Episode 101 Show Notes
How Do We Honor God When We Are Persecuted?
From the Show
Should we expect blessings to come with persecution?
In Matthew 24, Jesus prepares his followers for two realities that seem diametrically opposed: on the one hand, the period all the way until the Second Coming will be marked by wars, natural disasters, immorality, and other general ills as well as by persecution of his church. There will be dark times. And yet, it's also going to be a time of incredible prosperity for his kingdom as the gospel goes out to the nations. It’s like childbirth; the same time [there is] incredible joy and excruciating pain…. So yes, there will be persecution, but you're on the right side of history. You are blessed, even when the world hates you, precisely because “it hated me before it hated you,” Jesus told his disciples (John 15:18). If you're mourning now, you will be comforted. If you're beaten down now, you will be exalted. You may lack temporal riches, but according to 1st Peter 1:4 and 5 you already have an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, reserved in heaven for you, who through faith are protected by God's power for the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time. — Michael Horton
Questions in this Episode
1. Hebrews 10:31 says, “It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.” How does this work if God is love? Doesn’t love cast out all fear?
2. John 5:27 says, “Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life.” If this is true, why do Christians still die?
3. Should we expect blessings to come with persecution?
4. Why does the Old Testament law commend slavery if it is wrong?
5. Why does Paul say that there are certain people we shouldn’t even eat with?
6. If Paul says that whoever serves Christ is approved by men, how does this work in a culture where it seems whoever serves God is anything but approved by men?
7. What does it mean to say Jesus is the Messiah?
Resources
10 Things You Should Know about Persecution
How Can I Get Over the Fear of Death?
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