PREPARE FOR PERSECUTION

And to him they agreed: and when they had called the apostles, and beaten them…And they departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for his name – Acts 5:40b-41.

The 1st century Church was intensely persecuted. They were beaten, imprisoned, beheaded, boiled in oil, burned at the stake, some were even thrown to tigers and lions to fight like gladiators before cheering crowds.

But they didn’t complain. The Gospel the Early Church believed made them look forward to persecution. It was their greatest honour to suffer for the Lord Jesus Christ. It was their greatest privilege to be treated like Him.

Today’s gospel doesn’t prepare anyone for persecution. That’s because it’s false. That’s why it doesn’t work in nations under intense persecution. We need to believe the real Gospel. Then when persecution comes, we won’t deny the Lord Jesus before men, or He’ll deny us before the Father and His Angels.

PRAYER

Father, in the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ, help me not to fear persecution but to welcome it. Help me not to love my life even unto death. Amen.