Rejection (2)
Notes
Transcript
Handout
Introduction
Introduction
Oxymorons:
Bittersweet, Only choice, Seriously funny, Civil war, Grow smaller, Jumbo shrimp, Pretty ugly, Act naturally.
But also enjoy paradoxes.
Catch-22 (Joseph Heller) Captain John Yossarian. After multiple missions flying his B-25, he knows odds are increasing that he will be shot down. So he goes to his doctor to get deemed insane and therefore unfit to fly. The doctor informs him that anybody trying to get out of flying in combat cannot possibly be insane; the insane thing to do would be to want to fly into combat.
The ship of Theseus. A mythical king and hero of Athens. Did a lot of sailing. His ship was kept in an athenian harbor as a memorial to him. Over time, rotted. Plank by plank over many years the ship was entirely replaced. Is the ship in the harbor still the ship of Theseus? Okay… and what if all the old planks were kept and reassembled?
The Bible is filled with paradoxes. Difficult things to reason. Things when we hear them, it kinda makes our brains hurt.
One of the Cretans, a prophet of their own, said, “Cretans are always liars, evil beasts, lazy gluttons.”
Wait a second…
Other instances fly in the face of logic or common sense.
Most famous, the battle of Jericho in the book of Joshua. March for six days, seventh day, seven times, yell and play the trumpets. Imagine being in on that war council.
Take it to Jesus, an eternal kingdom will be established by the death of the King.
Here we find, “blessed are the persecuted.”
Shocking words to His audience and this audience today.
The calling of Jesus will not always make sense.
Have an Eternal Perspective.
Have an Eternal Perspective.
v. 10
In the conclusion to the introduction to His sermon, Jesus provides a warning to His disciples. Persecution is coming.
Shocking because of the rising popularity of Jesus. Popularity to Crucifixion in less than three years.
“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.
What is the basis of the persecution? Righteousness.
Let’s not confuse someone being mean, reviling us, rejecting us because of any other reason.
Joseph Bayly’s satire The Gospel Blimp portrays the fallacy that it says, “Blessed are the persecuted.”
Scripture banners, dropping tracts “Gospel bombs,” and eventually a loudspeaker. After an article in the newspaper calls it out, the blimp is sabotaged and the Christians saw it as “persecution.”
“Sadly, Christians are very often persecuted not for their Christianity, but for lack of it. Sometimes they are rejected simply because they have unpleasant personalities. They are rude, insensitive, thoughtless - or piously obnoxious. Some are rejected because they are discerned as proud and judgmental. Others are disliked because they are lazy and irresponsible. Incompetence mixed with piety is sure to bring rejection.” - Kent Hughes
So, let’s not confuse “persecuted” with “persecuted for righteousness’ sake.”
This leads to a question as to why?
Righteousness condemns others.
For the time that is past suffices for doing what the Gentiles want to do, living in sensuality, passions, drunkenness, orgies, drinking parties, and lawless idolatry. With respect to this they are surprised when you do not join them in the same flood of debauchery, and they malign you;
Some of you may have experienced this. Sanctification has changed your habits and interests. Now those from your past condemn you because you no longer join in. Shines a light on their actions.
Righteousness excludes believers.
Maybe passed over for a promotion because your supervisor knows you will keep to a higher standard. Won’t lie to make that sell.
Don’t join in with the crude humor of others. Or with the gossip of women in your neighborhood. Or condone the immorality of a friend.
Yet! The external promise - relationship with God “theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”
This connection to the first beattitude.
“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
“This beatitude serves as a test for all the beatitudes.” - D.A. Carson
It reminds us of what awaits us.
For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison,
Face Various Persecutions.
Face Various Persecutions.
v. 11
When…you…
Not if they. Brings it to a certainty and personally.
Three types of persecution:
Aggressive mocking
Revile = “in your teeth”
In your face mocking.
This is people who seek to insult you because of your faith.
A couple of examples. TV characters. Rarely are committed Christians viewed as anything but weirdos or extremists.
Or more personally, when you are mocked for a moral or ethical stance. Comments I endured about my commitment to sexual abstinence until marriage.
2. Violent pursuing
Persecute means to chase or hunt.
What we here in America don’t really experience. So we don’t really have much of a concept for this, maybe even dismiss it.
A study says that around 70 million Christians were martyred in the first two millennia of church history. Of these, 45 million (around 2/3) were martyred between 1900 - 2000.
A reminder to pray for those who are being persecuted, hunted, for their faith.
3. False accusing
To malign. Making false statements about them.
Common in Roman culture. Accused of being incestuous, atheistic, and cannibals.
Incest because of our use of “brother” and “sister.”
Atheists because of the rejection of the the Greek pantheon of mythical gods and rejection of Caesar as god.
Cannibals because of the words of the Lord’s Supper. Eat of my flesh and drink of my blood.
These aren’t things that people really believed, but they used these statements and practices to say spiteful and malicious claims about Christians.
Persecution takes many forms. Won’t experience them all. But if you never experience any of them, there might be something wrong.
Am I around non-believers?
Is my faith observable or hidden?
Find Your Joy
Find Your Joy
v. 12
This paradox - there is joy in suffering.
Suffering is for your growth and God’s glory.
Not always caused by God but can be allowed by God.
This joins us with the ancient tradition of persecution.
Read Hebrews 11:32-38.
Following the example of Jesus.
Consider him who endured from sinners such hostility against himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted. In your struggle against sin you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood.
We have the connection between our suffering and the wage or reward.
Smith & Sons - Doing a lot of work, but they get the wages.
Teaching them they have some responsibility, but someone else is providing for them and working for their success.
How much more does Jesus do this for us?
He pays for our sin, supports us, and encourages us. But we have to
Take responsibility for your sanctification.
Conclusion
Conclusion
The divine presence is revealed in persecution.
For instance, Daniel’s three friends.
Then King Nebuchadnezzar was astonished and rose up in haste. He declared to his counselors, “Did we not cast three men bound into the fire?” They answered and said to the king, “True, O king.”
He answered and said, “But I see four men unbound, walking in the midst of the fire, and they are not hurt; and the appearance of the fourth is like a son of the gods.”
As we find the Apostles experiencing the divine presence when they were persecuted:
and when they had called in the apostles, they beat them and charged them not to speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go. Then they left the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer dishonor for the name.
Paul looked forward to the ultimate reward for his suffering:
I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award to me on that day, and not only to me but also to all who have loved his appearing.
Imagine that moment, getting to the presence of King Jesus and He places that crown on your head.
Anticipate the complete reward to come.
