1. Grace Fellowship Church Pastor/Teacher Jim Rickard Sunday, November 7, 2010 www.GraceDoctrine.org

2. John 15:18-21 Obstructions to Divine Good Production: Reason #1: Satan’s Cosmic System hates the believer! Reason #2: We are not of this world-Election out from the World! Reason #3: “The servant is not greater than his Lord,” therefore we too will have persecutions! Reason #4: “The Cosmos does not know God and is ignorant to His Plan.” John 15:18-21 Obstructions to Divine Good Production: Reason #1: Satan’s Cosmic System hates the believer! Reason #2: We are not of this world-Election out from the World! Reason #3: “The servant is not greater than his Lord,” therefore we too will have persecutions! Reason #4: “The Cosmos does not know God and is ignorant to His Plan.”

3. Doctrine of Persecutions

4. X. Persecutions are part of Satan’s Cosmic System. The anti-Christian principles of the world’s system clearly clash with the values and morality of God-fearing Christians.

5. As evil men and wickedness increase, persecution will not lessen but will come to a climax during the reign of the Antichrist.

6. XI. The Failure of Persecutions: In the early Church, instead of abolishing the name of Christ it actually became a catalyst for the growth of the Body of Christ.

7. Those who sought to exterminate Christians and eradicate Christianity were unwittingly advancing the message of Christ.

8. How did this occur? The witness of the words and lives of the persecuted spoke volumes to their persecutors and those who witnessed their persecution. Acts 16:16-34

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

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

11. 1. The great example of the early Church should give us great courage and commitment to continue fighting the good fight of faith, Rom 15:4.

12. Rom 15:4, “For whatever was written in earlier times was written for our instruction, so that through perseverance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.”

13. 2. We must never under estimate the impact we have when preserving through undeserved suffering for blessing.

14. 3. We must have the attitude that our physical lives are but a small price to pay for the gift of eternal life for another.

15. 4. That is the mental attitude of the disciple who is able to fulfill John 15:13, “Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends.”

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

17. 2 Tim 2:10, “For this reason I endure all things for the sake of those who are chosen, so that they also may obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus and with it eternal glory.”

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

19. 6. Patient endurance in times of persecution is the proof of genuine discipleship. 2 Tim 4:5; Heb 11:25; Rev 2-3

20. a. Moses, “choosing rather to endure ill-treatment with the people of God than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin”, Heb 11:25.

21. b. Timothy was exhorted to, “be sober in all things, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry”, 2 Tim 4:5.

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

23. a. Those whose commitment to Christ is shallow will falter when persecution arises. Mat 13:20-21

24. b. Yet those who endure persecution show their true faith in Christ and their spiritual relationship with past heroes of the faith. Mat 5:12; 2 Thes 1:4-5

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

26. c. Those that persevere through undeserved suffering will have tremendous Divine Good production to show for it. Mat 13:23

27. 8. Your good of intrinsic value will have a great return with rich blessings for time and eternal rewards. Mat 5:10-12a; 2 Tim 2:12

28. 2 Tim 2:12, “If we endure, we will also reign with Him.”

29. 9. You should not fear persecution but persevere under persecution, even to the point of praying for those who persecute you. Mat 5:44-48

30. As Jesus said in Luke 23:34, “Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing.”

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

32. Communion Mark 8:31; 9:31; 10:34. Mat 16:21; 17:22-23; 20:17-19. Luke 9:22; 18:31-33.

33. Grace Offering

34. Grace Fellowship Church Sunday, November 7, 2010 Tape # 10-022 Obstructions to Divine Good Production, Part 17 Persecution, Part 8 Upper Room Discourse, Part 436 Mat 13:20-23; Acts 16:16-34; 2 Thes 1:4-5 James H. Rickard Bible Ministries 2010