Buddhist Catholic Contemplative Evangelical General Christian Hindu Jewish Latter-day Saint Muslim New Visions Progressive Christian

Beliefs

Topics

Columnists

Resource Library

Research Tools

Video

Podcasts

Thought Readers

Faith In Media Tracker

Newsletters

Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In Subscription Support

Follow Patheos

Home
Evangelical
On Persecution & Rejection

On Persecution & Rejection

Last updated on: April 18, 2018 at 9:47 pm by Rev. Jared V. Ingle

70 Comments

On Persecution & Rejection 2018-04-18T21:47:19-04:00 Rev. Jared V. Ingle

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Texts, NIV (1999): John 15.18-20; 11.16; Matthew 10.14; John 15.21-25, 27; Romans 8.16-19

Before we get started in this post, I would like to remind you of a couple of earlier ones.

Jesus Leads Us into Mystery

We explore John 6 and the communion passage there. We’re dealing with the mystery of Body and Blood of Christ. It’s really an unanswered mystery, and that’s why there’s a falling out among His followers.

How Do We Measure Success?

5,000 people are saved. The question is: is it a response to the miracle, or a response to the persecution taking place (the first of its kind for the Disciples)?

So first of all, we have Jesus facing adversity, the theme of the first post. In the second one, we see the Disciples face it as well.

Now we’re going to practically apply persecution to us.

First, we don’t really understand what persecution is in the West. We don’t see persecution in Western society (Europe and America) in the way that they do in other parts of the world now. So I enter into this cautiously.

Secondly, when I preached this sermon, I was not speaking to a specific problem in the congregation. I actually mention that near the end of the audio. I just want to point that out. There are times when I just apply things pastorally, and that’s what I was doing in that situation.

Video: On Persecution & Rejection

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DEQYkUGm6l4

We need the fruit of love. We can always have more love, and that love bears fruit in persecution (see previous dialogue in John 15).

The fruit of love stands the test of persecution

John 15.18: “The World” is this spiritually dark place. John uses the term “world.” That’s one of his catch-phrases. He uses it very pointedly, not just the Earth, but the spiritually dark world that it has become. Whenever John uses the term “world,” it’s with a negative connotation.

Screen Shot 2018-04-18 at 11.49.55 AM

This spiritually dark world hates Christ. Can we expect any different? Because of our connection with Him, the world hates us as well.

John 15.19: We don’t belong anymore. Has anyone felt like you don’t belong at your workplace, perhaps where you’ve worked for years? Has anyone grown up with cousins and friends in Sunday school? Then they make other decisions in their teenage years and early twenties, and you see a chasm expand between you and them in fellowship? Has anyone been rejected a little bit, or been at odds with the world?

John 15.20: Remember the words I spoke to you: ‘No servant is greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also. If they obeyed my teaching, they will obey yours also.

Jesus commands the Disciples to “remember” His teachings

The “servant” is no better than his “master,” no better than his lord. The word that he uses is “persecuted.” They literally chase after Christ.

In John 11, one of the reasons the Disciples are hesitant to go see Lazarus is because Jesus is facing persecution. Lazarus lived within a short distance (like a suburb) of Jerusalem. They are going into the fire and they are afraid for their lives. In fact, is is Thomas who says, “Let us also go, that we may die with Him” (John 11.16). They understand persecution.

They are suffering real persecution. The religious leaders have the power to take Christ’s life. At times the religious leaders try to arrest Jesus, but He slips away.

Persecution is a term that the American Church is not familiar with

Persecution occurs around the globe on a regular basis. Our situation seems minuscule in comparison to what the worldwide church faces. We may not face persecution in America, but we face rejection. We face rejection from society. We face rejection in our work places. Since Jesus is rejected, we are also tested through rejection.

ILD (Impact Leadership Development) has a Rejection Test (see note)
1) Through the rejection test, God watches our attitude
2) Through the rejection test, God watches our faithfulness
3) What about when it’s someone close, or on the same team (sinners vs. Christians)? Matthew 10.14: We don’t carry their rejection with us.

Because people persecute Christ, they will do so to His followers

They may reject us, but those who guard Christ’s words latch on to the words of His followers. True followers bear fruit and bear up under persecution, John 15.21-25.

We need to speak against human rejection!

We’re made in the image of God. If we’re faithful to work in the field that He has given us, if we’re faithful to the work of His house, then we certainly can speak against any form of rejection or criticism. Then we are bearing witness to Him (John 15.27) and with other Christians (Romans 8.16-19).

We’re just starting out. Please take time to drop us a note on the Connect page, or find us on social media. We welcome constructive feedback.

Also see our videos and subscribe on YouTube.

* adapted from JVI, Glimpses of Jesus: Bring Forth Fruit, 01.24.16

note: ILD, “Character Development: Session 2,” in ILD Impact Leadership Development: Zone 1 (Joplin, MO: Impact PCG Student Ministries, 2008-2009), 8-13.

Word Study

Christian

Christian Ethics & Society

Previous Post

April 10, 2018

How Do We Measure Success?

Next Post

April 23, 2018 FAQs About the Calling

Recent Comments

70 Comments | Leave a Comment

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Communion Cruz Ingle Crystal Ingle Early Church Engaging Culture Ethics & Society Family Formation History In Dialogue Jared & Crystal Kingdom of God Majority World Church Mateo Ingle Messenger College Mission Narrative Pentecostal Church of God Prayer Shepherding The Sermon The Writings Theology Theology & Psychology Traverse City Uncategorized Vernell Ingle Word Study

Select a Month October 2026 September 2026 August 2026 July 2026 June 2026 May 2026 March 2026 February 2026 January 2026 December 2025 October 2025 September 2025 August 2025 July 2025 June 2025 May 2025 April 2025 March 2025 February 2025 January 2025 December 2024 November 2024 October 2024 September 2024 August 2024 July 2024 June 2024 May 2024 April 2024 March 2024 February 2024 January 2024 December 2023 November 2023 October 2023 September 2023 August 2023 July 2023 June 2023 May 2023 April 2023 March 2023 February 2023 January 2023 December 2022 November 2022 October 2022 September 2022 August 2022 July 2022 June 2022 May 2022 April 2022 March 2022 February 2022 January 2022 December 2021 November 2021 October 2021 September 2021 August 2021 July 2021 June 2021 May 2021 April 2021 March 2021 February 2021 January 2021 December 2020 November 2020 October 2020 September 2020 August 2020 July 2020 June 2020 May 2020 April 2020 March 2020 February 2020 January 2020 December 2019 November 2019 October 2019 September 2019 August 2019 July 2019 June 2019 May 2019 April 2019 March 2019 February 2019 January 2019 December 2018 November 2018 October 2018 September 2018 August 2018 July 2018 June 2018 May 2018 April 2018 March 2018 February 2018 May 2017 March 2017 March 2014 February 2013 January 2013 October 2012 July 2012 May 2012 April 2012 March 2012 February 2012 January 2012 December 2011 August 2010

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

What does "Gethsemane" mean?

Select your answer to see how you score.

Spring Olive tree Oil press Garden