The Persecuted Church, Part 2

Introduction: The Foundation of Hebrews 13:3 and the Sermon's Purpose

0:02 This message is the second dealing with the subject of our concern for and involvement with our brethren in various parts of the world who are suffering intense persecution for the sake of Christ. The first message is an exposition of Hebrews 13.3. It constitutes the basis of this message and ought to be heard before this one since it forms the solid biblical foundation for this sermon, which is really more of a practical and pastoral application of Hebrews 13.3.

0:40 The second message on the theme of our responsibility to our persecuted brethren seeks to address some of the benefits that will come to us as individuals and as churches if we seek to obey the divine mandate to remember those in prison as imprisoned with them, and to remember those who are ill-treated as ourselves also being in the body. We here at Trinity Church have a long way to go before we implement as we should the clear command of Hebrews 13.3. However, in the past couple of years we have at least made a start. If we can be of any help to you

1:25 with respect to these matters, please feel free to contact us at the Trinity Pulpit address or by contacting us through the church email address. That email address is office at tbcnj.org. Again, that email address is office at tbcnj.org. At the conclusion of this message,

1:56 information will be given relative to some helpful and available resources, of information pertaining to our persecuted brethren.

Recap of Hebrews 13:3 Exposition and the Shocking Reality of Persecution

2:09 Please turn with me to the portion of God's Word that I read in your hearing last Lord's Day morning, and in which there is contained the text which I sought to expound before you, Hebrews chapter 13, and I read verses 1 through 6, Hebrews 13, verses 1 through 6. Let love of the brethren continue. Do not forget to show love unto strangers, for thereby some have entertained angels unawares.

2:50 Remember them that are in bonds as bound with them, them that are ill-treated as being yourselves also in the body. Let marriage be had in honor among all, and let the bed be undefiled. For fornicators and adulterers, God is with you. Amen.

3:11 will judge. Be free from the love of money, content with such things as you have. For himself hath said, I will in no wise fail you, neither will I in any wise forsake you. So that with good courage we say, the Lord is my helper, I will not fear. What shall man do unto me? Let us pray.

3:41 Our Father, once again we acknowledge our present, our desperate need of your aid in both the preaching and the hearing of your holy word. Do not leave us at the mercy of our own pathetic, creaturely weakness, sinful blindness, volitional and emotional perversity.

4:20 O Lord, come to us, and help us, and attend your word with power. Hear us, draw near to us, for Jesus' sake. I begin this morning by making a statement which I trust will shock and sober every man, every woman, every boy, and every girl in this place. And it is this.

5:02 We are, I think, in a state of distrust, truly and justly grieved this morning, at the sudden and tragic death of seven highly gifted, superbly trained and efficient men and women, whose lives were snuffed out in that fiery breakup of the space shuttle yesterday morning. However, do you know that according to some reliable sources,

5:38 In recent years, each year, approximately 165,000 men and women and boys and girls have sealed their professed attachment to Jesus Christ with their own life's blood in the death of martyrdom. That's right. If you figure it out, that means approximately every three minutes, approximately 500 an

6:18 hour, day after, I'm sorry, 20 an hour, 500 a day, day after day, in recent years, these have sealed their testimony with their life's blood and have received the martyr's crown. Furthermore, there are literally millions of our blood-bought, blood-washed brothers and sisters in Christ who live day by day in the context of crushing poverty, political

6:58 and social instability, with the threat of imprisonment, beatings and maiming. Unnumbered others will carry with them to their graves the permanent, emotional and physical scars of their brutal treatment at the hands of those who hated them and abused them simply because of their attachment to the Lord Jesus Christ. Some have nothing but stumps where once there were functioning hands. Some have disfigured and scarred faces that were once clothed with smooth flesh.

7:43 Yet others live with torturous nightmares from the memory of rape, unspeakable cruelty and deprivation of all kinds, simply and only because they profess attachment to Jesus Christ in faith and love. And at the same time, there are unnumbered thousands who languish in prisons, prisons and prison. Many of which are unfit to be the pens of animals and of brute beasts.

8:22 Now to us here in the West, in general, and in the United States in particular, who for the most part know little or nothing of these things, the changeless, the timeless, the authoritative Word of God comes to us in Hebrews 13 and verse 3. Remember them! Remember them! Remember them that are imprisoned as imprisoned with them.

Review of the Divine Warrant for Concern for the Persecuted

8:53 Remember them that are ill-treated as being yourselves also in the body. Last Lord's Day I sought to expound this text under the title, The Divine Warrant for Engaging an Enacted Concern for our Persecuted Brethren Throughout the World. . Fetching in the larger context of the central burden of the epistle to Hebrews under the imagery of God's pull, push, draw, and drive call to persevering faith,

9:30 and after noting briefly the immediate context, that central command, let love of the brethren continue, verse 3 being a subset of the manifestation of brotherly love, I then attempted to open up the text under four headings. We looked at the activity commanded. Remember, it is a command to engage continually in a mental activity calling something or someone to mind with a readiness to do what that calling to mind demands. Not a detached remembrance, but a remembrance with a view to moral action.

10:14 Then secondly, we looked at the objects of this activity identified. We are to remember the prisoners, those imprisoned for Jesus' sake. We are to remember the ill-treated, those ill-treated for Jesus' sake. And then thirdly, we noted the disposition with which this activity is to be fulfilled.

10:38 With respect to the prisoners, we are to remember them as imprisoned with them. and with respect to the ill-treated as ourselves also being in the body. And then I concluded the fourth heading with two specific ways in which all of us can immediately comply with this activity commanded. We can by deliberately exposing ourselves to the available information about such brethren, we can remember them.

Spiritual Benefit 1: Attaining and Maintaining a Good Conscience

11:11 And by engaging in biblically framed intercessory prayer for them. Now this morning with the exposition of Hebrews 13.3 as the foundation for this sermon and for the sermon next week and possibly for a third Lord's Day, I want to preach to you on this subject some of the spiritual benefits of obedience to Hebrews 13 which is the foundation for this sermon. And verse 3, some of the spiritual benefits that will flow from obedience to this injunction of God

11:53 to remember those in prison and to remember those that are ill-treated. Now this will not be a perfect obedience when I say some of the fruits and blessings of obedience in none of us will it be a perfect. It is not a perfect obedience, but it can and must be a purposeful and principled obedience. It is not a meritorious obedience, but evangelical.

12:25 That is, it grows out of love to Christ and the recognition that our acceptance before God does not rest on the measure of our obedience to this text, but of on Christ himself who suffered in our room and in our stead. And it is certainly not a self-generated legalistic obedience carried out with the stuff of our own native pathetic energies and strength, but it is an obedience that is carried out in the strength and power of the Holy Spirit in the grace that is promised in Hebrews 13.20 and 21.

13:07 But though not a perfect meritorious or self-generated obedience, it is not a perfect obedience, but it is a self-generated obedience. It is obedience. And Jesus said, if you love me, you will keep my commandments. And hereby do we know that we know him if we keep his commandments.

13:22 And so without embarrassment, I entitle today's sermon, the sermon for next Lord's Day and possibly a third Lord's Day, some of the spiritual benefits of obedience to Hebrews 13 and verse 3. We are going to address, two of them this morning. Number one, obedience to Hebrews 13.3 will contribute to the attaining and maintaining of a good conscience towards God and towards man.

14:03 Obedience to Hebrews 13.3, not perfect, not legal, not self-generated, but true obedience within the scope of, I'll keep emphasizing it, lest some of you go underground and up my hands. If you throw them up, it's not my fault. I'm not laying upon you legalistic obedience.

14:31 I'm laying upon you gospel obedience because that's what your Lord does. And this obedience to Hebrews 13.3 will contribute to the attaining and maintaining of a good conscience towards God and towards man. Now, where do I get that language?

14:49 Well, turn with me to Acts chapter 24 and verse 16. The apostle is giving his defense.

15:02 And in his defense, the apostle Paul says in verse 15, having hope toward God, which these themselves look for, that there shall be a resurrection both of the just and the unjust herein or on this account in the light of this reality. The reality of a coming resurrection of the just and the unjust. And for Paul, resurrection would never be separated from judgment. So it's resurrection slash judgment.

15:33 And in the light of this, Paul says on this account, in the light of this reality, I also exercise myself. I engage in a constant spiritual discipline to have a conscience void of offense towards God and man. Always. In other words, the apostle says, I can think of future resurrection and judgment with peace when resting solely in the merit of Jesus Christ and in the power of His grace and of His Spirit, I constantly engage in the spiritual discipline of the maintenance of a good conscience

16:14 vertically toward God and horizontally towards man. Amen. A good conscience is one that is under the instruction of God's law, not men's rules, not my own ideas of right and wrong, not the consensus of society around me. A good conscience is a conscience that is operating under the light of God's word, God's law, and a conscience that does not condemn us for any known violation of that law, God's word or man's word.

16:51 And Paul says, This was my constant experience in the light of coming resurrection and judgment to attain and maintain a good conscience, flooded with the light of God's word and God's law, and a conscience that did not point an accusing finger at me that I had either willfully and was willfully being disobedient to some precept of God or having been disobedient, I did not seek cleansing in the blood of Christ for the renewal of a good conscience. He said, The maintenance of a good conscience is a vital element of who I am as a Christian man.

17:36 Now, what in the world is the relationship between what you heard last week, the divine mandate, remember those in prison, remember those who are ill-treated, and the attainment and the maintenance of a good conscience? Well, just this. Once the light of God's word has flooded in upon your conscience, you now know what is good, what is pleasing to God. And according to James in verse 17 in chapter 4, to him that knows to do good,

18:19 and does it not to him, it is,

18:25 once the light of God's word is shed upon our consciences and they are instructed, and we do not walk in the way of the instructed conscience, we now have a bad conscience, and if that duty is primarily a vertical duty, we have a bad conscience toward God, and if it is a horizontal duty, we have a bad conscience toward man. And I am saying, now that that text has been expounded in your hearing, obedience to it will contribute to the attaining and maintaining of a good conscience towards God and towards man.

19:11 And you ask, well, I can see the reasoning of that, Pastor, but why the big deal about a good conscience? Well, if you look at 1 Timothy chapter 1, you'll see two good reasons why Paul's passion must be your passion and my passion. To exercise ourselves always to have a good conscience to God and man. Notice what Paul says in 1 Timothy 1.5.

19:35 But the end of the charge, the charge to maintain pure doctrine there in the church at Ephesus, the end of this charge is love out of a pure heart and a good conscience and a faith unshamed. Who thinks? Who thinks that the Christian life can be carried on with any vigor without active growing love and active growing faith?

20:04 If you know your Bible at all, you say it's impossible. My love must grow and abound yet more and more. My faith must grow and abound and be strengthened. But you see, nestled between love and faith is a good conscience.

20:19 And if you do not maintain a good conscience, you will so grieve the spirit of God and bloody that conscience that it will be like a worm eating at any growth of your love and of your faith. And for this very reason, Paul can say later on in this chapter, verse 18, this charge I commit unto you, my child Timothy, according to the prophecies which led the way to you, that by them you may war a good warfare, holding faith and conscience, which in number and gender agrees with conscience,

21:01 not in conscience, but it's a torpedo.

21:35 And they gave up. Dear people of God, you and I would maintain a good conscience, that spiritual grace essential to wholesome spiritual life and growth. We must now, having been enlightened by the word of God, we must make conscience of remembering those imprisoned with them. Remember those?

22:15 You are ill treated as ourselves also being.

22:25 It's interesting, the old Puritans talked about a comfortable walk with God. They would teach us that it is essential to have a good conscience if we are to have a comfortable walk with God. And what is a comfortable walk with God? Well, I know of no text that more beautifully and succinctly describes it than Romans chapter 14, verse 17.

22:54 Look at it. The kingdom of God is not eating and drinking. It does not consist in eating this food or not eating that food, drinking this beverage or not drinking it. But the kingdom of God consists in what?

23:09 In righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit. That's a comfortable walk with God. In the confidence that I have a perfect righteousness in the court of heaven, and that by the grace and power of the Spirit, I am working out a moral, practical righteousness by the standard of the Word of God. Peace flooding my soul.

23:37 Joy in the Holy Spirit. Verse 18. For he that herein serves Christ, now notice, is well pleasing to God and approved of men. Horizontal and vertical.

23:55 There it is. Would you have a comfortable walk with God? Well, contributing to that comfortable walk with God is the maintenance of a good conscience. And I'm asserting that growing out of our intense, concentrated exposure to Hebrews 13.3,

24:15 if you and I are to maintain that good conscience, we must make conscience about obedience to that text. Furthermore, it is a good conscience that, in the context of the Bible, forms the context of boldness and liberty in prayer. 1 John chapter 3. 1 John and chapter 3.

24:38 Would you have boldness and liberty in prayer? Verse 21. Beloved, if our heart condemn us not, we have boldness toward God, and whatsoever we ask we receive of him. Notice now, because.

24:55 Not because. The emphasis here is not what we had in chapter 2. Because we have an attitude. We have an intercessor.

25:01 We have a high priest. That's true. But notice the emphasis here. Because we keep his commandments and do the things that are pleasing in his sight.

25:12 If our heart condemn us not, we have boldness. Whatsoever we ask we receive. Because of boldness rooted in a good conscience. A conscience that is a good conscience.

25:24 Because we are rendering evangelical grace driven, spirit-empowered obedience to God's precepts, even the precept of remembering those in prison, remembering those who are ill-treated. So at the most basic level, the first spiritual benefit of obedience to Hebrews 13.3 is the attainment and maintenance of a good conscience. Conscience towards God.

26:03 Do you desire that?

26:06 As I've said, what the consequences are of a good conscience? A comfortable walk with God? Liberty and boldness in prayer? Are those precious commodities to you that you'd rather lose your right arm than lose them?

26:24 If not, you're not a Christian.

26:27 If a comfortable walk with God, freedom and liberty and joy in the Spirit, confidence in prayer, if those are not the most juicy carrots held out before you, you ain't no rabbit. A child of God hears of a comfortable walk with God and says, Lord, I want that more than life itself. Liberty and freedom and boldness at the throne of grace. Lord, I want that more than anything in life.

27:00 Do you?

27:02 And Hebrews 13.3 is stuck in front of you, it's stuck in front of me. And if we're to attain and maintain a good conscience, it will be in the way of obedience to Hebrews 13.3.

27:16 Not perfect obedience, not meritorious obedience, not self-generated obedience, but obedience!

Spiritual Benefit 2: Constant Reminder of Suffering as Normal for Discipleship

27:25 Gospel, evangelical, Spirit-empowered obedience. But now we come secondly. Obedience to Hebrews 13.3 will create a constant reminder to us that, suffering for Christ is the normal consequence of being a true disciple of.

27:54 Let me give it to you again. This is the second and a major spiritual benefit of obeying Hebrews 13.3. Here it is.

28:05 Obedience to Hebrews 13.3 will create a constant reminder to us that suffering for, for Christ, is the normal consequence of being a true disciple of Christ. And I'm not speaking of generic suffering that is the lot of the people of God until the consummation. Physical ailments, degeneration, cancer and arthritis and bloody eyeballs and all the rest.

28:41 No. I'm choosing my words. Can I trust? I'm talking of a collective of biblical distinctions.

28:49 I'm talking of the Christ-sequence of being a suffering and ill-treatment prisonment. I left that out. Don't throw words out carelessly, dear people. I try not to.

29:18 Sometimes imprisonment may be there. But according to the New Testament, suffering, straight this. I'm going to make a quick sweep through the New Testament with some selected text from Matthew. Let you be the judge.

29:50 Matthew chapter 4. Matthew 5. When our Lord is there in the mount, giving what many call the manifesto of the kingdom of grace, He describes in this composite picture the character traits of all the true sons and daughters of the kingdom. All of them are poor in spirit to one degree or another.

30:15 All of them mourn. All of them are meek. All of them hunger and thirst. All of them are merciful.

30:20 All of them are pure in heart. And all of them fit, verse 10, in the New Testament. All of them are pure in heart. All of them are men in following.

30:26 Blessed are they that have been persecuted for righteousness' sake. For theirs is the kingdom. The kingdom belongs to the for righteousness' sake. Just as much as, verse 3, the kingdom belongs to the poor in spirit.

30:46 No proud ones are in the kingdom. No non-persecuted ones are in the kingdom. According to Jesus, blessed are you When men shall reproach you and persecute you and say all manner of evil against you falsely for my sake. Rejoice and be exceeding glad for great is your reward in heaven.

31:11 For so persecuted they the prophets that were before you. Matthew chapter 10. When our Lord is giving the commission to the twelve. And some of these things would have peculiar relevance to heralds of the gospel.

31:28 Apostles, pastors, preachers, evangelists, missionaries. Granted it will have peculiar intensified application to them but not exclusive. Verses 16 to 18. Behold I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves.

31:46 Be therefore wise as serpents, harmless as doves. But beware of men for they will deliver you up to councils. And in their synagogues they will scourge you. Yes and before governors.

31:58 And kings. You should be brought for my sake for a testimony to them and to the Gentiles. But when they deliver you. Verse 24.

32:11 A disciple is not above his teacher nor a servant above his Lord. It is enough for the disciple that he be as his teacher and the servant as his Lord. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebub. How much more them of his household do not therefore be afraid of them.

32:29 For there is nothing covered that shall not be revealed in him that shall not be known. Verse 28. Do not be afraid of them that kill the body. But are not able to kill the soul.

32:41 Verse 34. Do not think that I came to send peace on earth. I did not come to send peace but a sword. I came to set a man at variance against his father.

32:52 The daughter against her mother. The daughter-in-law against the mother-in-law. And a man's foes shall be those of him. And his own household.

33:02 Matthew chapter 24. In the Olivet Discourse. Our Lord speaking of the intertestamental period. In which there will be ongoing wars and rumors of wars and tumult among the nations.

33:18 Notice what our Lord says in verses 9 and 10. Then shall they deliver you up into tribulation. And shall kill you. You shall be hated of all the nations.

33:29 For my name's sake. And then shall many stumble and deliver up one another. And shall hate one another. And these verses I've quoted from Matthew.

33:44 Many of them are found in the other synoptics. That is Mark and Luke. And so I don't turn to the parallel passages. Now we come to the Gospel of John.

33:53 What does our Lord give his disciples to believe will be their future experience. As his true disciples. And he goes back to heaven. And the Spirit comes.

34:04 And brings the better things of new covenant salvation. In all of their fullness. John 15 verse 18 to 21. John chapter 15 and verse 18.

34:18 If the world hates you. You know that it hated me before it hated you. If you were of the world. The world would love its own.

34:31 But because you are not of the world. But I chose you. I chose you out of the world. Therefore the world hates you.

34:39 Remember the word that I said unto you. A servant is not greater than his Lord. If they persecuted me. And they did.

34:47 They will also persecute you. If they kept my word. They will keep yours also. But all these things they will do to you.

34:55 For my name's sake. Because they know not him that sent me. Chapter 16 verses 1 to 4. These things.

35:04 I've spoken unto you that you should not be caused to stumble. They shall put you out of the synagogues. Yes the hour comes. That whosoever kills you.

35:14 Will think he offers service to God. And these things they will do. Because they've not known the Father nor me. But these things have I spoken unto you.

35:23 That when their hour is come. You may remember them. How I told you.

35:31 What about the book of Acts? That well known text. Paul's follow up sermon to young converts. What is it?

35:39 Acts 14.22. They went back through the cities in which they had made disciples. Doing what?

35:46 Acts 14.22. Confirming. Strengthening the souls of the disciples.

35:52 Exhorting them to continue in the faith. And giving them this realistic prophecy. That through many tribulations. We must enter into.

36:04 The kingdom of God. Then we come to that marvelous book. Setting forth the gospel of God. Romans 8.

36:14 The emphasis is there as well. Remember. I'm giving you this flyover. Simply to demonstrate.

36:20 That according to the New Testament. Suffering for Christ. Is the normal consequence of being a true disciple of Christ. So it is assumed that it's coming.

36:32 It will be part and parcel. Of the experience. Of God's people. Romans chapter 8.

36:38 Verse 16. The spirit himself bears witness with our spirits. That we are the children of God. And if children then heirs.

36:45 Heirs of God. And joint heirs with Christ. If. If.

36:50 It will be that we suffer with him. That we may be also glorified. No suffering with him. No being glorified with him.

37:05 Verses 35 to 37. Who shall separate us. From the love of Christ. Shall tribulation or anguish.

37:12 Or persecution. Or famine. Or nakedness. Or peril or sword.

37:15 Even that is written. And Paul takes this text. From Psalm 44. 22.

37:22 And says this is the state of God's people. Under the new covenant. For your sake we are killed. All the day long.

37:29 We are accounted as sheep. For the slaughter. He said that's our experience. And then the well known text.

37:38 In 2nd Timothy. Chapter 3 and verse 12. Paul has been speaking of his own persecutions. And in order to apprise the people of God.

37:48 There at Ephesus. That his experience is not unique. As an apostle. He says yes.

37:54 2nd Timothy 3.12. And all. All.

37:58 All that will live godly in Christ Jesus. Shall suffer persecution. Then we come into the book of Hebrews. And when the writer is setting forth.

38:12 The heroes of faith.

38:15 And how their faith was manifested. In persevering. Commitment to the God of the covenant. Look at the language.

38:23 Of verses 35 to 38. Women received their dead. By a resurrection. Hebrews 11.35.

38:31 Others were tortured. Not accepting their deliverance. That they might obtain a better resurrection. Others had trials of mockings.

38:39 And scourgings. Moreover of bonds. And imprisonment. They were stoned.

38:45 They were sawn asunder. They were tempted. They were slain with the sword. They went about in sheepskins.

38:51 In goatskins. Being destitute. Afflicted. Ill treated.

38:55 Of whom this world was not worthy. Wandering in deserts. And mountains. And caves.

39:01 And holes of the earth. And these all. Having had witness. Born to them through their faith.

39:09 I wonder what the health. Wealth and prosperity. People do with a passage like this. These people are celebrated.

39:17 Not for their unbelief. But for their faith. And in the context. Of the death grip of faith.

39:25 To the God of the covenant. These are the things that came. As the accompaniments. Of their attachment.

39:32 To this God. And when John in the Isle of Patmos. Writes his letter. To the seven churches.

39:40 Notice how he identifies. The people of God. In all. The churches.

39:45 Revelation one nine. I John your brother. And partaker. With you.

39:53 Brother. And partaker. With you. In the tribulation.

39:59 And kingdom. And patience. Which are in Jesus.

40:07 Companion. In tribulation. Now I've stated. That this suffering for Christ.

40:16 Is the normal. Consequence. Of being a true disciple of Christ. There are periods.

40:25 Recorded in scripture. When there was something. Ab. Normal.

40:32 And here I want you to think with me. About some of these descriptions. In the book of Acts. The spirit of God comes on the day of Pentecost.

40:40 Three thousand are converted. And added to the church. What was the immediate response. To this great.

40:48 This profuse expansion. Of the church. It was not persecution. You will read in Acts chapter 2.

40:56 This amazing statement. Here was a period of abnormality. Here were people. Truly attached.

41:05 To Jesus. True disciples. But we read of them. Verse 46.

41:12 Acts 2. Day by day. Continuing steadfastly. One accord in the temple.

41:16 Breaking bread at home. Took their food with gladness. Singleness of heart. Praising God.

41:21 Now notice. And having favor. With all the people.

41:29 They had favor with all the people. Everything seemed wonderful. When they went up to the temple. To gather in Solomon's portico.

41:38 Those who were not yet believers. In Jesus as Messiah. Had no outbreak of venomous hatred. No desire to take their leaders.

41:46 And beat them. Imprison them. Malign them. Slander them.

41:49 No. They had favor with all the people. Here was a period of divinely engineered abnormality. Now should those people have run out and said.

42:01 But Jesus said. If we love him. If we're attached to him. He was hated.

42:05 We're going to be hated. Let's go out and find some people that we can get to hate us. To validate our discipleship. Let's make some haters.

42:13 No. That's stupid. All right. I think you can all see that.

42:16 Here was a divinely engineered period of abnormality. I want to tell you something. It didn't last long. By the time you get to Acts chapter 4.

42:31 Two of their leaders are threatened.

42:35 By the time you get to Acts 5. They are put in prison and beaten. By the time you get to Acts 7. One of their number is martyred.

42:47 And by the time you get to Acts 8. A great persecution descends. On the whole church. And they are throughout the Roman Empire.

42:58 God saw to it that normalcy set in relatively quickly. But then at the end of chapter 9. Look again. You've got to see this.

43:08 If you're going to understand the biblical emphasis and act sanely. God then saves the main perpetrator of this persecution. And then what happens? Acts 9.31.

43:19 So the church throughout all Judea and Galilee and Samaria. Had peace. Being edified. Walking in the fear of the Lord.

43:30 And in the comfort of the Holy Spirit. Was multiplied. Now you had a period of corporate abnormality again. You see that?

43:40 Abnormality. Chapter after chapter of normalcy. And now a period of abnormality. Sovereignly engineered by the living God.

43:50 So that sitting here this morning. You don't bust out of this place and say. Who's the first person I can irritate. And get mad at me for Jesus sake.

43:59 So I really know I'm a disciple. That's being a nut. And a reproach to Christ. But you see the abnormality does not negate.

44:09 All that the scriptures say about biblical normalcy. And therefore I have asserted. That keeping in contact in loving obedience with Hebrews 13.3.

44:23 That is calling information. About our persecuted. Suffering and afflicted brethren. Our tortured and martyred brethren.

44:35 What will it do? It will create a constant reminder to us. That suffering for Christ. Is the normal consequence.

44:46 Of being a true disciple.

Application 1: Preventing Apostasy by Expecting Persecution

44:53 John Owen.

44:56 In his own inimitable way. In one of his observations. On his. Exposition.

45:02 Of Hebrews 13.3. He had 13 observations. Observation 11 was this.

45:10 We are not only exposed unto affliction during this life. But we ought to live in the continual expectation of them. So long as there are any in the world. Who do not actually suffer for the gospel.

45:28 Not to expect our share. Excuse me. In trouble and persecution. Is a sinful security.

45:37 Proceeding from very corrupt principles of mind. And may be easily discovered. Upon due examination. Well I trust I have persuaded you from the scriptures.

45:54 That indeed suffering for Christ. Persecution. Opposition. Even death itself.

46:02 Are the normal consequences. Of being a true. Disciple of Christ. And though God has sovereignly disposed.

46:12 And I can't go into all the reasons why. That our existence. Has been a very lengthy period. Of abnormality.

46:23 And it has indeed been such.

46:27 We are not to go out and look for trouble. We must have the consciousness. That it is abnormality. And I want to say.

46:35 I want to give you in the time that remains. And this is the 14 pound baby.

46:42 Basic to why it is crucial for us. To be constantly reminded. That suffering for Christ. Is a necessary accompaniment.

46:58 Ordinarily. Of true discipleship to Christ. Reason number one. Without this conviction.

47:08 That persecution. And ill treatment. For the sake of Christ. Our normal Christian experience.

47:16 We will be tragically vulnerable. To apostasy. When that persecution comes.

47:27 Do you hear me?

47:29 Without the conviction. That persecution. And ill treatment. For the sake of Christ.

47:36 Our normal Christian experience. We will be tragically vulnerable. To apostasy. To apostasy.

47:44 When it comes.

47:47 Now on what basis do I make that statement? I want you to go back to John chapter 16. And see that this is exactly. What our Lord is teaching.

48:00 John chapter 16.

48:04 He says. These things have I spoken unto you. That you should not be caused to stumble. What things?

48:13 He has spoken lots of things. In the previous part of the upper room discourse. Well the context. It immediately follows.

48:21 Shows us what things he had. Particularly in mind. Verse 2. They shall put you out of the synagogues.

48:29 What is he doing? He is picking up these things. Of verses 19 through 21. Of chapter 15.

48:39 He has told them. We can back up to verse 18. If the world hates you. You know that it hated me.

48:47 Before it hated you. If you were of the world. The world would love its own. But because you are not of the world.

48:52 But I chose you out of the world. Therefore the world hates you. Remember the word that I said to you. I told you this earlier.

48:59 We read it in John Matthew. Remember that word. Servants not greater than his Lord. If they persecuted me.

49:05 They will also persecute you. Don't forget it. It hasn't yet come to pass. But don't forget it.

49:12 It is going to come to pass. They will persecute you. If they have kept my word. They will keep.

49:19 Yours. All things they will do to you. For my name's sake. Because they know not him that sent me.

49:26 These things have I spoken unto you. That you should not be caused to stump. Jesus said. I'm telling you before it comes.

49:36 Talk about the spirit coming. And it would be better. And we'd know him. And the spirit would teach us.

49:49 And the spirit would fill us with joy. And now I've got. She is on my back. Social ostracization.

50:01 Places of worship. See my sons have their hands cut off. Jesus. He said I'm telling you that when it comes.

50:25 You won't stumble. And that word stumble. Doesn't mean just a little bit of a stumble in the skin. It means apostatize.

50:32 Throw it all over. And say I didn't bargain for suffering. I didn't bargain for persecution. I didn't bargain for ostracization.

50:43 I didn't bargain for any of these things. Jesus said. That if you've cashed your lot in with me. That's what you're barking for.

50:53 And I'm telling you. That when it comes to pass. You won't stumble. Remember the parable of the sower.

51:01 Four different kinds of soil. Same kind of seed. One seed fell upon what Jesus called rocky ground. Didn't have a lot of root.

51:12 Sent down some quick roots. Looked like a very promising plant. But it wasn't long before the sun rose. And that burning Palestinian sun.

51:20 Shriveled up all the life of the people. All the life of the plant that died. And the disciples were alone with Jesus. And they said tell us the meaning of that.

51:28 He said these are they. That are sown upon the rocky ground. Who when they hear the word. Receive it with joy.

51:36 But they have no root in themselves. But when persecution and tribulation arise. Because of the word. That was the promise.

51:58 The gospel says. I've got eternal life. I've got forgiveness. And the problem with modern evangelism is.

52:05 That's all it tells people. It doesn't tell them there's a cross. There's a despised savior. You get identified with him.

52:15 He was sainted. You'll be hated. His words were scorned. Yours will be scorned.

52:23 He was called in cahoots with the devil. You'll be called in cahoots with the devil. There's no bargain for this. They wither.

52:35 They turn aside. And Christ's name is dishonored. And hearts are broken. And the cause of Christ is brought into shame.

52:46 There is apostasy. Because there was no realistic recognition. That normal Christian experience. Is persecution.

52:59 And ill treatment. For the sake of the Lord Jesus. Now you see why I'm burdened. Because.

53:12 Because. While God has sovereignly superintended the constitution of our national life. And certain liberties protected by law. In terms of the free exercise of our Christian faith.

53:27 And the free propagation of it. There are manifold evidences. That with the erosion of common grace. The spill over from special grace.

53:37 And with the roots of special grace being dried up. By liberalism. And in emaciated worldly evangelicalism. The two pools are dried up greatly.

53:50 And with them there's a greater and greater boldness. To challenge those liberties. And with multiculturalism. And the notion that every man's opinion about God.

54:03 And truth. And right. And wrong. Is as valuable as everyone else's.

54:08 And where we must give the platform to anyone. Who happens to be an American citizen. Be he Muslim. Be he Hindu.

54:15 The subsoil. The fabric. Of an evangelical and biblical perspective. Has been in great measure eroded.

54:23 And in the coming days. Barring an unusual visitation of God. Mark my word. Some of you sitting here.

54:31 Will thank God for this morning. That an old man. Had the concern and the doubt to tell you the truth. I don't want you apostles.

54:44 I don't want you apostatized. I don't want you to be wreckage along the way. And few things will help us to keep in touch with reality. I'm going to read next week.

54:59 A letter I got this week from one of our members. Who has found this to be his very experience. Why should we keep in touch. By information.

55:15 By prayer. By other avenues of involvement. That I trust will open up to us as a church in days to come. I say.

55:25 Because. This obedience to Hebrews 13.3. Will create a constant reminder.

55:33 That suffering for Christ. Is the normal consequence. Of being a true disciple of Christ. And why is that so critical.

55:42 Application number one. Without the conviction. That persecution and ill treatment. For the sake of Christ.

55:48 Our normal Christian experience. Will be tragically vulnerable. To apostasy when it comes. But now secondly.

Application 2: Preparing the Rising Generation for Persecution

55:55 And here I'm going to say things. That I may lose some friends. But frankly. I'm too close to the end of the road.

56:04 To worry about it. It's this. Without the conviction. That persecution and ill treatment.

56:14 For the sake of Christ. Is the normal consequence. Of being a true disciple of Christ. We will be pathetically inept.

56:23 In preparing the right. Of the sick. And the poor we which draw from. The land.

56:32 Wasn't as Christ. We are without conviction. In preparing the rising. Generation for this reality.

56:41 Let me give it to you again. Without this conviction. That persecution. And ill treatment for the sake of Christ.

56:49 Is the normal consequence. Of being a true disciple of Christ. We will be. Pathetically inept.

56:55 that will face them. I've indicated there are many, many unmistakable signs that the persecution is already becoming more bold, more explicit. Evangelical Christians marginalized, lampooned, misrepresented, etc., etc.

57:22 And I tell you what breaks my heart is to see a soft, non-persecuted, non-ill-treated, flabby evangelicalism perpetuating its brand of Christianity upon the rising generation.

57:45 ...of losing their kids,

57:48 that they are totally restructuring the very nature of Christian discipleship. And we won't have M&M's blatant, raw, crass, misogynist, woman-hating, vile, spewing stuff that take all that out! But it won't be so unlike it that if your friends were to come in, they'd know you're hip and you're with it. And being a Christian doesn't mean you challenge their music.

58:20 And furthermore, we'll give you your Christian icons. We'll give you your cute little twits. Sexy little twits. I see their pictures on the CDs!

58:32 Advertised by family bookstores! And it makes my blood boil!

58:49 For you sensed! So they know Christianity's still fun.

58:56 And they're putting in the junk food of a watered-down, anemic, a stand-in of Christianity that isn't the stuff of which martyrs are made.

59:16 This generation is being tragically betrayed. The pressures are on us to give subtle, little betrayals in this place.

59:31 In the... Christian school!

59:34 By the grace of God, we love you young people too much to deceive you! If you want the world, go and go get them and go to hell with them!

59:54 But if you want Christ, and a life of attachment to Christ, and the holiness of God in Christ, and a life of discipline, obedience to Christ, then get up! Get on board with serious, cross-bearing, Holy Spirit-empowered religion and discipleship! You're worked up, you bet I am! And I'm not blowing in the air!

60:29 That's why I subject my soul to see what's going on out there. And I keep my ear to the ground. What's going on here? And I know there's some of you young people who think I'm just a crotchety, old, not-witted man from the other generation.

60:51 I know that. I can live with that. But there's my Bible. Can you come with your Bible and show me where I'm misleading people with mine?

61:02 Until you're ready to do that, until you're ready to do that, my dear young friend, don't let anybody sell you a bill of goods. Don't let anyone. You come to Christ, everything, everything that He is, in His loveliness, in His grace, in His power, in His promises, they're all yours in Christ. But He's a Christ who invites you to take up the cross.

61:41 He invites you to leave the world, not drag it in under your skirt or under the folds of your jacket, but kiss it goodbye and say that world and its lust is perishing. It's on its way to hell. I want no part of that. I want no part of that which is doomed for destruction.

62:05 I want to leave Sodom. I don't want to drag Sodom into association with Jesus. I want to leave it. I want to leave Babylon as the world is likened in the book of the Revelation.

62:22 And I am saying, unless we older Christians, by God's grace, keep in touch with Hebrews 13.3 and make sure that our families keep in touch with Hebrews 13.3, we are going to forget that what they will face is biblical normalcy. And if we do that, they may rise up someday and curse us for our negligence.

62:56 I hope the Lord delays this coming that some of you of the younger generation that will stand by my grave plot and shed a tear and say, God, thank you that man told us the truth. We're going to see God willing, next week, another very critical aspect of this. Keeping in touch and obeying Hebrews 13.3 will be a check upon the careless, carnal indulgence of our Christian liberties.

Illustrations and Concluding Exhortation

63:30 Another tremendous burden that's on my heart. Other facets of this, but I leave you this morning with this perspective. And I want to close with two illustrations from my life history. I was actually alive in the Second World War.

63:54 And when it looked like the Nazis might subjugate Great Britain, God raised up a man pathetically out of shape physically, a rather ugly looking man with a pint of brandy in one hand and a big cigar in the other. But he galvanized the soul of a nation. And you know how he did it? After painting the picture of what was before them as a nation, he said, I offer you nothing but blood.

64:28 Sweat. Blood. And you know what that offer did? It galvanized a whole nation.

64:45 Why? Because he said, I offer you blood, sweat, and tears for the preservation of your liberties for you and for unborn generations. And for what lay before them, a whole nation cheerfully embraced blood, sweat, at the natural level. You young people are being betrayed and you're offered fun and games and more fun and more games.

65:19 What soul is galvanized for anything noble? For fun and games. But for the kingdom, for the glory of Christ, for the gathering in his elect, for the praise of his eternal name. That's something noble for which to bear blood, sweat, tears, and a cross.

65:44 And then I shall never forget the sermon by A.W. Tozer preaching on something along this lines. Total commitment to Christ.

65:53 He told the incident that was a true story from the experience of one of his sons who served on one of the carriers in the Pacific. And toward the end of the war when the Japanese were desperate and you know, they began their suicide bombing runs. And the planes would take off from Japan or from a carrier some other place in the Pacific. And the pilots would be put into a plane that had only enough fuel to reach the battle group that was their target.

66:26 And they were chained in, some of them just teenage boys. There was no turning back, no getting out. When you took off, that was it. And he told the story of how one of those suicide bombers came and began to make a run on his son's ship.

66:45 And they desperately sought to bring it down with their flak guns but they didn't. They threw their flak and it came down and hit the deck of the ship. And it bounced and came to a dead stop. The bomb was a dud.

67:01 And he said when they went and opened the cockpit they took out a shivering 16-year-old Japanese boy chained in that cockpit. And Tozer made this statement. He said when that boy left his air base there was no turning back. It was dive on the deck live or die.

67:25 And then he made this statement. He said this is what we desperately need in this hour. Chained in the cockpit, diving on the deck. Life is expendable and serious.

67:44 And then he ended his sermon with the words with which I'm going to end mine. Having said this is real Christianity he said these words and I'll never forget them. May God help you never to forget them. This let's go play business.

68:05 That's we thank you for your word. For its honesty. For the honesty of our blessed Lord Jesus. We pray for those who sit among us who think this is all a bunch of ludicrous fanaticism.

68:33 For they have never seen that need in themselves which only our blessed Savior can meet. And we pray that you would open their eyes. Show them the loveliness and desirability of Jesus. Cross and all.

68:48 That they might know the exquisite joy of sins forgiven. Liberation from bondage to this world marked for judgment. And we pray for those of our young people who are your children. Lord put something in them that will give them grace to resist all of the pressure to join the let's go play crowd.

69:13 May they be willing to be marked called any kind of name imaginable in their serious unswerving determination to be sold out for Jesus. We pray for parents and grandparents. Lord help us to be honest with the rising generation. May we be willing to run the risk to have them frown at us.

69:40 Curse us under their breath. And even lose them for a time. Help the parents Lord who sit here this morning scared witless to do anything that would turn their children against them. Deliver them from that wretched bondage.

69:54 Lord deliver them. God we pray loose them by your grace. That their attachment to Jesus will make them willing for the sword that Jesus said would come. May they not betray him because they fear the sword.

70:11 May they fear much more the frown of Jesus than the sword held in the hands of their own children. Lord we can only ask you to do this. For some of us we prayed that you would do it. You've let us feel the sword.

70:29 But we thank you. Though the sword hurts your communion and fellowship more than compensates for the point of the sword. Oh God you alone can help us. There's nothing in the climate of our age to encourage us to radical cross bearing self denying discipleship.

70:56 Everything that would nudge us and call us to take it easy. God by your grace help us. Help us. Hear our cry.

71:07 Seal your word. Effectually work to your praise and honor. For Jesus sake. Amen.

Recommended Resources for Engaging with the Persecuted Church

71:16 If this exposition of Hebrews 13 3 has persuaded you that you have a Biblical obligation to your persecuted brethren I would like to recommend materials available from two proven and reliable sources which may prove helpful in fulfilling that obligation. That information is the same as that which was given at the conclusion of the exposition of Hebrews 13 3. Those of you who have listened to the first message and taken note of that information will know that it is not necessary to listen to what now follows. The first is the ministry of Open Doors.

71:59 In all of the literature of Open Doors the words printed under the name Open Doors are these Serving Persecuted Christians Worldwide. There are three resources from Open Doors that we have found especially helpful and have made available to our congregation. The first is their monthly newsletter called Frontline Faith. Ordinarily this newsletter will highlight some particular country or individuals who are undergoing intense persecution.

72:36 The second item from Open Doors is the monthly prayer bulletin called Prayer Force Alert. This one page tri-fold item groups prayer requests by global regions with a brief request to be the focus of concern for two and sometimes for three days of the month. It is easily adapted for personal or family prayer times. Open Doors is glad to send both the monthly newsletter and the prayer alert in bulk subscriptions to your church.

73:12 The third resource of great help from Open Doors is their weekly prayer update which can be obtained by phone or email. You may contact Open Doors in the following ways. Their mailing address is Open Doors Post Office Box 27001 Santa Ana, California 92799 That's Open Doors Post Office Box 27001 Santa Ana, California 92799 Their telephone number is

73:57 1-888-524-2535 Again, that telephone number is 1-888-524-2535 Their web address is www.opendoors.org www.opendoorsusa.org

74:24 Once more, the web address is www.opendoorsusa.org The second major resource for information and related materials concerning our persecuted brethren is The Voice of the Martyrs. While Voice of the Martyrs has many helpful resources such as books and videos related to the persecuted church, I would like to recommend several items that we have found especially helpful in seeking to incorporate these concerns into the spiritual bloodstream of our congregation.

75:05 First, is their annually updated global map which has a color-coded index of the countries where persecution is more or less intense. This map is approximately 21 by 17 inches and can be framed and hung in a very prominent place as a constant reminder of our suffering brethren. The second resource from Voice of the Martyrs which is very helpful is the annual country updates. These brief synopses can be used to focus a pastoral prayer on a different country each week, thereby keeping

75:50 the circumstances and needs of our persecuted brethren before the minds and hearts of our people on a regular basis. And also, it lets visitors to our congregations know that our church and its ministry is not mired in the narrow world of just our own immediate needs, concerns and ministries, but that part of our life as a church is involvement with our suffering brethren. The third resource from Voice of the Martyrs is their monthly newsletter which is really a small magazine. It also contains a listing of the other materials such as books and videos

76:34 related to our persecuted brethren. You may contact the Voice of the Martyrs in the following ways. Their mailing address is Voice of the Martyrs Post Office Box 443 Bartlesville Oklahoma 74005 Their ordinary telephone number is area code 9183378015 area code 9183378015 area code 9183378015 area code 9183378015 area code 9183378015 area code 9183378015 area code 9183378015 area code 9183378015

77:18 If you are ordering specific materials, they have their regular order line, which is 1-800-747-0085 1-800-747-0085 That is 1-800-747-0085 1-800-747-0085 And then their regular email address is thevoiceatvom-usa.org thevoiceatvom-usa.org thevoiceatvom-usa.org Their website is www.persecution.com

77:56 The email address again is thevoiceatvom-usa.org The website www.persecution.com And then they have a special children's website, and that address is www.linkingup.com

78:28 I trust that these suggestions will be helpful in implementing the mandate of Hebrews 13.3 in your life as an individual, and if you are a leader in your church, that you will prayerfully and wisely use the stewardship, of your influence to convey these concerns to the people under your care.