Persecution of Christians

PERSECUTION OF CHRISTIANS CAN TAKE ON MANY FORMS.

Sometimes Christians are nailed to a cross, or martyred in some other horrific fashion, but most times persecution is more subtle.

Sometimes persecution is not being included to the latest gathering because “she/he” is just “no fun” anymore.

Sometimes it’s blatant such as a scathing comment or downright rejection of all a Christian represents.

Most of the time persecution is more like a mocking whisper behind the hand of someone who thinks all Christians are brainwashed.

TO BE FAIR …. the one doing the persecuting may have no idea they are nailing Christ to the cross all over again when they mock and/or persecute one of  “his followers.”

And so, today, I received some of the most blatant persecution I can remember in a long long time.  It left me speechless, I felt tortured, alone and very very hurt.  I believe today I experienced in a measure a “teeny tiny fraction” of what Jesus must have felt when he looked at all the people looking up at him on that instrument of torture and death at Calvary, namely THE CROSS.  I believe Jesus allows us to feel this way and in fact his very words teach that we will be persecuted.

Today, I followed Christ by obeying him in a challenging way and my reward was that I was persecuted.  It was particularly painful because it was one of my family members, my sister.   My sister lives 3+ hours away from me, and is battling a serious form of lymphoma.  I was attempting to connect her with a friend of mine (also a Christian) who was willing to offer practical help such as house cleaning, cooking, lawn mowing, etc.    After I told my sister that my friend would be able to help her, she angrily replied “is this one of your BORN AGAIN friends?”  And so the conversation deteriorated from there and she declined any help at all.  I should tell you she is mostly alone as she has alienated most of our family and all siblings/relatives are more than 1 hour away.  As far as I know she has very few (if any) close friends.

After I dried my eyes, and spent some time listening to God’s word,  I did some studying on the topic of persecution and here is what I found:

JOHN 15:18 – The World Hates the Disciples

¹⁸ “If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first.

¹⁹ If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you. ²⁰ Remember what I told you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’^[b]

If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also. If they obeyed my teaching, they will obey yours also. ²¹

They will treat you this way because of my name, for they do not know (emphasis mine) the one who sent me.

²² If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not be guilty of sin; but now they have no excuse for their sin. ²³ Whoever hates me hates my Father as well. ²⁴ If I had not done among them the works no one else did, they would not be guilty of sin. As it is, they have seen, and yet they have hated both me and my Father. ²⁵ But this is to fulfill what is written in their Law: ‘They hated me without reason.’^[c]

Luke 10:16 –He who listens to you listens to me; (emphasis mine) he who rejects you rejects me; but he who rejects me rejects him who sent me.”

Here it is in another translation:  ew Living Translation (©2007)
Then he said to the disciples, “Anyone who accepts your message is also accepting me. And anyone who rejects you is rejecting me. And anyone who rejects me is rejecting God, who sent me.”

Matthew – 10:14 And whosoever shall not receive you, nor hear your words, when ye depart out of that house or city, shake off the dust of your feet.

Matthew 10:36 – Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword.  10:35 For I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter in law against her mother in law.10:36 And a man’s foes shall be they of his own household.

John – 3:3 Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.

Mark 16:15 – He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation. 16Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.

But there is some good news and here it is From Matthew Chapter 5:

11“Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. 12Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

I can not honestly tell you that when I got off the phone I was “rejoicing” but I know that God’s word is true, and that one day when I see Jesus face to face I will rejoice that I believed and obeyed.

Only one life so soon will pass … only what’s done for Christ will last. . .

Angela

OP | 7.19.12