Level 3 Lesson 5 PERSECUTION

Level: 3, Lesson: 5
PERSECUTION
OUTLINE

Persecution will come!

Matthew 10:16-23: "Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves. 17But beware of men: for they will deliver you up to the councils, and they will scourge you in their synagogues; 18And ye shall be brought before governors and kings for my sake, for a testimony against them and the Gentiles. 19But when they deliver you up, take no thought how or what ye shall speak: for it shall be given you in that same hour what ye shall speak. 20For it is not ye that speak, but the Spirit of your Father which speaketh in you. 21And the brother shall deliver up the brother to death, and the father the child: and the children shall rise up against their parents, and cause them to be put to death. 22And ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake: but he that endureth to the end shall be saved. 23But when they persecute you in this city, flee ye into another: for verily I say unto you, Ye shall not have gone over the cities of Israel, till the Son of man be come." Jesus wanted us to know that all who live godly will suffer persecution. Persecution is part of standing for righteousness. It's part of the Christian life.

Ephesians 6:12, "For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places."

The enemy will use men to oppose the word of God.

Ephesians 2:2: "Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience."

Even the government will oppose you.

PERSECUTION

Lesson Text

Persecution is an inevitable part of the Christian life (John 16:18-20; Philippians 1:29-30). The only Christians who don't suffer persecution are those who aren't living a godly life (II Timothy 3:12). Persecution is from Satan and is designed to uproot God's Word in our lives (Mark 4:16-17), by taking our eyes off Jesus (Hebrews 12:1-3), and therefore falling into strife or despondency (James 3:16).

There are many forms of persecution. Having your life threatened because of your faith in Jesus is one way you can be persecuted, but it is not the most damaging. History shows that the church has always flourished under persecution with increased numbers and zeal. During intense, life-threatening persecution, people's priorities get straightened out and the Lord assumes His rightful place. This always works for our good, regardless of what our outward circumstances might be.

A far more deadly form of persecution is simply men speaking evil of you or separating you from their company as Jesus mentions in Matthew 5:11-12. It's more deadly because it's more subtle. Many who would never directly deny the Lord will fall into self-pity or strife because of someone's criticism. This will render you just as ineffective as would a negative reaction to your life being threatened.

It helps to recognize that it is not you that they are persecuting, but rather Christ in you (Acts 9:4). You are actually becoming a partaker of His sufferings (Philippians 3:10) and will share His rewards (Romans 8:17-18; II Timothy 2:11-12; Hebrews 11:26). With this in mind, you can actually shout and leap for joy in persecution (Luke 6:22-23; Acts 5:41). God takes the persecution of His children personally (Luke 17:2). In Acts 9:4, when Jesus appeared to Saul on the road to Damascus, He spoke to Saul and said, "Why persecutest thou me?" Judgment against those who persecute God's children will not always come in time to prevent their harm, but as this warning makes very clear, God will avenge His own (Romans 12:19).

Luke 21:19 states, "In your patience possess ye your souls." The context of this statement is about persecution (verses 12-17), and the compensation for enduring it that we will receive in the resurrection. So the patience that Jesus is speaking of here is the calm assurance that God knows every hurt that we feel and He will abundantly recompense us in the resurrection

(Hebrews 11:26). This knowledge enables us to dominate our emotions in the face of persecution (i.e. possess our souls), instead of letting our emotions of fear dominate us.

Paul said in Galatians 5:11 that if he preached righteousness by the law, then the offense of the cross would cease. Grace is offensive to religious people. Legalism is not. The suffering that Paul is referring to the Galatians enduring was persecution for preaching the gospel of Christ.

PERSECUTION

(Additional Information)

The first great persecution for religious opinion of which we have any record was that which broke out against the worshippers of God among the Jews in the days of Ahad, when that king, at the instigation of his wife Jezebel, ("a woman in whom, with the reckless and licentious habits of an Oriental queen, were united the fiercest an sternest qualities inherent in the old Semitic race"), sought in the most relentless manner to extirpate the worship of Jehovah and substitute in its place the worship of Ashtoreth and Baal. Ahab's example in this respect was followed by Manasseh, who "shed innocent blood very much, till he had filled Jerusalem from one end to another" (II Kings 21:16, comp, II Kings 24:4). In all ages, in one form or another, the people of God have had to suffer persecution. In its earliest history, the Christian church passed through many bloody persecutions. Of subsequent centuries in our own and in other lands, the same sad record may be made. Christians are forbidden to seek the propagation of the gospel, by force (Luke 9:54-46; Romans 14:4; James 4:11-12). The words of Psalms 7:13: "He ordaineth his arrows against the persecutors" ought rather be, as in the Revised Version, "He maketh his arrows fiery [shafts]."

(Easton Bible Dictionary)

PERSECUTION:

Christ suffered. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Psalms 69:26; John 5:16
Christ voluntarily submitted to. . . . . . . . . . . . . Isaiah 50:6
Christ was patient under. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Isaiah 53:7
Saints may expect. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Mark 10:30; Luke 21:12, John 15:20
Saints suffer, for the sake of God. . . . . . . . . . . Jeremiah 15:15
Of saints, is a persecution of Christ. . . . . . . . . . Zechariah 2:8; Acts 9:4-5
All that live godly in Christ, shall suffer. . . . . . . II Timothy 3:12
Originates
1. Ignorance of God and Christ. . . . . . . . John 16:3
2. Hatred of God and Christ. . . . . . . . . . John 15:20, 24
3. Hatred to the gospel. . . . . . . . . . . . . . Matthew 13:21
4. Pride. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Psalms 10:2
5. Mistaken zeal. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Acts 13:50; 26:9-11
Is inconsistent with the spirit of the gospel. . . . . . . . . . Matthew 26:52
Men by nature addicted to. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Galatians 4:29
Preacher of the gospel subject to. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Galatians 5:11
Is sometimes to death. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Acts 22:4
God forsakes not his saints under. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . II Corinthians 4:9
God delivers out of. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Daniel 3:25, 28; II Corinthians 1:20; II Timothy 3:11
Cannot separate from Christ. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Romans 8:35
Lawful means may be used to escape. . . . . . . . . . . . . . Matthew 2:13; 10:23; 12:14-15
Saints suffering, should
1. Commit themselves to God. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . I Peter 4:19
2. Exhibit patience. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . I Corinthians 4:12
3. Rejoice. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Matthew 5:12; I Peter 4:13
4. Glorify God. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . I Peter 4:16
5. Pray for deliverance. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Psalm 7:1; 119:86
6. Pray for those who inflict. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Matthew 5:44
7. Return blessing for. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Romans 12:14
The hope of future blessedness, supports under. . . . . . I Corinthians 15:19, 32; Hebrews 10:34-35
Blessedness of enduring, for Christ's sake. . . . . . . . . . Matthew 5:10; Luke 6:22
Pray for those suffering. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . II Thessalonians 3:2
Hypocrites cannot endure. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Matthew 4:17
False teachers shrink from. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Galatians 6:12
The wicked
1. Addicted to. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Psalms 10:2; 69:26
2. Active in. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Psalms 143:3; Lamentations 4:19
3. Encourage each other in. . . . . . . . . . . . Psalms 71:11
4. Rejoice in its success. . . . . . . . . . . . . . Psalms 13:4; Revelations 11:10
5. Punishment for. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Psalms 7:13; II Thessalonians 1:6
6. Illustrated. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Matthew 21:33-39
Spirit of—Exemplified
1. Pharaoh. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Exodus 1:8-14
2. Saul. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . I Samuel 26:18
3. Jezebel. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . I Kings 19:2
4. Zedekiah. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Jeremiah 38:4-6
5. Chaldeans. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Daniel 3:8-30
6. Pharisees. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Matthew 12:14
7. Jews. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . John 5:16; I Thessalonians 2:15
8. Herod. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Acts 12:1
9. Gentiles. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Acts 14:5
10. Paul. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Philippians 3:6; I Timothy 1:13
Suffering of—Exemplified
1. Micaiah. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . I Kings 22:27
2. David. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Psalms 119:61
3. Jeremiah. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Jeremiah 32:2
4. Daniel. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Daniel 6:5-17
5. Peter. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Acts 4:3
6. Apostles. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Acts 5:18
7. The Prophets. . . . . . . . . . . . . . Acts 7:52
8. The Church. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Acts 8:1
9. Paul and Barnabas. . . . . . . . . . Acts 13:50
10. Paul and Silas. . . . . . . . . . . . . Acts 16:23
11. Hebrews. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Hebrews 10:33
12. Saints of old. . . . . . . . . . . . . . Hebrews 11:36

Here are some questions to think about for this lesson

Level 3 Lesson 5 Questions
PERSECUTION

According to II Timothy 3:12, those who live a godly life will experience what consequences?
According to Mark 4:16-17, affliction and persecution come for what reason?
In Acts 8:1 and 4, persecution resulted in what?
According to Matthew 5:11-12, what are the consequences for truly following Jesus?
What kind of reward does persecution result in?
According to Acts 9:4-5, who is it that Saul was persecuting?
In reality, who was Saul persecuting? (Acts 9:1)
Can Christians move away from the true gospel? (Galatians 1:6-7)
How do we fall away from grace according to Galatians 5:4?
Preaching the true gospel results in what? (Galatians 6:12)

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