Modern day persecution

Jacob Ebbett

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How can we face persecution in a way that honours God?

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Current persecutions

Welcome to Nigeria. Where on February 17, 2018 an attack on a Christian farming village in Borno State by Boko Haram militants left 106 people killed for their faith.

On April 24th, 2018 Militant Fulani herdsman attacked a Catholic church killing 2 priest and 17 parisioners

On June 23, 2018 another 120 Christians were killed by Fulani militants in Plateau State.

According to Relevant Magazine from January 2018 to June 2018 over 6000 Christians were killed in raids by Fulani herdsman and Boko Haram militants. Many of who were woman and Children with at least another 3000 being displaced by the slaughter of 200 near the end of June.

Since 2019 another 3,731 Christians have been killed in Nigeria

So why have we heard so little about it? Maybe because it isn’t in North America or is it Because it is Christians being killed by Islamists rather than the other way around.

Either way it is an absolute shame. And the Persecution of the Christian church doesn’t end in Nigeria or with the silence of the media.

In North Korea it is estimated that somewhere between 50,000-70,000 Christians are believed to be in labour camps.

During the World Watch List 2019 reporting period, at least five Christians were killed in church attacks. In Muslim-majority areas, non-Orthodox Christians are also often targeted if suspected to be evangelising.

On the 2019 World Watch List China rose from rank 43 to 27. Many churches have been forced to close down, crosses have been removed from a number of buildings and some believers have been sent to ‘re-education camps’. In case you are wondering that is a nice way to say brain washing centres.

In India High-profile Christian and former Jakarta Governor ‘Ahok’ was sentenced to two years in prison for a false charge of blasphemy. He is due to be freed in January 2019.

This 2019 world watch list goes on to list the top 50 most hostile places for Christians to live and for what various reasons. The bottom line is for a lot of our brothers and sisters proclaiming faith in Jesus Christ and sharing that faith is a very dangerous venture.

Truth is you don’t really have to go that far from home.

In Texas the Governing council of San Antonio has recently voted to BAN Chick-Fil-A from an international airport because of their legacy opposing the LGBTQ community. Denied not because they refused service to anyone but denied simply because the are Known to hold religious beliefs that oppose that of the council. It is not only bigotry and violating the very rights they claim to be defending, it is against the law. The question as to whether the State of Texas will step in to correct this injustice or whether the Federal Government will is yet to be seen.

In Canada Churches and camps were refused funding because they refused to check a box that said they supported abortion and the LGBTQ.

and a Christian law school was denied accreditation because students had to agree with the school on morality issues to attend there, otherwise it wouldn’t have been a Christian Institute.

Persecution of the Christian Church is everywhere, and some places like North Korea and Nigeria are worse, and in comparison our plight might seem small, but be assured as long as Christ church is reaching, feeding and freeing people from the bonds of sin and leading the Lost to Jesus we will always face persecution.

Early Christians were used as scape goats for Nero. They were fed to lions and bodies were empaled on pikes and light on fire to light his garden.

And the persecution can be traced back even further than that, say like when they took Jesus and hung Him on a cross. I think that qualifies as persecution of the Christian faith.

So let me recap real quick Enslavement, Murder, brainwashing (sorry re-education camps), stolen or destroyed property, rape, discrimination, a people being told what is acceptable to believe and what isn’t, and stories being silenced because they do not fit the national agenda or narrative, these things are not new nor are they going away.

So let me ask a question.

How can we face persecution in a way that honours God?

Acts 9:1–31 NLT

Meanwhile, Saul was uttering threats with every breath and was eager to kill the Lord’s followers. So he went to the high priest. He requested letters addressed to the synagogues in Damascus, asking for their cooperation in the arrest of any followers of the Way he found there. He wanted to bring them—both men and women—back to Jerusalem in chains. As he was approaching Damascus on this mission, a light from heaven suddenly shone down around him. He fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, “Saul! Saul! Why are you persecuting me?” “Who are you, lord?” Saul asked. And the voice replied, “I am Jesus, the one you are persecuting! Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.” The men with Saul stood speechless, for they heard the sound of someone’s voice but saw no one! Saul picked himself up off the ground, but when he opened his eyes he was blind. So his companions led him by the hand to Damascus. He remained there blind for three days and did not eat or drink. Now there was a believer in Damascus named Ananias. The Lord spoke to him in a vision, calling, “Ananias!” “Yes, Lord!” he replied. The Lord said, “Go over to Straight Street, to the house of Judas. When you get there, ask for a man from Tarsus named Saul. He is praying to me right now. I have shown him a vision of a man named Ananias coming in and laying hands on him so he can see again.” “But Lord,” exclaimed Ananias, “I’ve heard many people talk about the terrible things this man has done to the believers in Jerusalem! And he is authorized by the leading priests to arrest everyone who calls upon your name.” But the Lord said, “Go, for Saul is my chosen instrument to take my message to the Gentiles and to kings, as well as to the people of Israel. And I will show him how much he must suffer for my name’s sake.” So Ananias went and found Saul. He laid his hands on him and said, “Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the road, has sent me so that you might regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.” Instantly something like scales fell from Saul’s eyes, and he regained his sight. Then he got up and was baptized. Afterward he ate some food and regained his strength. Saul stayed with the believers in Damascus for a few days. And immediately he began preaching about Jesus in the synagogues, saying, “He is indeed the Son of God!” All who heard him were amazed. “Isn’t this the same man who caused such devastation among Jesus’ followers in Jerusalem?” they asked. “And didn’t he come here to arrest them and take them in chains to the leading priests?” Saul’s preaching became more and more powerful, and the Jews in Damascus couldn’t refute his proofs that Jesus was indeed the Messiah. After a while some of the Jews plotted together to kill him. They were watching for him day and night at the city gate so they could murder him, but Saul was told about their plot. So during the night, some of the other believers lowered him in a large basket through an opening in the city wall. When Saul arrived in Jerusalem, he tried to meet with the believers, but they were all afraid of him. They did not believe he had truly become a believer! Then Barnabas brought him to the apostles and told them how Saul had seen the Lord on the way to Damascus and how the Lord had spoken to Saul. He also told them that Saul had preached boldly in the name of Jesus in Damascus. So Saul stayed with the apostles and went all around Jerusalem with them, preaching boldly in the name of the Lord. He debated with some Greek-speaking Jews, but they tried to murder him. When the believers heard about this, they took him down to Caesarea and sent him away to Tarsus, his hometown. The church then had peace throughout Judea, Galilee, and Samaria, and it became stronger as the believers lived in the fear of the Lord. And with the encouragement of the Holy Spirit, it also grew in numbers.

Acts

How can we face persecution in a way that honours God?

Remember in all things God wins!

Me: Ever watch a hockey game after the fact.... If you know the score and you know your team wins you do not freak out as much when things are not looking good.

We: Same is true for us as Christians. We know God wins, so that should make it so we don’t need to freak out when things don’t look good, or don’t seem to be going our way. As long as we follow God and live life according to His plan no matter what the enemy does to us or against us, we can rest assured God wins in the end. Even if they kill this body God wins and so do we as we go home to be with Him.

God: In this passage Saul is like the chief persecutor of the church. He is literally hunting people down to take them to Jerusalem to kill them. And he liked his job. In fact he was so good at it his reputation proceeded him. God didn’t need to tell Ananias who Saul was Ananias already knew. In fact even hearing from God wasn’t enough to keep him from questioning God, because Saul reputation was that bad. But here is the thing God took the worst of Persecutors and turned him into one of his most influential leaders and advancers of the gospel. When people in Damascus heard him preach ion the name of Jesus they were amazed how God could take someone like Saul and bring victory for the kingdom. And in a strange turn of events the people he came to arrest ended up saving him from the people he used to work for.

Don’t tell me God can not turn persecution into victory He has been doing it since the cross. By the cross Jesus blood was shed to save sinners, Saul turned into Paul turned into a great church leader, in the face of persecution the early church thrived.

Despite opposition the Christian church in China continues to grow. Last year more than 6000 people received not just their eternal inheritance but a special reward from God for losing their lives for His sake.

Chick-fil-A in spite of constant persecution because they choose to follow God’s principles has profits greater then McDonald’s, Subway and Starbucks combined, all without being open on Sunday’s, tell me God is not blessing them for their commitment to His ways.

You: Some day you may face direct persecution and even now we face collective persecution, if you want to respond in a way that honours God, remember God wins.

We: In the face of adversity God’s church has always grown and advanced. So pray for those who persecute us. Who knows maybe they will become the next Saul/Paul. Either way we need to remember In spite of persecution Christ wins.

Next Step: We are going to pray for the persecuted church and our persecutors. We are Stronger Together.

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