They warn them to never talk about this miracle again
They warn them not to talk about Christ ever again
Their answer should give us courage
Their answer should start a fire in our belly's and get us all sorts of excited to talk about Jesus
Their answer is
Wether its right or not we cannot
We cannot stop talking about what Jesus has done in our own lives
This is what we see happening in the persecuted church
Wether it is right or not according to government
We the church cannot stop talking about Jesus
We cannot stop meeting even when it is not comfortable
We cannot stop meeting even when we have to travel a long distance
Why because of the Gospel church
21 He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.
Because of what Jesus did on the cross for me I cannot stop talking about Jesus
That is the battle Cry of the persecuted church
That is should be our battle cry as well
We cannot stop talking about what Jesus has done in our own lives
The worst thing that will happen here in the States is you will be label the annoying Jesus Freak by some and they wont walk to talk to you anymore
And that is ok because they heard the truth!
That is our battle Cry church
Now as you are seated on the floor this morning
As you have a candle as we did somethings different this morning
To put ourselves in their shoes this morning
We will continue with that
Instead of an alter call invitation
We are going to move to a time of prayer for the persecuted church
Prayer
China
North Korea
Russia
Israel
Iraq
Iran
Syria
Pakistan
India
Eritrea
Pray for Christians to have courage
Pray for Churches and Christians to grow
Pray for boldness with the Gospel in those places