Word@Work Luke312 - Luke 21:16-19
Published: Mon, 03/14/11
Word@Work from BeaconLight
STAND FIRM
Luke 21:16-19 You will be betrayed even by parents, brothers, relatives and friends, and they will put some of you to death. All men will hate you because of me. But not a hair of your head will perish. By standing firm you will gain life. (NIV)
Promises of persecution are not easy to take in, although those who love Jesus accept His hard words as well as the nice ones. Hatred is most difficult to bear when it comes from those who are closest to us. We should instinctively think of our family as being the safe place where love motivates each member to support and encourage the others. That was God's idea for family life, but when God is despised, all that He has designed becomes spoiled.
Family security was shattered soon after the 'fall' (when mankind first rebelled against God) and the very next Bible narrative tells of Cain killing his brother Abel (Genesis 4:1-16). This murder was fuelled by jealousy, knowing that God was pleased with Abel's offering, but not with Cain's. Instead of accepting God's way, repenting and doing what God would like, Cain demonstrated his hatred of God's authority by slaying his brother.
The persecution of the apostles, the early church, missionaries and godly people through the centuries has the same root cause. Refusal to accept God's authority becomes jealousy against God's people. That may be expressed in many ways from indifference, polite non-engagement or commitment to other faiths; to resentment, non-communication, actions which offend the Christian conscience, slander, violence and murder. But the cause is the same.
The Christ-instructed and Christ-like reaction is to stand firm. Opposition is part of the devil's plan to stop us from following Jesus, but like Jesus we must decide not to be deflected. After all, the Lord will keep us safe as long as He wants us to serve Him, and after that our eternity is assured. And also, our resolve to stand firm is an evidence that we are trusting Jesus in the face of personal harassment - showing that we really do belong to His family, which can often intensify the jealousy of others, even those in our own human family. So do not be discouraged but stand firm in Christ!
Prayer: Dear Father God. I do not like opposition, especially from those who are close or related to me. So thank You that Jesus prepared the apostles to teach all Christians to stand firm when trouble comes. Forgive me when I have allowed the threat of persecution to deflect me from worship or witness. Help me to be so much more concerned with what You think of me, rather than bowing to other people's opinion; that I will stand firm in my faith in Christ. In His Name. Amen.
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You can read the verses around this Bible passage from the Internet Bible: - in English, and many other languages
Promises of persecution are not easy to take in, although those who love Jesus accept His hard words as well as the nice ones. Hatred is most difficult to bear when it comes from those who are closest to us. We should instinctively think of our family as being the safe place where love motivates each member to support and encourage the others. That was God's idea for family life, but when God is despised, all that He has designed becomes spoiled.
Family security was shattered soon after the 'fall' (when mankind first rebelled against God) and the very next Bible narrative tells of Cain killing his brother Abel (Genesis 4:1-16). This murder was fuelled by jealousy, knowing that God was pleased with Abel's offering, but not with Cain's. Instead of accepting God's way, repenting and doing what God would like, Cain demonstrated his hatred of God's authority by slaying his brother.
The persecution of the apostles, the early church, missionaries and godly people through the centuries has the same root cause. Refusal to accept God's authority becomes jealousy against God's people. That may be expressed in many ways from indifference, polite non-engagement or commitment to other faiths; to resentment, non-communication, actions which offend the Christian conscience, slander, violence and murder. But the cause is the same.
The Christ-instructed and Christ-like reaction is to stand firm. Opposition is part of the devil's plan to stop us from following Jesus, but like Jesus we must decide not to be deflected. After all, the Lord will keep us safe as long as He wants us to serve Him, and after that our eternity is assured. And also, our resolve to stand firm is an evidence that we are trusting Jesus in the face of personal harassment - showing that we really do belong to His family, which can often intensify the jealousy of others, even those in our own human family. So do not be discouraged but stand firm in Christ!
Prayer: Dear Father God. I do not like opposition, especially from those who are close or related to me. So thank You that Jesus prepared the apostles to teach all Christians to stand firm when trouble comes. Forgive me when I have allowed the threat of persecution to deflect me from worship or witness. Help me to be so much more concerned with what You think of me, rather than bowing to other people's opinion; that I will stand firm in my faith in Christ. In His Name. Amen.
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