"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. But all these things they will do to you on account of my name, because they do not know him who sent me." -Jesus, John 15:20-21
Most of us have heard of the way many of the early Christians were martyred. They were crucified, stoned, beheaded, burned at the stake, fought against gladiators, and were eaten by wild animals in the Colosseum. Why though? Why would anyone want to harm people who promoted peace with God and peace amongst mankind? The answer is simply this: the world hated Jesus and they will hate Christians too.
I want to pause for a minute and focus this next portion to those who are not Christians (and to those who think they are) because I may have started losing some of you with that last sentence.
Now some of you may say, "Come on, Nick. I don't hate Jesus. Jesus was a good man! It's those Christians that I don't like." There's one problem with this line of thought. Everybody loves Jesus. Even Muslims love Jesus. He was good to people, loved people, and healed the sick and lame. But you can't just love a person because of what they have done. You have to consider what they taught in order to understand their philosophies and intentions. You can't love Jesus based on His actions or part of what He taught. You have take into account everything He said. Especially because He said this, "For whoever is ashamed of Me and of My words, of him will the Son of Man be ashamed when He comes in His glory and the glory of the Father and of the holy angels (Luke 9:26)."
Let's take a look at some of these cringing quotes:
"Jesus said to him, 'I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.' (John 14:6)" Jesus is the only way by which one can receive eternal life, not Muhammad, Allah, Buddha, or any Hindu god. Only Jesus.
Next, some men and women told Jesus that a few people were murdered and a few others died in a building collapse. At the time, if something bad happened to someone, it was believed to be because they had done something bad, but Jesus responded to that false notion asking if anyone that was killed was worse then anyone still alive. He answered His own question, "No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish (Luke 13:3)." The moral of the story is that everyone is equally bad and everyone must turn from their sins and to God or they will pay for their own sins. God cannot and will not accept any person unless they come through Christ. That means leaving a lifestyle of sin behind you: lying, stealing, any kind of sex not between a husband and his wife, drugs, drunkenness, hate, lust, and the list goes on and on. Jesus' message has always and will always be "Go and sin no more (John 5 and 8)."
Lastly, Jesus said, "And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell, and great was the fall of it (Matthew 7:26-27).” You can't have a half-truth Jesus, an ideal Jesus based on the works He did. You have to accept Him as a whole, His words and deeds. So the question posed to you is do you still like Jesus but not His followers as Ghandi claimed, or do you have to say "Never mind.."?
Jesus came as a Shepherd first, but He is coming as a Judge next. How will you stand on that day without a payment for your sins? As I have been pleading in my last few posts, I plead with you.. Prepare yourself, but not for the hardships of life (at least not yet). Prepare yourself for this day of judgment. Trust His sacrifice today. (Read more about this in my "Are you roughed up yet?" blog post).
So, Christian, do you agree with everything mentioned above? If so, you need to prepare yourself for persecution. The world hated the holiest Man to ever live so much that they crucified Him. How then do you expect to strive to be holy like He was and not be hated by the world? How do you expect to stand up for godly and biblical standards and ideals without being ridiculed and mocked? How do expect to voice the Gospel and God's hatred for sin and still have solid relationships with people who aren't Christians?
Jesus loves everybody, but only those who repent and believe the Gospel love His words. Only those who humble themselves listen to the commands of God. Everyone else is opposed to the Gospel. Prepare yourself, Christian, because this world's system does not care for you, just as it doesn't care for Jesus. Prepare for ridicule, harassment, abuse, assault, and even death.
Be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. Worship Him today for His great faithfulness and example to us.
Blessings,
Nick
