How to Handle Persecution
Notes
Transcript
This morning we are going to look at what happened after Peter preached his sermon in the temple after healing the lame beggar.
The chruch of Christ has always faced persecution.
Jesus faced it even to the point of death.
during the first three centuries of Roman persecutions Christians were thrown to wild animals, crucified, turned into human torches, and tortured in all the cruel ways evil men could devise.
However persecution does does not end the church but it purify’s and strengthens it.
Today how ever Satan is choosing a different type of persecution.
He’s using false preachers and teachers to bend and twist the words and beliefs of the chruch into thinking that the main focus of the Bible is us rather than God.
Doing what we feel is right rather than what the Bible says is right.
The chruch facing persecution should come as no surprise because Jesus warned His followers about it.
18 “If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you. 19 If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. 20 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.
2 They will put you out of the synagogues. Indeed, the hour is coming when whoever kills you will think he is offering service to God.
12 Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted,
21 For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might follow in his steps.
In this story today we see the first time persecution comes against the followers of Christ.
The Persecution Manifest (vv1-4)
The Persecution Manifest (vv1-4)
The Sadducees were one of the four sects that made up first-century Judaism, along with their arch-rivals the Pharisees, the Essenes, and the Zealots.
Although small in number, they were highly influential.
They were the dominant religious and political force in Israel, since the high priests through that period were all Sadducees.
The Sadducees were mostly aristocratic, wealthy landowners.
To protect their political position and wealth, they firmly opposed any overt opposition to Rome.
The Sadducees were their for political power, the Pharisees were there for Theological power.
47 So the chief priests and the Pharisees gathered the council and said, “What are we to do? For this man performs many signs. 48 If we let him go on like this, everyone will believe in him, and the Romans will come and take away both our place and our nation.”
The Religion of the Sadducees
The Religion of the Sadducees
The religion of the Sadducees was largely one of social custom.
They believed only the written law, rejecting the oral tradition so vital to the Pharisees.
They did not believe in the resurrection of the body, or in any future rewards or punishments.
In contrast to the Pharisees, they denied the existence of angels and the spirit world.
They rejected predestination and the sovereignty of God, believing man to be the master of His own destiny.
What made the officials so mad?
What made the officials so mad?
Ephistēmi (came upon) has the idea of coming upon suddenly, sometimes with hostile intent.
The authorities were greatly disturbed with the apostles for several reasons.
First, they were annoyed that they were teaching the people at all.
They had no reputation as teachers, no sanction, no credentials, yet had gathered a huge crowd and stirred up a major commotion.
That was intolerable to the leaders since Peter and John were “uneducated and untrained” (v. 13); that is, they had not undergone rabbinic training.
Worse, they were from Galilee, from which nothing good could be expected John 1:46
46 Nathanael said to him, “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” Philip said to him, “Come and see.”
41 Others said, “This is the Christ.” But some said, “Is the Christ to come from Galilee?
52 They replied, “Are you from Galilee too? Search and see that no prophet arises from Galilee.”
But the major source of irritation was Peter and John’s proclaiming in Jesus the resurrection from the dead.
The Jewish leaders had executed Jesus as a blasphemer, and now the apostles were boldly proclaiming Him as the resurrected Messiah.
They no doubt viewed that as a direct attack on their authority.
Nor were the Sadducees pleased that the apostles were preaching the resurrection from the dead.
As already noted, they rejected the idea of a general resurrection.
If Jesus was raised from the dead they would be exposed as heretics.
The Persecution Met (vv 5-31)
The Persecution Met (vv 5-31)
These verses records the churches reaction to the initial outbreak of persecution.
From that response believers can learn seven principles for handling persecution in all times and places.