WEBVTT 1 00:00:00.720 --> 00:00:04.679 If I asked you to name the most persecuted group 2 00:00:05.160 --> 00:00:11.359 on the planet, you'd probably name the wrong group because 3 00:00:11.359 --> 00:00:12.320 it's Christians. 4 00:00:12.880 --> 00:00:13.679 It's Christians. 5 00:00:14.759 --> 00:00:17.920 It may surprise you that that's the most persecuted group 6 00:00:17.920 --> 00:00:23.600 on the planet because it is the most ignored, most unnoticed, 7 00:00:24.719 --> 00:00:31.160 least reported, most overlooked news item on the planet. Without 8 00:00:31.199 --> 00:00:37.359 a doubt, the International Society of let me get this right, 9 00:00:37.479 --> 00:00:40.600 International Society for Human Rights. It's a secular organization. It's 10 00:00:40.600 --> 00:00:45.320 not a Christian organization. Just recently let out a report 11 00:00:45.439 --> 00:00:50.320 and it says, quote, eighty percent of all religious freedom 12 00:00:50.399 --> 00:00:56.200 violations in the world today are directed against Christians. Now, 13 00:00:57.039 --> 00:01:01.240 we're all aware that throughout history, for two thousand years, Christianity, 14 00:01:01.280 --> 00:01:04.200 the Christian Church, and Christians in particular, have been persecuted. 15 00:01:04.439 --> 00:01:06.799 We all know that for three hundred years it was 16 00:01:06.840 --> 00:01:09.239 illegal to be a Christian in the Roman Empire. They 17 00:01:09.239 --> 00:01:12.799 were feeding Christians to the lions, Nero was tarring them 18 00:01:12.799 --> 00:01:16.799 and lighting them on fire, and for three hundred years, 19 00:01:16.799 --> 00:01:19.840 first hundred years years of the Church, it was against 20 00:01:19.879 --> 00:01:21.000 the law to be a Christian. 21 00:01:21.879 --> 00:01:22.799 We know about the. 22 00:01:24.400 --> 00:01:28.959 Different cleansings throughout history, and the tortures and the burning 23 00:01:29.000 --> 00:01:31.280 at the stake and all of those kind of things 24 00:01:31.319 --> 00:01:36.120 for two thousand years. But what we don't know, what 25 00:01:36.239 --> 00:01:40.000 you don't know, is that the worst persecution of Christians 26 00:01:40.760 --> 00:01:45.239 in all of history is happening in our lifetime. It's 27 00:01:45.319 --> 00:01:49.400 just not being reported now. Since the Resurrection two thousand 28 00:01:49.439 --> 00:01:55.560 years ago, about seventy million believers in Jesus Christ have 29 00:01:55.680 --> 00:02:00.599 died for their faith. About seventy million is shocking. And 30 00:02:00.640 --> 00:02:03.079 what most people don't know is half of that number, 31 00:02:03.280 --> 00:02:06.840 thirty five million, have died in the last one hundred years. 32 00:02:08.120 --> 00:02:09.319 Right now. 33 00:02:10.439 --> 00:02:14.400 This past year, about one hundred million followers of Christ 34 00:02:14.960 --> 00:02:19.479 lived in countries. Whether the state or the prevailing religion 35 00:02:19.719 --> 00:02:24.319 or the dictatorship left one hundred million followers of Jesus 36 00:02:24.400 --> 00:02:30.960 facing the threat of discrimination, of persecution, of interrogation, of arrest, 37 00:02:31.599 --> 00:02:37.280 of imprisonment, of torture, of even death. There used to be, 38 00:02:37.400 --> 00:02:40.639 for instance, about one point three million Christians in Iraq. 39 00:02:41.000 --> 00:02:43.039 That was about how many there were when the First 40 00:02:43.080 --> 00:02:45.360 Gulf War broke out. Today there's less than one hundred 41 00:02:45.360 --> 00:02:51.840 thousand in the nation of Iraq. The most current estimates 42 00:02:52.400 --> 00:02:56.199 in South North Korea is that they're probably about seventy 43 00:02:56.719 --> 00:03:02.199 thousand Christians in prison in North kore right now, suffering 44 00:03:02.439 --> 00:03:07.960 in prison, and about every ten minutes, two Christians die 45 00:03:08.000 --> 00:03:11.960 for their faith around the world, hour upon hour upon 46 00:03:12.120 --> 00:03:16.680 hour upon day, upon week upon month, two every ten minutes. 47 00:03:16.800 --> 00:03:21.639 For the last decade, You've never heard that. No one 48 00:03:21.719 --> 00:03:25.520 is reporting it. It is the most underreported story on 49 00:03:25.599 --> 00:03:29.560 the planet. Now, what are we supposed to do about 50 00:03:29.599 --> 00:03:34.319 our persecuted brothers and sisters in christ These millions and 51 00:03:34.599 --> 00:03:37.919 hundreds of thousands in refugee camps and displaced and having 52 00:03:37.960 --> 00:03:39.599 to move to other nations and things like that. 53 00:03:39.800 --> 00:03:41.840 What are we supposed to do? Well? The first thing 54 00:03:41.840 --> 00:03:43.199 we're supposed to do is be informed. 55 00:03:43.919 --> 00:03:45.639 And I want to because I'm not going to talk 56 00:03:45.639 --> 00:03:47.479 about this a lot today. 57 00:03:47.919 --> 00:03:49.120 I highly recommend this. 58 00:03:49.080 --> 00:03:52.960 Book, The Global War on Christians, and I actually ordered 59 00:03:53.000 --> 00:03:55.319 several thousand of them to be out on the patio. 60 00:03:55.319 --> 00:03:57.439 I would encourage you to read this book and be 61 00:03:57.520 --> 00:03:59.199 in the note because nobody's going to tell you this. 62 00:04:00.120 --> 00:04:02.840 They're not going to tell you the national reports that 63 00:04:02.840 --> 00:04:05.840 are coming out of all these different organizations. Second, we 64 00:04:05.879 --> 00:04:08.039 need to pray. The Bible says we are to pray 65 00:04:08.360 --> 00:04:11.680 for those who are persecuted. Third, we need to give 66 00:04:12.280 --> 00:04:15.680 to help support families who have loved ones in prison, 67 00:04:16.079 --> 00:04:19.279 or are being tortured, or have died because of their faith. 68 00:04:19.600 --> 00:04:22.240 We can give, we can pray, we can learn, and 69 00:04:22.319 --> 00:04:24.800 we can be advocates for freedom. Let me show your 70 00:04:24.879 --> 00:04:27.040 verse on the Bible. The Bible says this here on 71 00:04:27.040 --> 00:04:31.000 the screen Hebrews thirteen three. Remember those who are in 72 00:04:31.040 --> 00:04:37.160 prison as if you were in prison with them. Remember 73 00:04:37.279 --> 00:04:42.160 those who are suffering, as if you were suffering with them. 74 00:04:43.560 --> 00:04:45.279 That's what God tells us to do. 75 00:04:45.839 --> 00:04:46.120 Now. 76 00:04:46.399 --> 00:04:50.680 Anybody who thinks that following Jesus Christ, being a follower 77 00:04:50.680 --> 00:04:54.040 of Christ is easy, is sadly mistaken. 78 00:04:54.519 --> 00:04:55.360 Sadly mistaken. 79 00:04:55.800 --> 00:04:58.439 Being a Christian, being a follower of Christ is not 80 00:04:58.519 --> 00:05:03.480 for whimps, for weaklings. It's not for the faint of heart. 81 00:05:03.720 --> 00:05:07.839 It's not for cowards. You must be willing to face rejection. 82 00:05:08.800 --> 00:05:12.160 You must be willing to face criticism. You must be 83 00:05:12.199 --> 00:05:15.319 willing to face disapproval. You must be willing to face 84 00:05:15.399 --> 00:05:19.160 peer pressure. You must be willing to face harassments and opposition. 85 00:05:19.639 --> 00:05:24.439 If you truly live for Christ. Now, the Bible says this, 86 00:05:24.560 --> 00:05:27.000 look on the top of your outlots two Timothy three, 87 00:05:27.120 --> 00:05:32.720 Verse twelve. Anyone who belongs to Christ Jesus and wance 88 00:05:32.920 --> 00:05:37.480 to live right will have trouble from others circle the 89 00:05:37.519 --> 00:05:39.800 word will. This is not an if, this is not 90 00:05:39.879 --> 00:05:43.720 a mite. This is a guarantee. The Bible says, it 91 00:05:43.800 --> 00:05:46.879 is guaranteed that if you stand for what's right, there 92 00:05:46.920 --> 00:05:49.160 will be people who oppose you. If you stand for 93 00:05:49.240 --> 00:05:51.800 what's true, there will be people who oppose you. If 94 00:05:51.800 --> 00:05:55.040 you stand for what's good, evil will simply oppose you. 95 00:05:56.319 --> 00:05:59.199 Now today we come to the last of the eight Beatitudes, 96 00:06:00.000 --> 00:06:03.360 looking at these eight Blessings of Jesus, where Jesus says, 97 00:06:03.360 --> 00:06:05.800 if you want to be blessed by God, here's what 98 00:06:05.920 --> 00:06:07.720 you need to do in your life. And we've looked 99 00:06:07.720 --> 00:06:10.639 at humility, and we've looked at generosity, and we've looked 100 00:06:10.639 --> 00:06:15.360 at integrity. We've looked at how to reconcile a relationship 101 00:06:15.439 --> 00:06:18.680 being a peacemaker. And in the last of the eight Beatitudes, 102 00:06:18.680 --> 00:06:21.279 where Jesus says, if you want God's blessing on your life, 103 00:06:22.079 --> 00:06:26.240 he deals with this issue of opposition, of harassment for 104 00:06:26.279 --> 00:06:29.959 your faith, of persecution, and we're going to look at 105 00:06:30.079 --> 00:06:34.600 what to do with it today. Now we're going to 106 00:06:34.600 --> 00:06:36.519 look at how to handle opposition to your faith. And 107 00:06:36.600 --> 00:06:38.439 we're going to look at two things. What do you 108 00:06:38.480 --> 00:06:42.480 need to remember when you're feeling pressured peer pressure? And 109 00:06:42.560 --> 00:06:45.240 what do you need to do when you're feeling peer pressure, 110 00:06:45.240 --> 00:06:49.839 when you're feeling harassed or put down or ridiculed or 111 00:06:49.839 --> 00:06:52.519 maligned or criticized or whatever for your faith? 112 00:06:52.560 --> 00:06:55.000 What do you need to do? Now, let me just 113 00:06:55.040 --> 00:06:56.040 be real honest. 114 00:06:56.639 --> 00:07:01.120 In America, you're not being persecuted, you're not, but you 115 00:07:01.160 --> 00:07:05.040 are being pressured, and there is subtle pressure to conform 116 00:07:05.399 --> 00:07:08.600 and to be like everybody else in America. You're not 117 00:07:08.759 --> 00:07:13.879 gonna face violent oppression, You're just not going to, at 118 00:07:14.000 --> 00:07:17.360 least not in the foreseeable future. But you are going 119 00:07:17.439 --> 00:07:23.160 to face not violent oppression, but silent repression. And this 120 00:07:23.240 --> 00:07:25.480 is the subtle thing for you to just shut up 121 00:07:25.560 --> 00:07:28.480 and keep your mouth shut and not say what's true, 122 00:07:28.839 --> 00:07:31.680 and not stand up for Christ and not be a 123 00:07:31.720 --> 00:07:34.759 public witness, and to just blend in and to fit in. 124 00:07:35.000 --> 00:07:37.839 And the pressure to conform you feel it all the time. 125 00:07:37.839 --> 00:07:39.959 I could give you a thousand ways that you do this. 126 00:07:40.399 --> 00:07:45.120 When a boss pressures you to do something that you 127 00:07:45.160 --> 00:07:47.360 know is dishonest or unethical and you don't want to 128 00:07:47.360 --> 00:07:51.759 do it. There's the pressure to conform when people are 129 00:07:51.759 --> 00:07:54.040 standing around the water cooler and they're all telling dirty 130 00:07:54.120 --> 00:07:56.959 jokes and you know, I really shouldn't be participating in this, 131 00:07:57.680 --> 00:08:01.160 and the pressures to stay there, to smile and smirk 132 00:08:01.240 --> 00:08:04.839 and laugh and not walk away. You will invite it 133 00:08:04.879 --> 00:08:07.560 to some events you just can't go to as a Christian, 134 00:08:08.120 --> 00:08:11.439 a single guys, there are some bachelor parties you can't 135 00:08:11.439 --> 00:08:11.720 go to. 136 00:08:13.560 --> 00:08:17.920 In fact, nobody should go to them, and you know it. 137 00:08:18.560 --> 00:08:20.759 And yet if you say I'm not going and say 138 00:08:20.759 --> 00:08:23.319 why because I'm a Christian, you will be put down. 139 00:08:23.399 --> 00:08:24.360 You will be harassed. 140 00:08:24.399 --> 00:08:26.079 You will say, oh, you're out of date, or you're 141 00:08:26.120 --> 00:08:28.000 no fun, or you're a fuddy duddy, or you have 142 00:08:28.040 --> 00:08:31.199 no freedom, and all of these there's enormous pressure on 143 00:08:31.240 --> 00:08:35.000 you to do that. You will feel pressure to be 144 00:08:35.159 --> 00:08:39.759 silent when people are praising moral choices that the Bible 145 00:08:39.799 --> 00:08:43.399 says is wrong, and they go, what, you don't think 146 00:08:43.440 --> 00:08:46.159 that's okay. You don't think that's okay. You don't think 147 00:08:46.200 --> 00:08:48.559 that's okay, And you don't think that over there is okay. 148 00:08:48.720 --> 00:08:53.440 What's wrong with you? You're on the wrong side of history. 149 00:08:53.879 --> 00:08:56.279 Let me just tell you something. History is often wrong. 150 00:08:57.200 --> 00:09:02.159 You remember Hitler, New York Times and other magazines actually 151 00:09:02.159 --> 00:09:06.080 praised him in the thirties. History is often wrong. It's 152 00:09:06.080 --> 00:09:07.759 not important to be on the right side of history. 153 00:09:07.759 --> 00:09:11.600 It's important to be on the right side. It's important 154 00:09:11.799 --> 00:09:16.279 not to be popular. It's important to stand with the truth. 155 00:09:16.600 --> 00:09:19.519 So you'll be pressured to be quiet. You'll be pressured 156 00:09:19.559 --> 00:09:22.039 when you're standing around and somebody says, you know, all 157 00:09:22.120 --> 00:09:24.360 Christians they just and they make. 158 00:09:24.240 --> 00:09:25.440 A derogatory remark. 159 00:09:25.759 --> 00:09:29.039 They're all bigots, they're all this or this or that, 160 00:09:29.679 --> 00:09:32.159 and you will have the pressure to stay quiet. 161 00:09:33.440 --> 00:09:37.559 That is harassment for your faith. Now what should you do. 162 00:09:38.799 --> 00:09:40.399 Well, there are some things you need to do in 163 00:09:40.399 --> 00:09:42.440 this some things you need to remember. First, let's look 164 00:09:42.480 --> 00:09:44.480 at three things you need to remember. Write these down 165 00:09:45.759 --> 00:09:49.000 when you feel pressured for your faith because you love 166 00:09:49.080 --> 00:09:50.519 Jesus and other people don't. 167 00:09:50.639 --> 00:09:53.440 The first thing you need to remember is this opposition 168 00:09:54.159 --> 00:09:57.360 can make me more like Jesus. That's a good thing. 169 00:09:58.159 --> 00:10:03.159 Opposition can actually make me more like Jesus. And it 170 00:10:03.200 --> 00:10:08.120 makes me more like Jesus because Jesus experienced opposition. He 171 00:10:08.720 --> 00:10:15.519 experienced it in great quantities. Obviously. The Bible says in 172 00:10:15.679 --> 00:10:21.039 John fifteen, verse eighteen to twenty. When the world hates you, 173 00:10:22.200 --> 00:10:26.399 remember that it hated me first. The world would love 174 00:10:26.440 --> 00:10:31.879 you if you belong to it, but you don't. Jesus says, 175 00:10:32.000 --> 00:10:35.120 I chose you out of this world. That's why this 176 00:10:35.240 --> 00:10:39.720 world will hate you. No servant is ever greater than 177 00:10:39.759 --> 00:10:45.120 his master. So since they persecuted me, they will persecute you. 178 00:10:45.919 --> 00:10:46.840 Now follow me on this. 179 00:10:48.120 --> 00:10:50.519 If you're going to grow up and be like Jesus Christ, 180 00:10:50.639 --> 00:10:52.960 God wants you to become like him and the way 181 00:10:53.000 --> 00:10:55.639 you think and act and feel, then you're gonna have 182 00:10:55.679 --> 00:10:57.200 to go through everything Jesus went through. 183 00:10:57.919 --> 00:11:00.360 Were there times when Jesus was lonely? Yes? Where there 184 00:11:00.360 --> 00:11:03.120 times when Jesus was tempted to be discouraged? Yes? Were 185 00:11:03.159 --> 00:11:05.559 there times he was fatigued and worn out? Yes? Were 186 00:11:05.600 --> 00:11:07.600 there times when Jesus was tempted? Yes? 187 00:11:07.720 --> 00:11:10.879 Were the times he was maligned, criticized, and lied about? 188 00:11:11.000 --> 00:11:11.320 Yes? 189 00:11:11.639 --> 00:11:14.080 What makes you think God would spare you when he 190 00:11:14.080 --> 00:11:18.759 didn't spare his own son Of those things? You're gonna 191 00:11:18.799 --> 00:11:22.320 go through the exact same thing as I said. Christianity 192 00:11:22.360 --> 00:11:25.679 following Jesus is not for weaklings, it's not for whims, 193 00:11:26.120 --> 00:11:28.600 it's not for fuddy dudies. And people who don't have 194 00:11:28.639 --> 00:11:32.360 any backbone don't have any spine. And Jesus said, if 195 00:11:32.399 --> 00:11:36.679 they persecuted me, they will persecute you. Remember, Jesus was 196 00:11:36.720 --> 00:11:41.759 hated by many people. He was loved by sinners, but 197 00:11:41.840 --> 00:11:44.399 he was hated by people. 198 00:11:44.200 --> 00:11:45.559 Who didn't like goodness. 199 00:11:52.879 --> 00:11:55.240 One of the greatest joys of my day is reading 200 00:11:55.320 --> 00:11:59.200 letters from our listeners. It truly is inspiring to see 201 00:11:59.240 --> 00:12:02.440 how God has worked in your lives, and it encourages 202 00:12:02.559 --> 00:12:05.679 me just as much as I hope to encourage you. 203 00:12:06.679 --> 00:12:08.720 So today I want to share a note from Heather, 204 00:12:09.360 --> 00:12:13.360 who has been discovering the incredible benefits of studying God's 205 00:12:13.360 --> 00:12:16.120 word every day. Heather wrote to me, she said, Hi, 206 00:12:16.200 --> 00:12:19.240 Pastor Rick, a friend of mine recently sent me your 207 00:12:19.279 --> 00:12:22.639 podcast and I've been feeling lost and helpless and I 208 00:12:22.679 --> 00:12:25.000 didn't I wasn't sure what to pray, or how to pray, 209 00:12:25.039 --> 00:12:26.720 or when to pray. And it's like I hit a 210 00:12:26.759 --> 00:12:29.240 wall and I haven't been sure how to get back 211 00:12:29.279 --> 00:12:34.159 on track. Well, your message really spoke truth to me, 212 00:12:34.679 --> 00:12:38.279 and it made me realize the missing pieces I had 213 00:12:38.320 --> 00:12:41.519 in my life because I was not in God's Word daily. 214 00:12:42.799 --> 00:12:45.240 I was basically living my life without God and I 215 00:12:45.279 --> 00:12:48.440 was trying to do everything on my own. Well, Pastor Rick, 216 00:12:48.480 --> 00:12:50.960 it goes without saying that doing life without God has 217 00:12:51.039 --> 00:12:55.240 been miserable failure. So thank you for stirring the Holy 218 00:12:55.279 --> 00:12:58.879 Spirit in my heart with the words that I needed 219 00:12:58.879 --> 00:13:01.919 to hear. I have now made the commitment to read 220 00:13:02.039 --> 00:13:05.360 God's Word every day and to pray daily, and I 221 00:13:05.360 --> 00:13:07.799 even started praying in the cars I go about my day. 222 00:13:07.919 --> 00:13:09.919 Just like you, it's hard for me to close my 223 00:13:09.960 --> 00:13:14.519 eyes and not fall asleep. You were listening. Please keep 224 00:13:14.559 --> 00:13:16.919 doing what you're doing and reaching people who really need 225 00:13:16.960 --> 00:13:21.000 to hear about Jesus and God's love. Well, Heather, I 226 00:13:21.039 --> 00:13:23.840 am so glad to hear that you're back in God's 227 00:13:23.879 --> 00:13:25.840 word and that you're making it a part of your 228 00:13:25.879 --> 00:13:29.320 daily life. There really isn't anything more important than deepening 229 00:13:29.320 --> 00:13:32.440 your relationship with Him, and I love the fact that 230 00:13:32.519 --> 00:13:36.279 you are praying every day, especially keeping your eyes open 231 00:13:36.320 --> 00:13:42.159 while you're driving. Do you or somebody know or even 232 00:13:42.200 --> 00:13:47.559 feel lost yourself like Heather once did? Well, the best 233 00:13:47.559 --> 00:13:49.720 way to find hope and strength is by staying connected 234 00:13:49.759 --> 00:13:50.600 to God every day. 235 00:13:50.720 --> 00:13:51.559 That's the purpose of. 236 00:13:51.600 --> 00:13:54.679 Daily Hope and that's why I started it, to help 237 00:13:54.720 --> 00:13:57.919 people like Heather dive into God's Word and experience his 238 00:13:58.080 --> 00:14:03.240 encouragement on a daily basis. Now, our Daily Hope devotionals 239 00:14:03.240 --> 00:14:07.919 and our podcasts are completely free and they're delivered straight 240 00:14:08.000 --> 00:14:12.759 to your inbox every morning. So if you're not getting these, 241 00:14:13.240 --> 00:14:18.000 sign up today and start each day with biblical wisdom 242 00:14:18.279 --> 00:14:20.840 and encouragement from God's Word. 243 00:14:21.519 --> 00:14:23.960 Hey, would you like to sign up for Pastor Rick's 244 00:14:23.960 --> 00:14:27.519 email devotional You can just scan the QR code or 245 00:14:27.759 --> 00:14:30.759 go to dailyhopetv dot com. 246 00:14:32.080 --> 00:14:37.360 Jesus was hated by many people. He was loved by sinners, 247 00:14:37.639 --> 00:14:42.039 but he was hated by people who didn't like goodness. 248 00:14:42.440 --> 00:14:47.399 Evil always hates goodness, and the Bible says this on 249 00:14:47.440 --> 00:14:50.919 the screen John three nineteen. The light from Heaven came 250 00:14:50.960 --> 00:14:51.679 into the world. 251 00:14:52.200 --> 00:14:54.200 That's Jesus. He said, I am the light of the world. 252 00:14:54.559 --> 00:14:58.440 But people love their darkness more than light because it 253 00:14:58.559 --> 00:15:01.799 hides their evil action. You know, if I've been sitting 254 00:15:01.840 --> 00:15:03.480 in the dark for ten hours and you come in 255 00:15:03.519 --> 00:15:05.399 and you turn on a big spotlight on me. 256 00:15:05.600 --> 00:15:08.120 That's not comfortable. That's very uncomfortable. 257 00:15:09.120 --> 00:15:11.399 When you've been living in the dark all your life 258 00:15:11.480 --> 00:15:14.000 and somebody comes and turns on the light. Guess what, 259 00:15:14.360 --> 00:15:17.720 It doesn't feel good at first, and on second thought, 260 00:15:17.720 --> 00:15:22.759 you see what a mess room is. Jesus said, I'm 261 00:15:22.759 --> 00:15:24.440 the light of the world, and he said this, you're 262 00:15:24.480 --> 00:15:29.080 the light of the world. It's still true today, he said, 263 00:15:29.120 --> 00:15:31.360 people still love darkness more than the light. You know, 264 00:15:31.519 --> 00:15:33.200 you may have never thought about this, but it may 265 00:15:33.279 --> 00:15:35.519 shock you to realize that if Jesus came and walked 266 00:15:35.559 --> 00:15:39.440 on the earth today, we'd crucify him today. Our culture 267 00:15:39.519 --> 00:15:44.159 would crucify Jesus today. We're no different than any other culture. Why, 268 00:15:44.360 --> 00:15:49.679 because darkness can't stand light and evil can't stand goodness. Now, 269 00:15:49.759 --> 00:15:53.519 what that means is this, even if you were perfect, 270 00:15:54.159 --> 00:15:57.120 there are people who aren't going to like you. Some 271 00:15:57.159 --> 00:15:59.240 of you have this myth in your mind. If I'm 272 00:15:59.360 --> 00:16:02.759 just more wins, if I'm just more likable, if I'm 273 00:16:02.840 --> 00:16:06.679 just more perfect, then everybody you'll love me. Jesus was 274 00:16:06.799 --> 00:16:11.639 perfect and people hated him. So you're never going to 275 00:16:11.679 --> 00:16:14.960 get to the point where everybody loves you and likes you. 276 00:16:15.080 --> 00:16:16.240 That's just not going to happen. 277 00:16:18.320 --> 00:16:20.320 The other thing we learned from this verse is that 278 00:16:20.440 --> 00:16:26.799 opposition means that you're doing something right. You're obviously being 279 00:16:27.120 --> 00:16:29.840 like Jesus in that moment, and he said, if they 280 00:16:29.840 --> 00:16:32.519 didn't like me, then they're not going to like you. 281 00:16:33.480 --> 00:16:37.120 The Bible says, this is one Peter four fourteen. If 282 00:16:37.200 --> 00:16:42.919 you're abused because of Christ, count yourself fortunate. 283 00:16:43.919 --> 00:16:46.679 Why? He says, it's the spirit of God. 284 00:16:46.799 --> 00:16:50.720 In you and His glory in you that brought you 285 00:16:51.039 --> 00:16:54.320 to the notice of others. So you say, when you're criticized, 286 00:16:54.360 --> 00:16:58.840 when you're judged, when you're ridiculed, when you're slighted, He's going, congratulations, 287 00:16:59.559 --> 00:17:04.680 consider to confirmation and a compliment. If nobody has ever 288 00:17:04.759 --> 00:17:07.680 criticized you for your faith, what is that saying about 289 00:17:07.680 --> 00:17:08.160 your faith? 290 00:17:08.319 --> 00:17:08.960 You don't have. 291 00:17:08.920 --> 00:17:16.359 Any If being like Christ, the Bible says over and 292 00:17:16.400 --> 00:17:19.880 over will bring criticism. If you're never criticized, I should 293 00:17:19.880 --> 00:17:21.799 ask myself, then, how much like Christ? 294 00:17:21.839 --> 00:17:26.920 Am I? What's wrong with me? Why is nobody noticing 295 00:17:27.839 --> 00:17:28.640 my faith? 296 00:17:31.279 --> 00:17:32.799 I don't know if you've noticed this, but the more 297 00:17:32.839 --> 00:17:38.319 positive you are, the more negative people dislike you. And 298 00:17:38.359 --> 00:17:40.359 if you get up in the morning and you're really positive. 299 00:17:40.359 --> 00:17:42.200 If somebody wakes up in their grumpy they don't want 300 00:17:42.240 --> 00:17:46.319 you to be positive. They want you to be negative too, 301 00:17:47.319 --> 00:17:50.279 and that happens. So the first thing I need to 302 00:17:50.319 --> 00:17:54.960 realize is that Jesus was criticized. Jesus was maligned, he 303 00:17:55.160 --> 00:17:58.400 was attacked. So the more I'm like Jesus, it just 304 00:17:58.480 --> 00:18:01.440 means I'm It's a sign, it's a symbol, it's a 305 00:18:01.480 --> 00:18:04.400 confirmation and a compliment. Second thing you need to remember 306 00:18:04.440 --> 00:18:12.279 this opposition will deepen my faith. Opposition will actually deepen 307 00:18:12.559 --> 00:18:15.799 my faith. It's how your faith grows. 308 00:18:16.279 --> 00:18:18.519 It's like the way you grow a muscle. 309 00:18:19.039 --> 00:18:22.480 A muscle is grown not by sitting in a chair 310 00:18:22.480 --> 00:18:23.400 and eating popcorn. 311 00:18:24.160 --> 00:18:25.440 A muscles grown. 312 00:18:25.480 --> 00:18:31.960 By stretching it, by straining it, by testing it. If 313 00:18:32.000 --> 00:18:35.359 you've ever gone to a gym and worked out, and 314 00:18:35.400 --> 00:18:43.519 obviously many of you haven't, then you know that the 315 00:18:43.599 --> 00:18:47.400 way you grow a muscle is by straining it, by 316 00:18:47.680 --> 00:18:52.480 stretching it, by pressuring it, by putting tension against it 317 00:18:52.559 --> 00:18:55.559 and having weight pull in the opposite direction. You're never 318 00:18:55.599 --> 00:18:57.920 going to grow any muscle if no weight's ever pulling 319 00:18:57.960 --> 00:19:03.440 in the opposite direction. So opposition strengthens your faith. It 320 00:19:03.599 --> 00:19:07.279 deepens your faith. You have no opposition in your life, 321 00:19:07.400 --> 00:19:10.720 then you have no growing faith. And it is without 322 00:19:10.720 --> 00:19:13.440 a doubt that the strongest believers in the world right 323 00:19:13.480 --> 00:19:14.640 now are those who. 324 00:19:14.599 --> 00:19:16.920 Are having their faith tested the most. 325 00:19:17.359 --> 00:19:22.440 One Peter four one seven says this, these troubles that 326 00:19:22.480 --> 00:19:26.359 you're going through will prove that your faith is genuine. 327 00:19:27.440 --> 00:19:30.759 Just as gold is purified by fire and heat. Circle 328 00:19:30.799 --> 00:19:34.240 that phrase, fire and heat. Just as gold is purified 329 00:19:34.240 --> 00:19:38.440 by fire and heat, so your faith, which is far 330 00:19:38.480 --> 00:19:43.279 more precious than gold, must also be purified by fire. 331 00:19:44.119 --> 00:19:46.359 By this fire, and when the heat's on, and when 332 00:19:46.440 --> 00:19:49.240 you're holding your feet to the fire, so it may endure. 333 00:19:49.440 --> 00:19:52.359 And he says, what happens when opposition deepens my faith? 334 00:19:52.400 --> 00:19:57.319 He says, then here's the result. You'll receive praise. You'll 335 00:19:57.359 --> 00:20:01.240 receive praise, you'll receive glory, and and you'll receive honor 336 00:20:02.519 --> 00:20:04.400 on the day when Jesus Christ is. 337 00:20:04.319 --> 00:20:08.240 Revealed to the whole world. Your rewards are coming one day. 338 00:20:08.960 --> 00:20:12.200 If you stand the heat, if you stand the fire, 339 00:20:12.480 --> 00:20:15.319 if you let opposition deepen your faith, it makes me 340 00:20:15.359 --> 00:20:17.599 more like Jesus, and it deepens my faith. And the 341 00:20:17.599 --> 00:20:21.480 third thing it does opposition will give me eternal rewards. 342 00:20:22.880 --> 00:20:26.160 No opposition you miss out on those rewards and eternity. 343 00:20:27.079 --> 00:20:30.559 Now we come to the last of the eight beatitudes, 344 00:20:30.559 --> 00:20:33.359 which we've been studying now for many, many weeks. We've 345 00:20:33.400 --> 00:20:36.319 been studying this for a long time. And in the 346 00:20:36.400 --> 00:20:39.319 last one, Jesus deals with how to deal with opposition, 347 00:20:39.920 --> 00:20:45.759 and he says this, God blesses those who are persecuted 348 00:20:46.319 --> 00:20:51.319 because they live for Me. The kingdom of Heaven will 349 00:20:51.599 --> 00:20:56.599 be theirs. That's quite a guarantee. You will be blessed when, 350 00:20:56.759 --> 00:21:01.359 not if when people insult you and persecute you and 351 00:21:01.519 --> 00:21:05.319 falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me, 352 00:21:05.519 --> 00:21:10.200 notice three different things there. Rejoice and be glad, because 353 00:21:10.359 --> 00:21:14.359 great is your reward in heaven, for in the same 354 00:21:14.400 --> 00:21:18.240 way they persecuted the prophets who were before you. And 355 00:21:18.279 --> 00:21:21.200 he says, I'm gonna bless anybody who's persecuted because they 356 00:21:21.279 --> 00:21:24.799 live for God. Notice you don't get rewarded for being rude, 357 00:21:26.440 --> 00:21:30.400 you don't get rewarded for being obnoxious. There are people 358 00:21:30.400 --> 00:21:33.279 out in the world who live very self righteous lives, 359 00:21:33.480 --> 00:21:36.440 and they're looking down on everybody and putting everybody else down. 360 00:21:36.640 --> 00:21:38.160 And when you put other people down, and guess what 361 00:21:38.200 --> 00:21:40.319 they're gonna put you down. And if you live a 362 00:21:40.400 --> 00:21:46.559 self righteous, nuisance, rude life, when you get persecuted, you're 363 00:21:46.599 --> 00:21:50.759 not a martyr. You're just a jerk. He's not saying 364 00:21:51.039 --> 00:21:54.559 you get rewarded for being a jerk. There are people 365 00:21:54.599 --> 00:21:58.000 out there who are pushy, they're nuisances, they're rude. And 366 00:21:58.119 --> 00:22:00.799 I said, they're self righteous. They think they're better than 367 00:22:00.799 --> 00:22:02.759 everybody else. He says, Now, you don't get rewarded for that. 368 00:22:03.039 --> 00:22:07.839 You get rewarded for being like Jesus. And the Bible 369 00:22:07.839 --> 00:22:09.880 tells us that when you share your faith, you're to 370 00:22:09.880 --> 00:22:12.880 do it with gentleness and you're to do it with respect. 371 00:22:13.759 --> 00:22:16.000 So these are the three things that need to remember 372 00:22:16.039 --> 00:22:18.200 whenever harassment comes in my life. 373 00:22:18.559 --> 00:22:19.960 It can make me more like Jesus. 374 00:22:20.279 --> 00:22:22.319 It can deepen my faith, and I'm going to be 375 00:22:22.359 --> 00:22:26.680 rewarded for it in eternity, forever and ever and ever. Now, 376 00:22:26.839 --> 00:22:30.000 there are six things you need to do as America 377 00:22:30.039 --> 00:22:34.880 becomes more and more anti Christian and more and more secularized. Now, 378 00:22:34.880 --> 00:22:37.640 the Bible says, what are we supposed to do? And 379 00:22:37.680 --> 00:22:40.200 it tells us six things. You might write these down 380 00:22:40.640 --> 00:22:44.240 here's what you do when you handle opposition for your faith. 381 00:22:44.759 --> 00:22:49.759 Number one, don't be surprised. Don't be surprised. 382 00:22:50.319 --> 00:22:52.920 You should not expect the world to support your decision 383 00:22:53.079 --> 00:22:56.079 to follow Jesus. Why would you expect them to think 384 00:22:56.119 --> 00:22:58.640 that's oh, that's a real popular thing to do. One 385 00:22:58.720 --> 00:23:03.039 Peter four to twelve says, dear friends, don't be surprised. 386 00:23:03.880 --> 00:23:08.000 Don't be shocked when you go through painful trials that 387 00:23:08.039 --> 00:23:12.319 are like walking through fire, as though something unusual is 388 00:23:12.359 --> 00:23:14.839 happening to you. Jesus had told us. He said, in 389 00:23:14.920 --> 00:23:18.599 the world, you're going to have tribulation. It's going to happen. 390 00:23:19.119 --> 00:23:22.880 So don't be surprised. Number two, don't be afraid. So 391 00:23:23.079 --> 00:23:26.839 don't be afraid. Now, how do I get rid of 392 00:23:26.880 --> 00:23:29.599 the fear of opposition? How do I get rid of 393 00:23:29.599 --> 00:23:34.880 the fear of disapproval? How do I get afraid? How 394 00:23:34.880 --> 00:23:39.000 do I get rid of that fear of being rejected? 395 00:23:40.200 --> 00:23:42.839 You need to be filled with God's love. The more 396 00:23:42.880 --> 00:23:45.119 you realize how much God loves you, The Bible says 397 00:23:45.160 --> 00:23:47.920 there's no fear in love. Perfect love cast out all fear. 398 00:23:48.119 --> 00:23:51.400 You focus on God's love for you. See, healthy people 399 00:23:51.440 --> 00:23:56.119 aren't afraid of rejection. Healthy people aren't afraid of disapproval. 400 00:23:56.319 --> 00:24:01.480 Healthy people don't need everybody's approval. Healthy people know their 401 00:24:01.519 --> 00:24:04.640