Grace Fellowship Grace Fellowship ChurchChurch

Pastor/TeacherPastor/TeacherJim RickardJim Rickard

Sunday,Sunday,November 7, 2010November 7, 2010

www.GraceDoctrine.orgwww.GraceDoctrine.org

John 15:18-21John 15:18-21 Obstructions to Divine Good Production:Obstructions to Divine Good Production:

Reason #1:Reason #1: Satan’s Cosmic System hates the Satan’s Cosmic System hates the believer! believer!Reason #2:Reason #2: We are not of this world-Election We are not of this world-Election

out from the World! out from the World!Reason #3:Reason #3: “The servant is not greater than “The servant is not greater than his Lord,” therefore we too will have his Lord,” therefore we too will have persecutions! persecutions!Reason #4:Reason #4: “The Cosmos does not know “The Cosmos does not know God and is ignorant to His Plan.” God and is ignorant to His Plan.”

Doctrine of PersecutionsDoctrine of Persecutions

X. Persecutions are part of X. Persecutions are part of Satan’s Cosmic System.Satan’s Cosmic System.

The anti-Christian principles The anti-Christian principles of the world’s system clearly of the world’s system clearly

clash with the values and clash with the values and morality of God-fearing morality of God-fearing

Christians. Christians.

As evil men and As evil men and wickedness increase, wickedness increase,

persecution will not lessen persecution will not lessen but will come to a climax but will come to a climax

during the reign of the during the reign of the Antichrist. Antichrist.

XI. XI. The Failure of PersecutionsThe Failure of Persecutions::

In the early Church, instead of In the early Church, instead of abolishing the name of Christ abolishing the name of Christ it actually became a catalyst it actually became a catalyst

for the growth of the Body of for the growth of the Body of Christ. Christ.

Those who sought to Those who sought to exterminate Christians and exterminate Christians and eradicate Christianity were eradicate Christianity were unwittingly advancing the unwittingly advancing the

message of Christ.message of Christ.

How did this occurHow did this occur? ? The witness of the words The witness of the words

and lives of the persecuted and lives of the persecuted spoke volumes to their spoke volumes to their

persecutors and those who persecutors and those who witnessed their persecution.witnessed their persecution.

Acts 16:16-34Acts 16:16-34

Many of the followers of Many of the followers of Satan were leaving their Satan were leaving their service to him and began service to him and began enlisting under the banner enlisting under the banner

of Christ.of Christ.

XII. Persecution should XII. Persecution should not cause the disciple of not cause the disciple of Christ to lose courage.Christ to lose courage.

1. The great example of the 1. The great example of the early Church should give early Church should give

us great courage and us great courage and commitment to continue commitment to continue fighting the good fight of fighting the good fight of

faith, Rom 15:4.faith, Rom 15:4.

Rom 15:4, Rom 15:4, “For whatever was written in “For whatever was written in earlier times was written for earlier times was written for

our instruction, so that through our instruction, so that through perseverance and the perseverance and the encouragement of the encouragement of the

Scriptures we might have Scriptures we might have hope.”hope.”

2. We must never under 2. We must never under estimate the impact we estimate the impact we have when preserving have when preserving through undeserved through undeserved

suffering for blessing.suffering for blessing.

3. We must have the 3. We must have the attitude that our physical attitude that our physical lives are but a small price lives are but a small price

to pay for the gift of eternal to pay for the gift of eternal life for another.life for another.

4. That is the mental 4. That is the mental attitude of the disciple who attitude of the disciple who is able to fulfill John 15:13, is able to fulfill John 15:13, “Greater love has no one “Greater love has no one

than this, that one lay than this, that one lay down his life for his down his life for his

friends.”friends.”

a. Paul had this mental a. Paul had this mental attitude, 2 Tim 2:10. attitude, 2 Tim 2:10.

2 Tim 2:10, 2 Tim 2:10, “For this reason I endure all “For this reason I endure all things for the sake of those things for the sake of those

who are chosen, so that they who are chosen, so that they also may obtain the salvation also may obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus which is in Christ Jesus andand

with with itit eternal glory.” eternal glory.”

5. Persecution should not 5. Persecution should not cause the disciple of Christ cause the disciple of Christ to lose courage, it is not a to lose courage, it is not a thing to be feared or to be thing to be feared or to be incessantly worried about. incessantly worried about.

6. Patient endurance in 6. Patient endurance in times of persecution is the times of persecution is the

proof of genuine proof of genuine discipleship.discipleship.

2 Tim 4:5; Heb 11:25; 2 Tim 4:5; Heb 11:25; Rev 2-3 Rev 2-3

a. Moses, “choosing rather a. Moses, “choosing rather to endure ill-treatment with to endure ill-treatment with the people of God than to the people of God than to

enjoy the passing pleasures enjoy the passing pleasures of sin”, Heb 11:25.of sin”, Heb 11:25.

b. Timothy was exhorted b. Timothy was exhorted to, “be sober in all things, to, “be sober in all things, endure hardship, do the endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry”, fulfill your ministry”,

2 Tim 4:5.2 Tim 4:5.

7. Persecution is a test of 7. Persecution is a test of true discipleship. true discipleship.

a. Those whose a. Those whose commitment to Christ is commitment to Christ is shallow will falter when shallow will falter when

persecution arises. persecution arises. Mat 13:20-21Mat 13:20-21

b. Yet those who endure b. Yet those who endure persecution show their true persecution show their true

faith in Christ and their faith in Christ and their spiritual relationship with spiritual relationship with past heroes of the faith. past heroes of the faith. Mat 5:12; 2 Thes 1:4-5Mat 5:12; 2 Thes 1:4-5

Mat 5:12, Mat 5:12, “Rejoice and be glad, …. “Rejoice and be glad, …. for in the same way they for in the same way they persecuted the prophets persecuted the prophets who were before you.”who were before you.”

c. Those that persevere c. Those that persevere through undeserved through undeserved suffering will have suffering will have

tremendous Divine Good tremendous Divine Good production to show for it. production to show for it.

Mat 13:23Mat 13:23

8. Your good of intrinsic 8. Your good of intrinsic value will have a great value will have a great

return with rich blessings return with rich blessings for time and eternal for time and eternal

rewards.rewards.Mat 5:10-12a; 2 Tim 2:12Mat 5:10-12a; 2 Tim 2:12

2 Tim 2:12,2 Tim 2:12,“If we endure, we will also “If we endure, we will also

reign with Him.”reign with Him.”

9. You should not fear 9. You should not fear persecution but persevere persecution but persevere under persecution, even to under persecution, even to

the point of praying for the point of praying for those who persecute you.those who persecute you.

Mat 5:44-48Mat 5:44-48

As Jesus said in Luke As Jesus said in Luke 23:34, “Father, forgive 23:34, “Father, forgive

them; for they do not know them; for they do not know what they are doing.”what they are doing.”

As Stephen said in Acts As Stephen said in Acts 7:59, “Lord, do not hold 7:59, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them!”this sin against them!”

CommunionCommunionMark 8:31; 9:31; 10:34. Mark 8:31; 9:31; 10:34.

Mat 16:21; 17:22-23; Mat 16:21; 17:22-23; 20:17-19. 20:17-19.

Luke 9:22; 18:31-33.Luke 9:22; 18:31-33.

Grace OfferingGrace Offering

Grace Fellowship ChurchGrace Fellowship ChurchSunday, November 7, 2010Sunday, November 7, 2010

Tape # 10-022Tape # 10-022

Obstructions to Divine Good Production, Part 17Obstructions to Divine Good Production, Part 17Persecution, Part 8 Persecution, Part 8

Upper Room Discourse, Part 436Upper Room Discourse, Part 436

Mat 13:20-23; Acts 16:16-34; 2 Thes 1:4-5 Mat 13:20-23; Acts 16:16-34; 2 Thes 1:4-5 James H. Rickard Bible Ministries 2010James H. Rickard Bible Ministries 2010