Part 3: Looking Outward

Christian and Hopeful have now suffered the misery of Doubting Castle for almost four days. They were captured by Giant Despair on Wednesday morning. Now it is Saturday, almost midnight, and they begin to pray.

It is worth noting that the pilgrims' escape from Doubting Castle begins with prayer. In his commentary on The Pilgrim's Progress, William Mason explains:

What! Pray in the custody of Giant Despair, in the midst of Doubting Castle, and when their own folly brought them there too? Yes; mind this, ye pilgrims, ye are exhorted, "I will that men pray everywhere, without doubting" (). We can be in no place but God can hear, nor in any circumstance but God is able to deliver us from. And be assured, that when the spirit of prayer comes, deliverance is nigh at hand.

The pilgrims pray through the early morning of the Lord's Day. It is on the Lord's Day that they remember Christ—the day that Christ rose from the dead—the day the church gathers each week for prayer, fellowship, and the preaching of the Word. It is on the Lord's Day that the light of the gospel again dawns in Christian's thinking. Bunyan's timing here is significant. It is a subtle reminder that we need to stay under the preaching of God's Word and seek out the prayers of God's people, even if (and especially if) we are in the bonds of doubt and despair.

Christian realizes that he has possessed the means of escape all along. He has a Key that will open any lock in Doubting Castle. The Key represents the "exceedingly great and precious promises" of the gospel—promises that are ours in Christ.

Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord, as His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue, by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust ().

It is the promise of eternal life and the assurance of salvation in Christ.

God brings our attention to who He is, reminds us who we are..and then sets us on a path out!

It is the promise of eternal life and the assurance of salvation in Christ.

And this is the promise that He has promised us—eternal life (). For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord (). For the Son of God, Jesus Christ, who was preached among you by us—by me, Silvanus, and Timothy—was not Yes and No, but in Him was Yes. For all the promises of God in Him are Yes, and in Him Amen, to the glory of God through us ().

Christian keeps the Key in his bosom (close to his heart), where he also keeps his roll (assurance of salvation)—the roll he received at the cross. The darkness of doubting caused him to forget. Now as light dawns (the understanding and application of God's Word), he remembers.

As Christian and Hopeful begin their escape, the door to their cell opens with ease. The Key also opens the door to the castle yard. But the Iron Gate that bars their exit from Doubting Castle is stubborn. We read: "that Lock went very hard." In the original text to The Pilgrim's Progress, Bunyan describes the lock as opening "damnable hard." His choice of words is strong to show the grave danger of Doubting Castle. To remain imprisoned is to place the soul in eternal peril.

“I must go to Jesus”

God brings our attention to who He is, reminds us who we are..and then sets us on a path out!

Nehemiah

Nehemiah 1:4–8 ESV

4 As soon as I heard these words I sat down and wept and mourned for days, and I continued fasting and praying before the God of heaven. 5 And I said, “O Lord God of heaven, the great and awesome God who keeps covenant and steadfast love with those who love him and keep his commandments, 6 let your ear be attentive and your eyes open, to hear the prayer of your servant that I now pray before you day and night for the people of Israel your servants, confessing the sins of the people of Israel, which we have sinned against you. Even I and my father’s house have sinned. 7 We have acted very corruptly against you and have not kept the commandments, the statutes, and the rules that you commanded your servant Moses. 8 Remember the word that you commanded your servant Moses, saying, ‘If you are unfaithful, I will scatter you among the peoples,

Nehemiah

Nehemiah 2:4 ESV

4 Then the king said to me, “What are you requesting?” So I prayed to the God of heaven.

Isaiah 6:1–13 ESV

1 In the year that King Uzziah died I saw the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up; and the train of his robe filled the temple. 2 Above him stood the seraphim. Each had six wings: with two he covered his face, and with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew. 3 And one called to another and said: “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; the whole earth is full of his glory!” 4 And the foundations of the thresholds shook at the voice of him who called, and the house was filled with smoke. 5 And I said: “Woe is me! For I am lost; for I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts!” 6 Then one of the seraphim flew to me, having in his hand a burning coal that he had taken with tongs from the altar. 7 And he touched my mouth and said: “Behold, this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away, and your sin atoned for.” 8 And I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?” Then I said, “Here I am! Send me.” 9 And he said, “Go, and say to this people: “ ‘Keep on hearing, but do not understand; keep on seeing, but do not perceive.’ 10 Make the heart of this people dull, and their ears heavy, and blind their eyes; lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their hearts, and turn and be healed.” 11 Then I said, “How long, O Lord?” And he said: “Until cities lie waste without inhabitant, and houses without people, and the land is a desolate waste, 12 and the Lord removes people far away, and the forsaken places are many in the midst of the land. 13 And though a tenth remain in it, it will be burned again, like a terebinth or an oak, whose stump remains when it is felled.” The holy seed is its stump.

Isaiah 6:1–13 ESV

1 In the year that King Uzziah died I saw the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up; and the train of his robe filled the temple. 2 Above him stood the seraphim. Each had six wings: with two he covered his face, and with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew. 3 And one called to another and said: “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; the whole earth is full of his glory!” 4 And the foundations of the thresholds shook at the voice of him who called, and the house was filled with smoke. 5 And I said: “Woe is me! For I am lost; for I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts!” 6 Then one of the seraphim flew to me, having in his hand a burning coal that he had taken with tongs from the altar. 7 And he touched my mouth and said: “Behold, this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away, and your sin atoned for.” 8 And I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?” Then I said, “Here I am! Send me.” 9 And he said, “Go, and say to this people: “ ‘Keep on hearing, but do not understand; keep on seeing, but do not perceive.’ 10 Make the heart of this people dull, and their ears heavy, and blind their eyes; lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their hearts, and turn and be healed.” 11 Then I said, “How long, O Lord?” And he said: “Until cities lie waste without inhabitant, and houses without people, and the land is a desolate waste, 12 and the Lord removes people far away, and the forsaken places are many in the midst of the land. 13 And though a tenth remain in it, it will be burned again, like a terebinth or an oak, whose stump remains when it is felled.” The holy seed is its stump.

Isaiah

Isaiah 6:1-13

Isaiah 6:

Isaiah 6:8 ESV

8 And I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?” Then I said, “Here I am! Send me.”

Looking outward!

But for the church..let us understand what this means!

Acts 8:1–8 ESV

1 And Saul approved of his execution. And there arose on that day a great persecution against the church in Jerusalem, and they were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles. 2 Devout men buried Stephen and made great lamentation over him. 3 But Saul was ravaging the church, and entering house after house, he dragged off men and women and committed them to prison. 4 Now those who were scattered went about preaching the word. 5 Philip went down to the city of Samaria and proclaimed to them the Christ. 6 And the crowds with one accord paid attention to what was being said by Philip, when they heard him and saw the signs that he did. 7 For unclean spirits, crying out with a loud voice, came out of many who had them, and many who were paralyzed or lame were healed. 8 So there was much joy in that city.

Acts 8:1–8 ESV

1 And Saul approved of his execution. And there arose on that day a great persecution against the church in Jerusalem, and they were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles. 2 Devout men buried Stephen and made great lamentation over him. 3 But Saul was ravaging the church, and entering house after house, he dragged off men and women and committed them to prison. 4 Now those who were scattered went about preaching the word. 5 Philip went down to the city of Samaria and proclaimed to them the Christ. 6 And the crowds with one accord paid attention to what was being said by Philip, when they heard him and saw the signs that he did. 7 For unclean spirits, crying out with a loud voice, came out of many who had them, and many who were paralyzed or lame were healed. 8 So there was much joy in that city.

John 15:20–21 ESV

20 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. 21 But all these things they will do to you on account of my name, because they do not know him who sent me.

Historical Christian Persecution Statistics

Matthew 10:16–23 ESV

16 “Behold, I am sending you out as sheep in the midst of wolves, so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves. 17 Beware of men, for they will deliver you over to courts and flog you in their synagogues, 18 and you will be dragged before governors and kings for my sake, to bear witness before them and the Gentiles. 19 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. 20 For it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you. 21 Brother will deliver brother over to death, and the father his child, and children will rise against parents and have them put to death, 22 and you will be hated by all for my name’s sake. But the one who endures to the end will be saved. 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.

2 Timothy 3:12 ESV

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

More than 70 million Christians have been martyred in the course of history.

2Timmothy 3:12

More than half were martyred in the 20th century under communist and fascist government (Gordon-Conwell Resources).

In the 21st century, roughly 100,000 to 160,000 Christians were killed each year (Gordon-Conwell Resources and World Christian Database, respectively).

Roughly 1,093,000 Christians were martyred, worldwide, between 2000 and 2010 (World Christian Database).

Modern, Global Church Persecution Statistics

322 Christians are killed for their faith every month (Open Doors).

214 churches and Christian properties are destroyed every month (Open Doors).

772 forms of violence (beatings, kidnappings, rape, arrest, etc.) are committed against Christians every month (Open Doors).]

Lie: “If people were just more tolerant, we could all live together in peace. Greater tolerance would end persecution.”

Ripken, Nik. The Insanity of God (p. 305)

Ripken, Nik. The Insanity of God (p. 305). B&H Publishing Group. Kindle Edition.

Promised

John 15:20–21 ESV

20 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. 21 But all these things they will do to you on account of my name, because they do not know him who sent me.

Matthew 10:16–23 ESV

16 “Behold, I am sending you out as sheep in the midst of wolves, so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves. 17 Beware of men, for they will deliver you over to courts and flog you in their synagogues, 18 and you will be dragged before governors and kings for my sake, to bear witness before them and the Gentiles. 19 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. 20 For it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you. 21 Brother will deliver brother over to death, and the father his child, and children will rise against parents and have them put to death, 22 and you will be hated by all for my name’s sake. But the one who endures to the end will be saved. 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.

I have never seen a sheep take down a wolf. The sheep has no shot! Persecution, pain, loss, death, will come as a believer. You can’t get around it, the only forward is through it.

we can say without a shadow of a doubt that the primary cause of “religious persecution” in the world today is people surrendering their hearts and lives to Jesus. Ripken, Nik. The Insanity of God (p. 305). B&H

For decades the western church has been taught to pray and work for an end to the persecution of fellow believers around the world. We enlist our congregations, our denominations, and even our governments to speak out and pressure oppressive regimes in hostile nations to end discrimination. Sometimes we even demand that the persecutors be punished. We seem to forget that Jesus Himself promised that the world would reject and mistreat His faithful followers just as it rejected Him. Could it be that the only way that Almighty God could actually answer prayers asking Him to end the persecution of believers . . . would be to stop people from accepting Christ as their Lord and Savior? If people stopped accepting Christ as Lord and Savior . . . persecution would end immediately. That would be the only way to completely end persecution. It sounds like a ridiculous question, but should we really be asking God for the end of persecution? By doing that, we might unknowingly be asking that people not come to faith in Christ!

Ripken, Nik. The Insanity of God (p. 305). B&H

Ripken, Nik. The Insanity of God (pp. 305-306).

Ripken, Nik. The Insanity of God (pp. 305-306). B&H Publishing Group. Kindle Edition.

Persecution is a part of following Jesus. It is promised. It can’t be avoided..the only way to avoid it is to stop sharing the gospel!

The problem is that we have fallen in love with a cost-less Christianity, but there is no such thing.

While our faith is personal, it is not private. We sit in the back, walk in and out without anybody noticing, don’t serve, don’t sacrifice.

A faith that costs nothing is worthless

We worry about the friends we might lose. Or how people will look at us. Or being embarrassed.

Foolishness of going to your military commander and complaining because people are shooting at you! What do you expect? If you are facing some persecution for your faith, that might be right where you need to be.

Purposed

Acts 1:8 ESV

8 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.”

The Great Commission is continued because of the persecution which Jesus promised. The persecution which Paul intended to stamp out the church merely spread the embers of this movement outward. This persecution was appointed and purposed by God to spread this gospel!

Not only purposed for the fulfillment of the great commision, but to bring us to a deeper and fuller awareness of who God is! To learn more about him.

How Stephen saw God when they were stoning him, so too persecution is purposed by God to bring us to ad deeper knowledge of who God is

Persectuion and proclamation go hand in hand.

It was clear that these Chinese believers were not seeking persecution. However, their attitude about the likelihood of persecution seemed to be an attitude of calm acceptance. The attitude was not so much “if it comes.” The more common attitude was “when it comes.” I was reminded of what the old Russian pastor had said to me earlier. Here, too, it seemed, that “persecution was like the sun coming up in the east.” Virtually every believer who I had met in China had either been to prison for the faith—or they knew someone who had. They were personally aware of many of their spiritual brothers and sisters who had endured persecution and had come out of it with deeper spiritual roots, a more mature faith, and a greater appreciation for fellowship with other believers. They had also come out of the experience with a much stronger relationship with the Lord. One of the house-church leaders actually asked me, “Do you know what prison is for us? It is how we get our theological education. Prison in China is for us like seminary is for training church leaders in your country.” What an insight that was! And it certainly explained a lot about the wisdom that I had seen in Pastor Chang. He had graduated with honors from three of these “seminaries.”

Ripken, Nik. The Insanity of God (pp. 311-312). B&H Publishing Group. Kindle Edition.

Ripken, Nik. The Insanity of God (pp. 230-231). B&H Publishing Group. Kindle Edition.

It shapes and mo

Acts 8:4 ESV

4 Now those who were scattered went about preaching the word.

These men and women were not the spiritual elite. These were ordinary church people! Who had been persecuted, forced to leave their home..and are now fulfilling the great commission!

1 Peter 2:9–11 ESV

9 But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. 10 Once you were not a people, but now you are God’s people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy. 11 Beloved, I urge you as sojourners and exiles to abstain from the passions of the flesh, which wage war against your soul.

They weren’t people who were hiding and abandoning their faith. They were sent! Running into the battle, proclaiming Jesus.

Ephesians 4:11–13 ESV

11 And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, 12 to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, 13 until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ,

Ephesians 4:11-13

The responsibility of the church is to equip and send you into the battle! To equip you for the ministry! Where? Out there!

Cruiseships, Battleships, and Aircraft Carriers

So the question is not whether you are called..but where and how!

We are made to be sent..God hasn’t made us to sit in the quiver but to shoot us outward!

If we are arrows, persectuion functions both as the pulling of the bow and sharpening of the point!

A faith that does not cost is as useless as a dull arrow in a quiver.

We tend to celebrate the church which attracts high numbers, but God celebrates the church that sends

“The mark of a great church is not its seating capacity, but its sending capacity.” -Mike Stachura

Acts 1:8 ESV

8 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.”

They weren’t running scared, but running to proclaim the name of Jesus!

Though they were dispersed and in different places they were united in one mission!

An outward mission will save the church from inward division. They were too busy fighting for the kingdom of God, to be fighting their own church members.

We will stop fighting one another in here when they start fighting for God’s kingdom out there!

Nameless heroes.

We don’t know the names of every person in this church, but we know the name that they carried and proclaimed!

It matters little how many people at the end of your life remember your name when you are gone. Your name can’t save them, or condemn them. But there is a name that is important that they do remember!

It matters little how many books your name is written in, or plagues written on, but there is one book you better make sure your name is written in.

Acts 8:4–8 ESV

4 Now those who were scattered went about preaching the word. 5 Philip went down to the city of Samaria and proclaimed to them the Christ. 6 And the crowds with one accord paid attention to what was being said by Philip, when they heard him and saw the signs that he did. 7 For unclean spirits, crying out with a loud voice, came out of many who had them, and many who were paralyzed or lame were healed. 8 So there was much joy in that city.

Acts 8:

Acts 9:36 ESV

36 Now there was in Joppa a disciple named Tabitha, which, translated, means Dorcas. She was full of good works and acts of charity.

Acts 9:39 ESV

39 So Peter rose and went with them. And when he arrived, they took him to the upper room. All the widows stood beside him weeping and showing tunics and other garments that Dorcas made while she was with them.

Peter goes in proclaiming the gospel and demonstrating signs and power of the Spirit. Helping and healing the lames and demon possessed. The hurting people and places.

Joppa, a disciple lived a life full of good works and charity that the widows were weeping. The widows! The least of the community, the poor.

Is there joy in our community because Berea Baptist Church is in it? Can we say, not that we invited them to church, but we went to them!

Would our community be weeping at our bedside if Berea was gone? Or if you personally were gone!

The problem is we have churches who want to be remembered for who’s in the church, and how big it is, and how many seats we have, instead of being remembered for whose name we proclaimed and how we blessed our city! Do addicts know or care that Berea is here? Do the hungry know or care Berea is here? Do broken families know or care Berea is here? Do these college students know or care Berea is here?

“The mark of a great church is not its seating capacity, but its sending capacity.” -Mike Stachura

I cannot forget the words of my friend, Stoyan. He understood both the spiritual battle being waged and the significance of the decisions to be made. He said: “I took great joy that I was suffering in my country so that you could be free to witness in your country.” And then he raised his voice to say: “DON’T YOU EVER GIVE UP IN FREEDOM WHAT WE WOULD NEVER GIVE UP IN PERSECUTION—AND THAT IS OUR WITNESS TO THE POWER OF THE RESURRECTION OF JESUS CHRIST!”

Biggest needs of our community?

Addiction

Poverty

Single Parents

You are sent! Don’t bring them to church, go to them! God has placed you somewhere for a purpose!

Whereas disinfecting Christians involves isolating them and teaching them to be good, discipline Christians involves propelling Christians into the world to risk their lives for the sake of others. Now the world is our focus, and we gauge success in the church not on the hundreds or thousands whom we can get into our buildings but on the hundreds or thousands who are leaving our buildings to take on the world with the disciples they are making.

When there is joy in the city then there is something to celebrate.

Part 3: Looking Outward

Introduction:

Biblical Pattern

Looking inward, looking upward, looking outward

What can we expect?

Lie 1: Christian persecution is not not normal.

Persecution is promised and purposed

Who does God send?

Lie 2: Mission is reserved for the “spiritual elite”

All believers are sent!

Illustration: ARROW and QUIVER

The only name that needs to be remembered is His!

Where does God send us?

Lie 3: Our focus should be on growing a big church

Our focus should not be on growing a big church, but seeking and blessing the city!

Part 3: Looking Outward

Introduction:

Biblical Pattern

Looking inward, looking upward, looking outward

​

​

What can we expect?

Lie 1: Christian persecution is not not normal.

Persecution is promised and purposed

Who does God send?

Lie 2: Mission is reserved for the “spiritual elite”

All believers are sent!

Illustration: ARROW and QUIVER

The only name that needs to be remembered is His!

Where does God send us?

Lie 3: Our focus should be on growing a big church

Our focus should not be on growing a big church, but seeking and blessing the city!