Peace in Persecution
Peace • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
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Today is traditionally called Palm Sunday in recognition of Jesus’ entry in Jerusalem. It’s a glorious scene. Shouts of adoration and hope. Palm branches waving. People spreading their cloaks on the road in honor of Jesus’ entrance in the Holy City. It must have been quite a scene. Have you ever been in a crowd like that?
I think of a game I went to when the Rangers beat the Yankees with a walk-off hit. The stadium was packed and when the winning run scored the place just erupted. High fives all around. Smiles. Good vibes. It was easy being a Ranger’s fan. It was exhilarating.
That must have been the atmosphere in Jerusalem on that day and given the joy it must have been easy to be a follower of Jesus. People may have been pushing in to see him trying to catch a glimpse. No doubt even people who had remotely heard of Jesus were singing his praises.
It’s always a little easier to be on the winning side – the side that everyone is on.
It’s always a little easier to be on the winning side – the side that everyone is on.
I was down in Grand Prairie last week with the youth group and I was amazed to see how many ranger caps and shirts there were. I can’t remember seeing so many fans. It’s obvious why – they are World Series champions. Fans are coming out of the woodwork. It’s fun and easy and exciting being on the winning side. But as we see through Holy Week, things change quickly.
We’ve been in John 14-16 for several weeks and by Thursday night the applause has faded. The roar of the crowd is a distant memory. No applause. No palm branches. No cries of Hosana. It’s Jesus and his apostles in an upper room in Jerusalem and later walking the streets of Jerusalem. There may not be applause but Jesus still envisions a sense of peace in the apostles.
John 14:27 (NIV) — 27Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.
John 16:33 (NIV) — 33 “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”
Peace - The supernatural capacity to maintain focus and identity despite troubles or blessings and, in doing so, experiencing a calmness of heart and mind pursuing a worthwhile purpose with the confident assurance of a favorable destination.
Peace - The supernatural capacity to maintain focus and identity despite troubles or blessings and, in doing so, experiencing a calmness of heart and mind pursuing a worthwhile purpose with the confident assurance of a favorable destination.
But the section I want us to consider this morning hardly inspires peace – at least on the surface. Let’s look at what Jesus says in John 15:18-25.
John 15:18–25 (NIV) — 18 “If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. 19 If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you. 20Remember what I told you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also. If they obeyed my teaching, they will obey yours also. 21 They will treat you this way because of my name, for they do not know the one who sent me. 22 If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not be guilty of sin; but now they have no excuse for their sin. 23 Whoever hates me hates my Father as well. 24 If I had not done among them the works no one else did, they would not be guilty of sin. As it is, they have seen, and yet they have hated both me and my Father. 25 But this is to fulfill what is written in their Law: ‘They hated me without reason.’
Where is the peace here? Jesus points out that it’s essentially them against the world! Let’s look at the word “world” for a minute. John uses it often and it most often refers to the forces in this world that are opposed to the Kingdom of God. Jesus is saying that as a disciple you find yourself in enemy territory. It’s not going to be easy and what makes matters worse this persecution will actually come from people who had witnessed the works of Jesus.
Church, this s a reality of the Christian life and Jesus never hid it. The world is in opposition to the Kingdom and we are caught in the crossfire.
Church, this s a reality of the Christian life and Jesus never hid it. The world is in opposition to the Kingdom and we are caught in the crossfire.
So how can I find peace in this truth? Is it possible that even in a world opposed to Jesus I can have a calmness of heart and mind? It’s not easy. It takes intentional preparation, But I think it’s possible. Remember the words of Jesus as he ends this talk:
John 16:33 (NIV) — 33 “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”
So how can we experience peace in persecution?
(1) We can find peace in having realistic expectations of discipleship.
(1) We can find peace in having realistic expectations of discipleship.
Jesus told us and I repeat it – in this word you will have trouble and that trouble is connected to you profession of faith. You have to be prepared. You must know it’s coming. So, when this opposition comes, we should not be surprised.
Acts 14:21–22 (NIV) — 21 They preached the gospel in that city and won a large number of disciples. Then they returned to Lystra, Iconium and Antioch, 22strengthening the disciples and encouraging them to remain true to the faith. “We must go through many hardships to enter the kingdom of God,” they said.
2 Timothy 3:12 (NIV) — 12 In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.
1 John 3:13 (NIV) — 13 Do not be surprised, my brothers and sisters, if the world hates you.
I get angry when someone sells me something and they are not up front about the cost. I remember buying my first car. The salesman quoted a monthly payment and when it came time to sign the papers it was much more. This may not make the situation less painful but it should eliminate the element of surprise.
What are your expectations of discipleship? Do you think it will be easy? Do you think everyone will give you a pat on the back and agree with you on every issue?
Realistic expectations should eliminate some of the anxiety associated with persecution.
(2) When persecuted, we identify with Christ.
(2) When persecuted, we identify with Christ.
Notice how Jesus says they hated me first. He says if they persecuted me they will persecute you. Whenever we face opposition, we can find peace in knowing that we identify with Jesus. That hatred is confirmation of whose side we are on and we do not want to be on the side of the world.
The world’s captain is Satan himself
1 John 5:19 (NIV) — 19 We know that we are children of God, and that the whole world is under the control of the evil one.
The world is passing away:
1 John 2:17 (NIV) — 17 The world and its desires pass away, but whoever does the will of God lives forever.
The apostles felt honored to be persecuted:
Acts 5:41 (NIV) — 41 The apostles left the Sanhedrin, rejoicing because they had been counted worthy of suffering disgrace for the Name.
Persecution even has the ability to deepen someone’s resolve:
2 Corinthians 8:1–2 (NIV) — 1 And now, brothers and sisters, we want you to know about the grace that God has given the Macedonian churches. 2 In the midst of a very severe trial, their overflowing joy and their extreme poverty welled up in rich generosity.
Persecution makes you choose a side and you don’t want to be on the world’s side. Persecution reminds you that you are on the Kingdom’s side.
(3) We find peace in persecution knowing one day we will be rewarded.
(3) We find peace in persecution knowing one day we will be rewarded.
Jesus doesn’t touch ion this in today’s text but remember how this whole talk started back in John 14:
John 14:1–4 (NIV) — 1 “Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me. 2 My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. 4 You know the way to the place where I am going.”
The hard work and commitment is not without reward.
Hebrews 10:34 (NIV) — 34 You suffered along with those in prison and joyfully accepted the confiscation of your property, because you knew that you yourselves had better and lasting possessions.
Certainly, the apostles remember the words of Jesus in his sermon on the mount:
Matthew 5:11–12 (NIV) — 11“Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. 12Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.”
Remember the definition:
Peace - The supernatural capacity to maintain focus and identity despite troubles or blessings and, in doing so, experiencing a calmness of heart and mind pursuing a worthwhile purpose with the confident assurance of a favorable destination.
John Piper refers to this joyful reception of persecution as a miracle. It’s a gift of God.
My aim in this message is that God would take my words and use them to perform the miracle of Matthew 5:12 in your life: Rejoice and be glad when you are reviled and persecuted and slandered for your faithfulness to Jesus — in reliance on Jesus, in obedience to Jesus, for the glory of Jesus. I call this a miracle because it is humanly impossible. In fact, I would argue that this is the most difficult command in the Bible — namely, for Jesus’s sake to feel joy and gladness when you are reviled and persecuted and slandered.
Jesus teaches that if we can perceive clearly enough, and treasure highly enough, and be satisfied deeply enough with the greatness of our reward in heaven, the miracle will happen: we will rejoice and be glad when reviled and persecuted and slandered for Jesus’s sake.
John Piper, https://www.desiringgod.org/messages/rejoice-when-you-are-slandered
We will never be able to endure trials associated without faith let alone experience joy in them if we are not confident of a favorable outcome. Whatever resistance you may have to face will be well worth it when we hear the Father say, “Well done.” Do you believe that? If you do you can stay strong!
It’s a battle out there and I don’t think it’s going to get any easier. But there is one more important thing I want to say about this and it goes back to the verse immediately preceding today’s text.
It’s John 15:17. Most Bibles attach this to the preceding section but it could very well be the preface to this message of persecution – I think it may be.
John 15:17 (NIV) — 17 This is my command: Love each other.
Since we live in a world that opposes us we need to make sure that we love one another.
Since we live in a world that opposes us we need to make sure that we love one another.
We need to love one another. The church needs to be a place of love and acceptance. Of forgiveness and mercy and understanding. Sure, we don’t agree always and we mess up but especially in view of the opposition we will find in the world, the church has to be a safe haven where I am loved.
John 15:12 (NIV) — 12 My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you.
John 13:34–35 (NIV) — 34 “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. 35 By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”
Church, look around. These people are on your side. They’re imperfect but we are in this together and we can’t allow infighting or division ever make this a place where we feel opposed. If we have any chance of surviving the opposition of the world, we must love one another. Can we do that?
Thank God he loves us and may that unfailing love for us flow through us to one another!