Notes of Faith February 26, 2025
Kingdom Blessings
We must through many tribulations enter the kingdom of God.
Acts 14:22
On his first missionary journey, the apostle Paul visited towns like Iconium, Lystra, and Derbe. In those towns, he and Barnabas were attacked for preaching the Gospel and barely escaped with their lives (Acts 14). They later returned through those towns in order to strengthen the new converts in Christ, telling them, “We must through many tribulations enter the kingdom of God” (Acts 14:22).
These words are an example of Paul incorporating the teachings of Jesus into his own missionary preaching. For Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount said, “Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” The connection between persecution for Christ’s sake and the Kingdom involves persevering through persecution—not falling away from the faith. Only those who are willing to take up their cross for Jesus will inherit the Kingdom of God (Luke 14:25-27). Suffering persecution is not a blessing, but inheriting the Kingdom of God is.
If you experience persecution for your faith in Jesus, take heart! The blessing of entering into God’s eternal Kingdom is your reward.
Persecution is like the goldsmith’s hallmark on real silver and gold; it is one of the marks of a converted man.
J. C. Ryle
John 15:18-25
18 "If the world hates you, you know that it has hated Me before it hated you. 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. 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. 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. 22 "If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not have sin, but now they have no excuse for their sin. 23 "He who hates Me hates My Father also. 24 "If I had not done among them the works which no one else did, they would not have sin; but now they have both seen and hated Me and My Father as well. 25 "But they have done this to fulfill the word that is written in their Law, 'THEY HATED ME WITHOUT A CAUSE.'
All too often we don’t have people who “hate” us because we share the truth of Jesus and the gospel of salvation…because we don’t share. Oops. Am I meddling? People don’t like us if they know who we voted for, the people we associate with, the foods we like to eat. If we are going to be “hated” isn’t it the best reason to be “hated” because we are concerned for everyone’s eternal destination? Jesus is our Savior. He is the only Savior. We just need to remind sinners that they are sinners in need of a Savior. Do we do that very often? Should we be doing that…perhaps every day…at the very least, every opportunity that God gives to share the gospel. Let us not let opportunity pass by but take each one as a blessing to speak truth, give hope, in love to those in desperate need.
Pastor Dale