Prison Break

The story and point of the book of Acts is that the Gospel will spread to the end of the Earth.

Acts 1:8 ESV

But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”

But when this new thing that changes everything begins to spread, naturally some of those who don’t believe are going to fight it, for different reasons…

Anyone seen the movie Mean Girls? It’s about these girls in HS and they’re the popular girls, the mean girls, and they bring a new girl into their group. The new girls starts to become more popular than the leader of the group and she doesn’t like that. She gets angry that her power, her influence, is dwindling. So she writes about everyone in the burn book and the lets everyone at school see it so they won’t like the new girl anymore.

The Jews were kind of being mean girls. They didn’t like Christians because they were taking their influence and power. Not all of them, but a lot of them. So persecution started. But we can’t be surprised about this, then or now.

1 John 3:13 ESV

Do not be surprised, brothers, that the world hates you.

Most of us probably won’t see persecution like this, I pray we don’t. But we will see some and I think there are lessons for us to learn in this story. I also want us to get an idea about what persecution looks like in other places in the world tonight.

Jesus' church has and will always face persecution, but we may turn to God knowing He will win!

Pray, go through story, then make points

Persecution will come

2 Timothy 3:12 ESV

Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted,

Prayer and encouragement should follow

We should pray for those who are persecuted. We should pray when we are persecuted. God works through prayer!

We should encourage those who are persecuted.

2 Corinthians 1:11 ESV

You also must help us by prayer, so that many will give thanks on our behalf for the blessing granted us through the prayers of many.

God will win

Herod thought he was running the show.

Daniel 2:21 ESV

He changes times and seasons; he removes kings and sets up kings; he gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to those who have understanding;

Ultimately, nothing will prevail against the church.

You have to figure Peter remembered Jesus’ words to him in

Matthew 16:18 ESV

And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.

We’re going to do something a little different now because I want y’all to learn a little about what it’s like in some other places in the world where people are not free to be Christians.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oGqEgxkF7I8&t=2s

We need to be praying for Christians who are going through this, enduring this, in several nations across the world.

Is God calling you to do something more than that tonight? To send support and encouragement? To go yourself to give lift up these brothers and sisters? To a life of ministering in these places? If you have that feeling, come and talk with me about that!

Some of you tonight do not know Jesus. But you hear these stories of people ready to give their lives. It’s because Jesus gave his life for us, so we could have everlasting life with Him. Apart from forgiveness for our sins through Jesus, we will be forever separated from our Creator at the end of this life. But through Jesus, we can be forgiven and redeemed.