The Rising Tide of Persecution

MAIN IDEA: We shouldn’t be surprised by the world’s growing opposition to the gospel.

Head Change: To know that we need to deal with our sense of entitlement if we’re to lay ourselves down for the lost.

Heart Change: To feel grateful that we’re called to win souls, not arguments.

Life Change: To live uncompromisingly according to God’s truth, impacting many with His love.

OPEN

Do you remember your parents, grandparents, or teachers asking with alarm, ‘What’s the world coming to?’ Have you caught yourself saying something similar? What kinds of cultural or political realities really strike you as signs that the world has gone all kinds of crazy?

In the opening session of this series on living with faith in hostile times, Berni Dymet highlights the rising pressures we face as believers in Jesus. What’s right is being called wrong. What’s wrong is being called right. Media feeds are increasingly aggressive and polarized. None of this surprises God, and it shouldn’t surprise us either. What may come as a surprise, however, is how God calls us to respond to it all.

VIEW As you watch, write down how Berni answers these questions. According to Berni, do people generally want to hear the truth? Why do we need to deal with our own sense of entitlement? What did Paul tell Timothy about persecution? Why don’t we need to worry about winning arguments with unbelievers?

REVIEW Berni opens this session by explaining that as believers in Jesus, we shouldn’t be surprised by the antagonism, polarization, hatred, and vitriol we see, hear, or experience personally.

Why not? What’s come up in your news-feed this week, or what have you experienced at work or elsewhere that you found particularly shocking or upsetting?

If you long to follow Jesus, and if you long to impact others with His truth and love, you may be wrestling with how you can love people unconditionally without compromising your beliefs.

Can you relate? Describe a situation in which you didn’t quite know how to hold to biblical truth and simultaneously, wholeheartedly love someone.

Berni believes that most people who don’t yet know Jesus aren’t interested in hearing the truth about Him.

Do you agree? Why, or why not? Who first told you the truth about Jesus? Were you interested? Why, or why not?

I think there is a learning curve to getting to know Jesus. Through the power of the Holy Spirit people can trust Jesus at any point in their process. Looking at how the world views Christianity I do not think this is a surprise to hear that people do not want to hear the truth. The reality is that these individuals are not wanting the truth because of how they view Christianity. It is not because of the message of Christianity it is because of the perception of Christianity. The Gospel message is not dead and still is productive

Colossians 1:5b–6 “5b Of this you have heard before in the word of the truth, the gospel, 6 which has come to you, as indeed in the whole world it is bearing fruit and increasing—as it also does among you, since the day you heard it and understood the grace of God in truth,”

The Gospel message is growing. The world is hardened due to perception.

Berni encourages us not to retreat in the face of hostility or opposition to the gospel. Rather, we need to get out there on the same dusty, difficult roads Jesus walked and share the fantastic news of eternal life with a world that doesn’t want to hear it.

Does the thought of doing this excite you or freak you out? Why? Do you tend to withdraw when you’re challenged or threatened, or does opposition trigger your anger? When it comes to sharing your faith with people, do you think it’s possible to be courageous without being confrontational?

We live in a society bent on rights and prerogatives, and this culture of entitlement is rubbing off on God’s people.

Do you agree? If so, do you think it’s important that we deal with our sense of entitlement? Why, or why not?

Paul was concerned that the Corinthian believers insisting on their rights would come at the expense of others encountering Jesus (1 Corinthians 8:9–13).

1 Corinthians 8:9–13 ESV

9 But take care that this right of yours does not somehow become a stumbling block to the weak. 10 For if anyone sees you who have knowledge eating in an idol’s temple, will he not be encouraged, if his conscience is weak, to eat food offered to idols? 11 And so by your knowledge this weak person is destroyed, the brother for whom Christ died. 12 Thus, sinning against your brothers and wounding their conscience when it is weak, you sin against Christ. 13 Therefore, if food makes my brother stumble, I will never eat meat, lest I make my brother stumble.

How did he counsel them to relate to others?

Paul counseled the people by explaining the interpretation. Paul tries to portray the other side of the picture to these individuals so that they can see how even though thye have the freedom the perception of the freedom can inhibit their ability to relate to and share the Gospel with others.

Berni makes the point that he passionately defends the biblical position on the contentious issues of our times, but he does not condone yelling back at opponents of the church.

Do you agree that fighting aggression with more aggression won’t attract people to Jesus? Have you ever been drawn into a heated debate with an unbeliever, or even with a supposed Christian professing radically counter-biblical ideologies? How did it work out?

Fighting aggression with aggression simply does not work in theological argument. There is no way to come across loving and aggressive. In all the instances of Jesus in Scripture He never got into anyone's face let alone show any sign of aggression. Instead Jesus manner was to diffuse situations with a calm gentle approach. Something that has seemed to become lost in the modern Christian Church.

Berni says, ‘Persecution of Jesus’ followers is the norm and it’s here to stay. And unless and until we learn to speak the truth in love… then we’re missing the point.’

Have you experienced violent or legislative persecution for your faith? Have you experienced a measure of social rejection or career sidelining because of your faith? In the areas of your life where you’ve experienced hostility because you’re a Christian, what might it sound like for you to give an account, gently and respectfully, for the hope you live with (1 Peter 3:15)?

1 Peter 3:15 ESV

15 but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect,

Francis Schaeffer said, ‘Biblical orthodoxy without compassion is surely the ugliest thing in the world.’

When friends or strangers insult your Saviour, are you tempted to lash out? How effective do you find social media as a forum for constructive debate? The next time someone mocks you, cold-shoulders you, or blatantly attacks you because you’re a Christian, how might you give them a piece of your heart instead of a piece of your mind?

The social media platform is not the place to lash out. It is not even the place for a constructive debate. Social media is a distant relationship. Social media does not allow for the love of God to be portrayed due to the distant level of communication. The reason for this is anything can be written down without being able to see a person’s reaction or their face. This creates a large gap in communication.

Have you ever met someone with a very straight face. They can tell a very funny joke and never laugh. They can be very sarcastic but keep a straight face. The problem with social media is we are constantly sitting behind or speaking to a straight face which does not allow us the ability to get the entire picture of a conversation let alone a debate.

In 1971 Albert Mehrabian published Silent Messages. These were his findings on conversational credibility.

55% of credibility weight comes through body language

38% of credibility weight comes through tone

7% of credibility weight comes from the actual words.

When looking at a social media debate we are only using words which in terms of credibility statistically is only 7% of the needed information that humans use to determine credibility.

This is not to say that it cannot work as with God working through us anything is possible but it does show that Social Media is not going to be the guiding force of credibility that leads to a changed heart.

Berni says, ‘The path Jesus has called us to follow is not to stand up for our rights, but to lay them down. Not to save our lives in order to lose them, but to lose our lives that we may be saved.’

Which of your rights is God nudging you to surrender, to make the gospel more accessible to someone far from Him?

BIBLE EXPLORATION Ecclesiastes 1:9

Ecclesiastes 1:9 ESV

9 What has been is what will be, and what has been done is what will be done, and there is nothing new under the sun.

How does this help us to frame the discrimination and hostility levelled against twenty-first-century believers in Jesus? Do you ever feel as if other generations got off a little more lightly than we did when it comes to persecution? Why, or why not?

Read Proverbs 15:1

Proverbs 15:1 ESV

1 A soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.

How might we use this truth as the starting point for every response we give to an aggressive taunt? If you were teaching a Sunday school class of eight-year-olds, how would you role-play a scenario to help them understand that a gentle answer can deflect anger, but harsh words make tempers flare?

In Luke 10:3, Jesus explains to His disciples that He’s sending them out like lambs amongst wolves. Luke 10:3

Luke 10:3 ESV

3 Go your way; behold, I am sending you out as lambs in the midst of wolves.

Does this strike you as cruel, loving, unwise, strategic, countercultural, or ignorant? Give reasons for your answer(s). Why do you think Jesus didn’t send them out as wolves amongst wolves? If you follow Christian influencers on Twitter, are those with the loudest voices more like lambs or wolves?

Louder doesn’t make you righter!

The writer of Hebrews tells us, ‘Since we are receiving a Kingdom that is unshakable, let us be thankful and please God by worshiping Him with holy fear and awe. For our God is a devouring fire’ (Hebrews 12:28–29).

Hebrews 12:28–29 ESV

28 Therefore let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, and thus let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe, 29 for our God is a consuming fire.

Considering global opposition to the message of Jesus, what encouragement can we take from the truth that God’s Kingdom is unshakeable? What should our response be to the reality that the battle is the Lord’s (Proverbs 21:31)?

Proverbs 21:31 ESV

31 The horse is made ready for the day of battle, but the victory belongs to the Lord.

LAST WORD The flames of persecution are getting hotter. But as they do, let’s keep reminding one another not to fight fire with fire. Jesus has already won the battle and His Kingdom cannot be overthrown. He’s not calling us to win arguments but to win souls. Let’s trust the Holy Spirit to work in us and through us. Let’s trust Him to toughen our feet and soften our hearts, so we might go after the lost wherever He may call us, and whatever it may cost.

DEEPER WALK Select at least one activity below to complete before watching the next session. Read: Read Matthew 5:10, Matthew 5:44, and John 15:18 in The Message or a different Bible translation from the one you usually use. How is Jesus challenging, convicting, or comforting you? What’s your next step? Write: Set a timer for ten minutes and spend that time free-writing any thoughts that come to mind as you consider the rising tide of persecution. Do Christians in other parts of the world come to mind? Are you picturing an incident that happened on your own street or in the office cubicle next to yours? Allow God’s Spirit to guide your reflections and your resolve. Pray: Meet with a friend and pray together that God would increase your desire to see the lost be found, even though the lost don’t seem to be looking. Ask God for wisdom and protection as you seek opportunities to be lambs amongst wolves.