How should we respond to persecution? -16

As we should flee from sin, we are in a world of sinners. We need to speak truth to the world, as their eternal destiny hangs in the balance. Jehovah has commanded us to live and speak the truth. This comes at a cost. We will be persecuted for being followers of Christ.

John 15:18  "If the world hates you, you know that it has hated Me before it hated you. 15:19  "If you were of the world, the world would love its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, because of this the world hates you. 

15:20  "Remember the word that I said to you, 'A slave is not greater than his master.' If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you; if they kept My word, they will keep yours also. 

15:21  "But all these things they will do to you for My name's sake, because they do not know the One who sent Me. 

This is very strong language but it is true. The world under the power of Satan hates Jesus and therefore hates us. Anyone who preaches that Jehovah will save us from persecution is a false teacher. If we remain silent, keep to ourselves, don’t spread the gospel, we most likely will escape persecution. But, that would be sinful. Jehovah will not protect us from persecution, but will help us endure it.

Let us look at the experience of Paul and Silas.

Acts 16:16  It happened that as we were going to the place of prayer, a slave-girl having a spirit of divination met us, who was bringing her masters much profit by fortune-telling. 16:17  Following after Paul and us, she kept crying out, saying, "These men are bond-servants of the Most High God, who are proclaiming to you the way of salvation." 16:18  She continued doing this for many days. But Paul was greatly annoyed, and turned and said to the spirit, "I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her!" And it came out at that very moment. 

They had compassion on a demon possessed slave girl. What kind of life would she have had? It must have been miserable!

16:19  But when her masters saw that their hope of profit was gone, they seized Paul and Silas and dragged them into the market place before the authorities, 16:20  and when they had brought them to the chief magistrates, they said, "These men are throwing our city into confusion, being Jews, 16:21  and are proclaiming customs which it is not lawful for us to accept or to observe, being Romans." 

Evil men did not care for this girl, they abused her so she could earn them money. What charge did they bring against Paul and Silas? They made it up and incited a mob!

16:22  The crowd rose up together against them, and the chief magistrates tore their robes off them and proceeded to order them to be beaten with rods. 16:23  When they had struck them with many blows, they threw them into prison, commanding the jailer to guard them securely; 16:24  and he, having received such a command, threw them into the inner prison and fastened their feet in the stocks. 

Raw bleeding backs, falsely accused, and no justice-just painful beatings in the street. Now they are placed in stock so they can’t move or even go to the bathroom. They were then placed in an inner cell that had held similar prisoners. Imagine what it would smell like. No food, no light, just cramping legs and bleeding backs.

16:25  But about midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns of praise to God, and the prisoners were listening to them;16:26  and suddenly there came a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison house were shaken; and immediately all the doors were opened and everyone's chains were unfastened. 

What would have been your response! How could they pray and sing in their condition? Is this how Jehovah treats His servants? But, now an earthquake that opened gates/doors and unfastened chains!

16:27  When the jailer awoke and saw the prison doors opened, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself, supposing that the prisoners had escaped. 16:28  But Paul cried out with a loud voice, saying, "Do not harm yourself, for we are all here!" 

Jailers and guards would have to endure the punishment of any prisoners who escaped. The jailer thought he should kill himself to escape such a punishment.

16:29  And he called for lights and rushed in, and trembling with fear he fell down before Paul and Silas, 16:30  and after he brought them out, he said, "Sirs, what must I do to be saved?" 16:31  They said, "Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household." 6:32  And they spoke the word of the Lord to him together with all who were in his house. 

Interesting that the first thing the jailer asked was what must I do to be saved! That is the most important question anyone could ever ask. Paul and Silas responded with the gospel and all in his household who heard believed!

16:33  And he took them that very hour of the night and washed their wounds, and immediately he was baptized, he and all his household. 16:34  And he brought them into his house and set food before them, and rejoiced greatly, having believed in God with his whole household. 

16:35  Now when day came, the chief magistrates sent their policemen, saying, "Release those men." 16:36  And the jailer reported these words to Paul, saying, "The chief magistrates have sent to release you. Therefore come out now and go in peace." 

Beaten and imprisoned falsely was one thing, but to a Roman citizen was a crime in itself.

16:37  But Paul said to them, "They have beaten us in public without trial, men who are Romans, and have thrown us into prison; and now are they sending us away secretly? No indeed! But let them come themselves and bring us out." 16:38  The policemen reported these words to the chief magistrates. They were afraid when they heard that they were Romans, 16:39  and they came and appealed to them, and when they had brought them out, they kept begging them to leave the city. 

Who should have been given mercy? Now the very people who showed them no mercy are pleading with them. Of course they were only thinking of themselves. Paul and Silas were thinking of their brothers in the city. The magistrates would be far more restrained about trying to harass or condemn the brothers with this hanging over their heads.

16:40  They went out of the prison and entered the house of Lydia, and when they saw the brethren, they encouraged them and departed. 

Again, the beaten ones encouraged the brethren in the city. Enduring trials may lead to salvation of those watching you. Jehovah’s plans are not our plans nor His ways our ways. We need to obey and place our trust in Him.

More next Saturday.