Chapter six. And while you guys are turning there, I'll just kind of recap things. If you remember back up in... Earlier in chapter 6, Jesus chose his 12 disciples, or apostles per se, and in verse number 17 it says, And he came down with them and stood in the plain in the company of disciples and a great multitude of people. And there he started, he began to heal people and he began to blessed people and the virtue went out of them and he healed all of them every single person that was there and It says in verse 20 and he lifted up his eyes into the silence that blessed be Be ye poor, for yours is the kingdom of heaven. We discussed how that was the poor in spirit, realizing that they needed us, that they realized their need for a savior. In verse number 21, it says, blessed are ye that hunger now, for ye shall be filled. Those that say a hunger for the word of God, those that desire God to work in their life. And then verse number 22, it says, blessed are ye when men, 22 is where we're gonna pick up today here. It says, blessed are ye when men shall hate you, and when they shall separate you from their company and shall reproach you and shall cast your name as evil. for the Son of Man's sake, rejoice ye in that day, and leap for joy, for behold, your reward is great in heaven, for in like manner did their fathers unto the prophets. Amen? And so today we're gonna be looking at the blessings within the persecution, and here in our text it says, blessed are ye when men shall hate you, Rejoice ye in that day and leap for joy behold your reward is great in heaven right and these words are like complete opposite to like what our natural thinking is right because Nobody wants to be hated amen But Jesus says blessed are ye when men hate you right most people we we think about blessings and comfort with approval or success or just being accepted by everybody and that's how we measure our standing in life is based off of how we interact and relate to everybody else in the world but that's like the complete opposite we actually need to do. Jesus says you are blessed when you are rejected, when you're excluded, when you're lied on, when you're hated for his sake. Amen? Don't mean you could just go out here and be a horrible person and everybody hate you because you're a jerk and then just think that you're doing something for God because you're not I mean, but the thing is is that Persecution, it doesn't mean that God is against you. It means that the world recognizes that He is in you. Amen? It recognizes that this isn't like us. This is different. The fact that that is different, it offends us. And it offends us because it points to God. Amen? But here in our text, he says, blessed are ye when men shall hate you, rejoice in that day and leave for joy, for behold, your reward is great in heaven. Jesus says that persecution comes from, for the son of man's sake, in our text here, and this hatred, it's not, again, it's not about us, it's about him that's inside of us. Go with me to John chapter 15. John chapter 15. And the world don't notice Christ in you. Shame on you. John chapter 15. Verse number 18. So if the world hate you, you know that it hated me or hated me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love his own. But because you're not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you. You see that? As it says in other passages, we're pilgrims passing through, right? We're here for a purpose, that is to win the loss and to reach souls for Christ, but past that, we don't blend in. And even with that, we can't blend in because then we don't stand out enough for them to see that there's a difference in us. But here in 2 Timothy 3.12 it says, It's a given, it's gonna happen, right? He didn't belong here, amen? But he came for our sake, and we should live for his sake, amen? In Acts chapter five, let's go there, we'll skim through it. Acts chapter five, I don't really wanna read the whole thing. I'm gonna figure it out when I get there. We'll get... down. Let's go to 17, all right? So they're preaching the word of God, and people are noticing, amen, because they don't blend in, they stick out, and because it offends these people, they are upset about it. Verse number 17, it says, then the high priest rose up, and all they that were with him, which is the sect of the Sadducees, and were filled with indignation, and laid their hands on the apostles, and put them in a common prison. But the angel of the Lord, by night, opened the doors of the prison, and brought them forth, and said, go stand ye and speak in the temple, to the people all the words of this life. Amen. They were arrested for preaching the gospel. They put into prison. The angel of the Lord opened the prison doors. and told them to go preach the gospel again. Verse number 22, it says, but when the officers came and found them not in the prison, they returned and told, saying, the prison truly found we shut with all safety and the keeper standing without before the doors, but when we had opened, we found no man therein. Verse 25, it says, then they came one and told them, saying, behold, the men whom ye put in prison are standing in the temple and teaching the people. Right? And see, this is where we come with the, we'd rather obey God rather than Mammon, amen? Because if it was wrong for them to do so, God wouldn't have opened that prison door for them, right? But the fact is, is that these people, regardless of them being willing to lock these apostles up, being willing to persecute them, they still needed to hear that gospel. Amen. They still needed to get saved. They were still lost. And God's not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. And so God being who He is, showing them the grace that He does, He opens up the prison doors and allows them to go out to preach the gospel even more. Them being willing to suffer for God, suffer the persecution, suffer the affliction that these men are going to put on them for the winning of their salvation. Amen. Verse 29, I guess. Or 28, saying, did not we straightly command you that you should not teach in this name? And behold, you have filled Jerusalem with your doctrine and intend to bring this man's blood upon us. And Peter and the apostles answered and said, we ought to obey God rather than men. I gotta hit it myself, sorry. Then God and our fathers raised up Jesus, whom ye slew and hanged on a tree. Him hath God exalted with his right hand, and to be prince and savior, to give repentance to Israel and the forgiveness of sins. And we are his witnesses of these things. And so is also the Holy Ghost, whom God hath given to them that obey him. And then down here in verse number 41, it says, and they departed from the presence of the council. Hold on. 38 And now I say unto you refrain these men and let them alone for this for if this counsel or this work be of men then it will come to naught but if it be of God ye ought to ye cannot overthrow it, lest happily ye be found even to fight against God. And to him they agreed. And when they had called the apostles and beaten them and commanded them that they should not speak in the name of Jesus, let them go. And they departed from the presence of the council rejoicing. They were just put into prison. They were just beat down, right, for preaching. But they went away rejoicing. that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for his names. And daily in the temple and in every house they ceased not to teach and preach Jesus Christ. Amen. After persecution, after being beaten, after being thrown in jail, after being hunted and chased down, they still continued to preach the gospel. And they did so with joy. It says, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for the name of Christ. Their persecution, it was proof that Christ was working through them, amen? He said that it's obvious because of what they're saying, and it says, and so, or we are witnesses, and so is also the Holy Ghost. Acts chapter six and seven, if you keep going through there, it's Stephen, he was hated, he was lied about, he was dragged before the council, and he was stoned, but why? Because he is preaching the word, right? Because he reflected Christ, amen? And his words, as I said, the word of God is quick and powerful and sharper than any two-edged sword. And when that sword gets in there and it actually convicts you, you either get right or you get offended. Amen? And majority of people, they get offended because they're not willing to make the changes that God wants to see in their life. And that's that pride. And that's what keeps them from being saved. That's what keeps them from accepting Jesus. But they, Stephen was stoned to death because of it. Right? And what did he say as he was dying? Forgive them for they know not what they do. Amen? That's deep, y'all, but that's the love of God, but at the same time, in persecution, you have to understand that it's not the absence of God, it's the presence of God, amen? The fact that you are being persecuted is the fact that Christ is doing something through you, amen? Daniel chapter six, let's go there real quick. And right now we're just looking at men that have suffered persecution just for identifying with God. I'm waiting on here. Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Daniel, six. Duh, I forgot this one was this long too. Verse three, or yeah. We'll go one. It pleased Darius to set over the kingdom 120 princes, which should be over the whole kingdom and the whole these three presidents of whom Daniel was first. All right, so Daniel, he's president of the kingdom. Says that the princes might give accounts unto them and the king should have no damage. Then this Daniel was preferred above the presidents and the princes because an excellent spirit was in him. And the king thought to set him over the whole realm. Then the presidents and the princes sought to find occasion against Daniel Concerning the kingdom what so what was their problem? Why do they want to find something wrong with Daniel? Well, not just that but he was before them, right? The king, he acknowledged him before he did them, and so it offended them, because who is Daniel, right? But it said that Daniel was preferred above the presidents because of his excellent spirit that was in him. Because of God, and as Brother Wilhelm said, because it's a different God than the God that they held to. In verse number... So they go before the king, and they try to say something that there's wrong with Daniel, and they come up with this scheme on how they can catch Daniel doing something wrong, and I think it's in verse number 16 here. It says, then the king commanded, and they brought Daniel, or hold on. Where is that at? Decree, decree, decree, decree. It's 12. Then they came near and spake before the king concerning the king's decree. Hast not thou signed a decree that "'Every man that shall ask a petition of any God "'or man within 30 days, save thee, O king, "'shall be cast into the den of lions.'" And that was these men's lie, thinking that this was gonna bring some kind of prideful glory to the king, and he agreed to it and signed it. It says, "'Then answered they and said, "'Before the king that Daniel, "'which is of the children of captivity of Judah, "'regardeth not thee, O king, "'nor the decree that thou hast signed, "'but maketh his petition, three times a day right Daniel was praying three times a day and he wasn't praying to a king he's praying to the king amen in verse number 16 it says then the king commanded that they brought Daniel and cast him into the den of lions now the king spake and said unto Daniel thy God whom thou service continually he will deliver thee right the king loved Daniel but at the same time he he did say this so he had a hold to that And this is where the persecution on Daniel came because he didn't do nothing wrong. He followed God and so God put him in a high position. And because he was in that high position and he served the true God, these men hated him. And because they hated him, they tricked the king into making this decree that would catch Daniel praying to God instead of praying to the king or bowing to the king. And because the king had signed that, he had to deliver on that. right which is putting uh daniel in the lions den verse 20 it says and when he came to the lion's den this is after he cast daniel into the lion's den this is the king coming to the lion's den with the he cried he cried with a lamentable voice unto daniel for uh the king's sake and said to daniel oh daniel servant of the living god is thy god whom thou service continually able to deliver thee from the lions then said daniel unto the king, O king, live forever. My God has set his angel, and has shut the lion's mouth, and they have not hurt me for as much as before me him innocency was found in me, and also before thee, O king, I have done no hurt. Then was the king exceeding glad for him, and commanded they should take Daniel up out of the den. So Daniel was taken up out of the den, and no manner of hurt was found upon him, because he believed in his God. Amen. It's persecution. But notice that when you are persecuted, yeah, things happen, but God didn't leave him alone. Amen. The same thing with Stephen being stoned. You're like, man, God abandoned him and let him be stoned to death. Stephen died with comfort in his heart. Amen. Enough comfort that he knew that he was dying for something worthy, that he knew that we'd be reading about that testimony over 2,000 years later. Amen. And Daniel died, or Stephen died with that, with enough comfort to be able to pray for the very people that are stoning him, that are trying to kill him, for the very people that he was trying to help, amen? And so this persecution tells us that we belong to God, but it also does something else inside of us here. It says that persecution, it purifies and it strengthens our faith, amen? When we actually suffer something for God's sake, that confirms in us with the Holy Spirit that yeah, we're doing something right, amen? And God uses this to strengthen us. And go to 1 Peter chapter one. 1 Peter chapter one, oh, I'm way off. I've been in my Bible a lot lately. I got a lot of tabs and papers and placeholders and it's messing me up at the moment. 1 Peter chapter 1 verse 6. says wherein you greatly rejoice though now for a season if need be you are in heaviness through manifold temptations that your trial that the trial of your faith being much more precious than of gold that perishes though it be tried with fire amen that's that persecution though it be tried with fire might be found unto praise and honor and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ, amen? This is how these trials, they purify our faith. This is much more precious than gold, right? Much more precious than anything that we can get in this world is the growing of our faith. Because what happens when our faith is grown? When we grow closer to God, what happens? It affects other people, praise God. Go to James chapter one. Next book here left, James chapter one, verse number two. It says, my brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into diverse temptations, knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. What's so good about patience? It says, let patience have her perfect work in you, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing. Verse five, if any man lack wisdom, Let him ask of God, right? This is where it comes from. It says, my brethren, count all joy when you fall into diverse temptations. Knowing this is a trying of your faith, work with patience. What is patience? Patience is wisdom. That's where patience comes from, or where wisdom comes from. If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, and give it to all men liberally, and abradeth it not, and it shall be given to him. But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind is tossed. Go to Romans chapter five. Verse number three. says, and not only so, but we glory in tribulations also, knowing that tribulation worketh patience. Huh, we just read about that, didn't we? And patience, experience, and experience hope. The experience, that's that wisdom. Patient, experience, experience hope. In verse five it says, and hope maketh not ashamed. Amen. being persecuted, it takes a lot to not retract what you just said, or to, I really didn't mean that, or I didn't mean it that way, or let's change the word of God to make sure that our sin works in there and it's not that bad, right? We've all sinned, yeah? My sin is no different than your sin. So that means the sin is acceptable, don't it? No, it means we're both wrong and we both need to get right. Amen? Regardless what it is. Verse 5 says, Amen. It's tribulation. It produces this, the... endurance for hope, being able to endure what is being afflicted upon you, being able to stand fast in what you believe in. In Genesis, I'm not gonna go there, but we learn about Joseph, right? And you think about Joseph, and he was betrayed and falsely accused and imprisoned, yet in every trial or every form of tribulation that he faced, what was the common thing that was said about him? Stayed faithful. There's a verse. What is it? Close. The common verse is, and the Lord was with Joseph. right that's the kind of verse throughout that whole it's like 37 to 50 or something like that in genesis where it's talking about joseph and his life from the time that he was thrown into that pit the lord was with joseph to the point that he was sold into slavery the lord was with joseph to when he was falsely when he became a slave and he was a Imprisoned even, as a slave, so now he's a slave in prison and the Lord was with Joseph. Then when he was given a job out of prison, the Lord was with Joseph. And when he was thrown back into prison for being falsely accused, the Lord was with Joseph. Amen? Persecuted over and over and over and over again. Joseph was locked up for like 13 years. And the thing is is that the Lord was with Joseph and his faith never wavered. And think about how many people that Joseph affected during that time. We know a few. I mean, the butler and the cupbearer. I mean, I assume that Pharaoh's wife had some kind of effect for sure. And then, I mean, Pharaoh, he accepted him and made him king over everything. And I mean, we see it over and over again. Job. But the thing about him, you can't think of a more persecuted brother in the Bible other than Christ. I mean, he went through it. He lost everything. Satan attacked his health, his family, his finances, every bit of it. Took everything from him. He even started messing with his body and poisoning his skin. I mean, Job was falling apart, but he came out with a deeper relationship with God, amen? Because his faith never wavered in it. In Job 23, 10, and this is while he's in the midst of the fire here, he says, but he knoweth the way that I take. The Lord wasn't talking to him, he wasn't answering him. He's letting him handle it on his own to exercise his faith, to be able to grow him, to be able to strengthen him. So the Lord took his hands off of him. Job couldn't find him, but in verse 23, or chapter 23, 10, he says, but he knoweth the way that I take. He's not answering me right now. He's not hearing me right now. He's not working in my life right now. But he knoweth the way that I take. And when he hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold. He planned to stay faithful. And that's the same way we gotta be. We have to plan to stay faithful in any kind of trial or persecutions or these tribulations or even the test that we endure to increase our faith. It's important that we stay faithful just as Job did, because he said, when he hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold. He was still in the midst of it, but he was still planning to stay faithful, amen? Paul, and let's go to 2 Corinthians. And y'all, the good thing about the Bible is is that Like we try to say, oh, well, everything is not in the Bible that we deal with. You're right. But everything that is in the Bible is worse than what we will deal with. Amen. These people, they suffer things such as like we did, but in a more intense fashion and a longer duration of time. And because we could see, God allowed this to happen so that we can, because he knew these men would be faithful enough, but also because so that we can relate that to our life. Amen. One, our life isn't that bad. right but two if it does get that bad we have examples scripturally to be able to follow of how to deal with these things and to help to solidify our faith and that god is going to come through amen uh where were you second corinthian 12 my bad i didn't tell you that second corinthians 12 um Go six. Says, for though I would desire to glory, I shall not be a fool. For I will say the truth, but now I forbear, lest any man should think of me above that which he seeth me to be. or they heareth me to be, right? Don't follow Paul, amen? I don't care what the Catholic Church says. Don't pray to Paul, don't worship Paul, don't go after Paul, because Paul don't even want that. Verse seven, and lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, right? Lest I should be exalted for doing the work of God, amen? For God working in me, lest I should be exalted It says, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure. For this thing, I besought the Lord thrice that he might depart it from me. And he said unto me, my grace is sufficient for thee, for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly, therefore, will I glory in my infirmities that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore, I take pleasure in infirmities and reproaches and necessities and persecutions and distresses for Christ's sake. For when I am weak, then am I strong. Amen. See, Paul, he had a lot of reasons to be prideful. He had a lot of reasons for men to praise him and to worship him. You think about that. I mean, I know people that in this church, other churches, whatever, there is this pastor, there is this preacher that they just idolize with all their heart and they follow his every steps and watch every sermon and they call him, they text him, they do all these things, but the thing is, is that Nobody should want that. Amen. And God doesn't tell us to do that. It's just like when these men, the angels came before them, they tried to bow to the angels. They're like, no, don't bow to me. I'm nobody. I'm a messenger just like you are. Amen. We're messengers. But he says, I take pleasure in the infirmities, and reproaches, and necessities, and persecutions, and distresses for Christ's sake. For when I am weak, then am I strong. Amen? Because when we are beat down, when we are in need of God, then God is able to do anything, do something. Amen? Because blessed are the poor in spirit. This persecution is not meant to destroy you, it's meant to grow you, amen? And this drives us closer to God, and as we've seen there in Job, the fire, it purifies, it's gold, amen? That's how gold is purified, it has to go into the furnace, amen? That's how your faith is strengthened, it has to go into the furnace, amen? But Jesus, he doesn't just say persecution purifies, he says that it'll also be rewarded. In our text it says that great is your reward in heaven. Matthew 5 12 says rejoice and be exceeding glad for great is your reward in heaven Go to 2nd Corinthians 2 or 4 Great is your reward in heaven not mediocre not small not you got a little something there. He says great 2nd Corinthians 4 Verse number eight says, now you are full, now you are rich. You have reigned as kings without us in, hold on. No, where am I at? Second Corinthians four. Oh, I'm at first Corinthians four. Hold on, I'll be there, I'm at first Corinthians. Hold on. Second Corinthians four, verse number eight. Says, we are troubled on every side, yet not distressed. We are perplexed, but not in despair. Again, these are men that are in the midst of persecution. Amen, they are serving the Lord and they are suffering for it. He says, we are troubled on every side, yet not distressed. Right, we're not even worried about it. Everybody's after us, everybody's targeting us. Nobody is accepting us, but we're not distressed. We are perplexed, confused really. We don't know why these people aren't accepting Christ. We don't know what they are upset about. We are perplexed. but not in despair. We're not gonna give up. Persecuted, but not forsaken, amen? Just like everybody else we read about. Persecuted, but not forsaken. He says, cast down, but not destroyed. Always bearing about the body in the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body. For we which live are always delivered unto death for Jesus' sake, amen? Like worst thing that's gonna happen is we're gonna go to heaven, right? we're already delivered from death it says that that the life also of jesus might be made manifest in our mortal flesh so then death worketh in us but life in you we have man that is Deep right there. Death worketh in us, right? Death is coming for them. Amen? These men, they are trying to kill them. They're trying to hunt them down. They are after them. It says, death worketh in us, but life in you. The words here we are preaching is life in you. The death that you are trying to give us is because of the life that we're trying to give you. Verse 13, it says, we having the same spirit of faith, according to as it is written, I believe and therefore have I spoken, we also believe and therefore speak, knowing that he which raised up the Lord Jesus shall raise up also by Jesus and shall present us with you. For all things are for your sake, that the abundant grace might through the thanksgiving and many redound to the glory of God, for which cause we faint not. Why are they faithful? Why aren't they fainting? For the glory of God. It says, for we faint not, but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day. Amen? You could be beat up, you could be wore down, you could be locked up, but at the same time, that spirit does something within you, amen? Verse 17 says, for our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a more exceeding and eternal weight of glory. Amen praise God for his word y'all this excites me. Um, go to Hebrews 11 Hebrews 11 verse number 24 by faith when Moses come to years right you guys remember Moses right he was he was about to be slaughtered so his mom threw him in a basket in the river Pharaoh's daughter picked him up started taking care of him pulled him out of the river started taking care of him he grew up in in the in the palace of Egypt there it says by faith Moses when he was born or yeah go back up 23 was hit at three months of his parents because they saw that he was a proper child and they were not afraid of the king's commandment verse 24 says by faith moses when he was come to years when he was old enough to make that decision on his own refused to be called the son of pharaoh's daughter but rather but choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of god than to enjoy pleasure and sin for a season. Amen. Moses, he was a slave child, but then he was given a golden ticket. Amen. He was in the palace. He was the Pharaoh's daughter. He would have grown and had a perfect, blessed life. but says, choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God than to enjoy the pleasure of the sin for a season. Amen. Moses chose suffering with people of God because he looked beyond Egypt and he looked at that eternal reward, amen. He seen what was going to happen, what God was going to do, what God wanted to do, because he was right with God. Luke chapter 6 in our text here says rejoice ye in that day and leap for joy for behold your reward is great in heaven for in like manner did the did their fathers unto the prophets right sometimes we have to really look at the eternal weight of things that we're doing right we get real caught up in ourselves we get real caught up in our life and our desires and our wants and our what our what we want, but y'all have to really think 500 years from now, is what you are working for, working on, struggling to attain, does that matter at all? Even if Christ didn't come back within the next 500 years, is what you are doing going to affect somebody else's eternity positively? Amen? Yeah. Go to Revelation chapter 7. I'm going to kind of skim through this here. Oh, I missed my point there. Luke 6.23, it says, by serving God, amen? And just like in, I think it's Hebrews 11 or 12, it says, we are compassed about, or therefore being compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, right? These are the cloud of witnesses are the saints that went before us, the ones that did what we are doing, the ones that suffer for Christ's sake, the ones who was trying to reach the world with the gospel and endured all things. He tells us that we're partakers with them. Revelation chapter 7 verse 1 we're gonna go 1 through 3 and then 9 through the rest or 17 says and after these things I saw four angels standing in the four corners of the earth holding the four winds of the earth that the wind should not blow on the earth nor on the sea nor any tree that's really cool no wind anywhere in the whole world And I saw another angel ascending from the east, having the seal of the living God, and he cried with a loud voice to the four angels and to whom it was given to hurt the earth and the sea, saying, hurt not the earth, neither the sea, nor the trees, till we have sealed the servants of God in their foreheads. And I heard the number of them which were sealed, and there were sealed 144,000 in all the tribes of the children of Israel. Who were these 144,000? They were witnesses. They were the faithful. Amen. They were the chosen ones. Here, go to verse number nine. It says, and the rest of that there, it just tells you where those 12 from here, 12 from here, 12 from here, or 12,000 from here, 12,000 from here, 12,000 from here. It says, in verse 9, it says, And after this I beheld, and lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all the nations, and the kindred of the people, and the tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, and palms in their hands, and cried with a loud voice, saying, Salvation to our God, which sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb. And all the angels stood round about the throne, and about the elders, and the four beasts fell before the throne on their faces and worshipped God, saying, Amen, blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and might be unto God forever and ever. Amen. And one of the elders answered, saying unto me, what are these which are arrayed in white robes, and whence came they? And I said unto him, sir, thou knowest. And he said unto me, these are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the lamb. Therefore are they before the throne of God, and serve him day and night in his temple, and he sitteth on the throne, shall dwell among them. Amen. That's the desire for every Christian, ain't it? To be accepted into the kingdom of God. I mean, we're going to be accepted into the kingdom of God by the grace of God through the blood of Jesus Christ. Amen. But to hear that well done. Amen. To know that we didn't take the blood of Christ in vain. Amen. To know that we walk worthy of the vocation wherewith we are called. It says, verse 16, it says, they shall hunger no more, neither shall they thirst anymore, neither shall the sun light on them, nor any heat, for the land which is in the midst of the throne shall feed them, and shall lead them unto living fountains of waters, and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes, amen. That's good stuff, y'all. They were persecuted, these are persecuted believers that stood before the throne. clothed in white, eternally rewarded, and even has God himself serving them. Amen? Y'all, we got a lot to look forward to, and we are truly more blessed than what we can even fathom. But we have work to do here, amen? The devil's real good at distracting us and making us think that we need these ambitions and these desires and we gotta have this job and we gotta do this and we gotta do these things and I mean, we really don't. We really don't. God provides for every single thing. The more faithful that you are to him, the more he will do with you. but we have to be willing to abandon the world to do so, amen? And here we see the world, it doesn't reward you. I mean, people, we don't need to seek people to applaud for us. There's no reason for that, because there's one that we are trying to impress. There's one that is going to judge us. There's one that is going to judge them, the people that we are trying to get applause from. Do you want to get applause for them, or do you want to stand here while God casts them into the lake of fire and says, depart from me, for I never knew you? They're not going to applaud you then, are they? The things, yeah, we'll just move on. This is going to bring us to the command that Jesus tells us how to respond to persecution here in our text. He says in Luke 6, He says, Rejoice ye in that day and leap for joy. Amen. When you know that you're being used by God, that should excite you. Amen? That should make you want to do it more. Amen? That should encourage you. He doesn't say complain and fight back. He says rejoice, because persecution is proof that you're doing the right thing. Amen? Go to Acts chapter 16. We're almost done, Pastor G. Don't worry. Got to have somebody in the front row with the clock. Now we're looking at Paul and Silas here talking about rejoicing and persecution. Amen. Well, the Acts chapter 16 verse number 16 says, and it came to pass that they went, went to prayer. Yeah, sorry. A certain damsel possessed with a spear and divination met with us, which brought her masters much gain by soothsaying. All right, you guys understand what's going on here? She's this, what do you call him? Kind of, kind of, yeah, okay, yeah, we'll go with that. And so she's making her masters, these people are going to them, they're paying to hear what she has to say, it's all, demon possession and garbage, but at the same time it's making these people money. It says in verse 17, the same followed Paul and us, and Christ saying, these men are the servants of the most high God. Notice that also, it says that, you know how it talks about, what is it? knowing that Jesus is God, it says that the devils know and they tremble, like knowing that God exists isn't enough as to have a relationship with him. But this woman who is obviously demon possessed, it says that these men are servants of the Most High God. Still bows to Jesus, amen. Says, with showing to us the way of salvation. Horrible thing, right? This is horrible. These men, they're servants of the Most High God with showing to us salvation. Verse 18, and this did she many days, but Paul was grieved, turned and said to the Spirit, I command thee in the name of Jesus to come out of her. And he came out the same hour. It says that when her masters saw that their hope of their gains was gone, they caught Paul and Silas and drew them into the marketplace unto the rulers and brought them to magistrates saying, these men being Jews do exceeding do exceedingly trouble our city what have they done they preach the word they cast out some devils says, and brought them unto the magistrates, saying, These men and Jews do exceedingly trouble our city, and teach customs which are not lawful for us to receive, neither to observe, being Romans. And the multitude rose up together against them, and the magistrates ran off their clothes, and commanded to beat them. And when they had laid many stripes upon them, they cast them into prison. You know what stripes are? Yes, that's from a whip. All right, so they beat them and they whip them and it says it and when they had laid many stripes on them cast them into prison Beaten whip thrown into prison for Casting a devil out of this woman and preaching the gospel, right? Oh but here we go says who uh where we at and when they had laid many stripes upon them they cast him into prison charging the jailer to keep them safely who having received such a charge thrust them into the inner prison and made their feet fastened into stocks check this out and at midnight paul and silas prayed and sang praises unto god and prisoners heard them why are they singing Why are they praising God? Because God is being glorified, amen? Because people seen them cast that devil out of that woman, right? People heard them preaching the gospel. These jailers, they know who they are and why they are there. Says, in that midnight Paul and Silas prayed and sang praises unto God and the prisoners heard them. The prisoners that are in jail, they needed to hear the gospel too, didn't they? Amen. So then suddenly there was a great earthquake. So that the foundations of the prison were shaken and immediately the doors were opened and everyone's bands were loosed. And the keeper of the prison, waking out of his sleep and seeing the prison doors open, he drew out the sword that he would have killed himself, supposing that the prisoners had been fled. But Paul cried with a loud voice saying, do thyself no harm for we are all here. Then he called, for the light, and sprang in, and came trembling, and fell down before Paul and Silas, and brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved? Amen. Not only did that woman need a devil cast out of her, but the city needed to see their worst, amen? And although they were persecuted, somebody in that city was affected. They were thrown into jail, they were persecuted, they were punished, they were weeped, they were beaten, but these prisoners, they needed to hear the gospel too, amen? And so God used them for that. I mean, they were handcuffed in the center of the jail, right? The outside, you might be able to sneak out a window or dig under a wall or something, but in the center of the jail, you're not getting out. But the fact is that guard was ready to hear the gospel also, and he wasn't gonna hear it. Amen? So our light affliction, amen, has a far more exceeding way to glory. It's hard to tell how many people were saved in this passage here, but the next passage, it talks about they went to the jailer's house and his house got saved also. It's good stuff, y'all. It's worth it. It's worth everything that is thrown our way. It's worth it to endure for the cross sake. Go to first Peter. We're almost done. First Peter chapter four. Sorry, my notes look a lot shorter than this. 12 or no, yes. Verse 12, it says, Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you. Amen, they probably thought it was pretty strange being beaten for preaching the word of God. Am I doing this right? Should I have said that, right? They probably thought it was pretty strange being whipped. They probably thought it was pretty strange being thrown into prison, right? It says, Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you. but rejoice in as much as ye are partakers of Christ's suffering, that when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy. If ye be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are ye, for the spirit of glory and of God rested upon you. On their part he is evil spoken of, but on your part he is glorified. Amen. Go to Hebrews 12. Oh, I knew I had that in there. Hebrews 12, verse one, it says, Wherefore, seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight of sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus the author and the finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross. Amen, what was that joy that was set before Christ? What was the reason he came to endure the cross? to save us, to redeem us, that he might see us in heaven, amen. The joy that was set before him, he left heaven, he came to earth, he was rejected by everybody, he was beaten, he was spit upon, his beard was plucked out, they placed a crown of thorns on his head, they whipped him just so they could put a robe on him, just so they could rip it off, so they could nail him to a cross. He endured that for the joy that was set before him, which is us. Yes, sir. Says, who had the joy that was set before him, he endured the cross, despising the shame, and sat down on the right hand of the throne of God, amen? For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds. Regardless of what kind of persecution, regardless of what we are dealing with, we can have faith in knowing that just as Jesus did, that we will sit down by the throne of God. Amen, that we are going to be there one day. Jesus himself, he endured the cross for the joy that was set before him. He rejoiced because he saw beyond the suffering that he was enduring at the time. And he saw the salvation of the world. And when we're faced with persecution, we have to lift up our heads because it means that Christ is glorified, amen. And just as like Stephen's saying, I mean, the rewards are coming. Like, I mean, we're laying up treasure in heaven. I mean, y'all, there's, it's so important that we're faithful to God because the things that we are distracted by are not that important. And persecution is painful, but it's not pointless. Jesus says, blessed are ye when they hate you and exclude you and insult you and reject you. But why? because it identifies you with Christ, amen? It strengthens your faith and it makes sure that your relationship with the Lord grows and that people notice, they notice when you take a stand. It's important, like, if everything looks hunky-dory and blends in with everybody else, nobody notices, right? Because it's normal. But something that stands out, that's something to take notice of. And many will reject it, but some will accept it, amen? In Luke 6.23 it says, Rejoice ye in that day, and leap for joy, for great is your reward in heaven. Persecution, it's not, again, it's not the sign of God's absence, it's the sign of God's presence. Amen, that means that you are filled with the spirit, that means that you are on the right track. And if you're not being rejected, if you're not, I mean, It says, you shall suffer persecution. It's going to happen if you're doing anything for God. Amen? But praise God for that. Amen? What do you got, brother? I just had a question. I'm not going to be careful how I phrase this, but when the Lord was on the cross, and he said, Father, why have you forsaken me? Did his weight pay the waiver for any time? Or did he believe, or he said, it is finished? He's got to be in the abandonment for a few days because of sin. Now, I mean, the thing is that Jesus had that relationship, you know, and just like we know that when we just as I said about Joe, whenever he was praying to God, and God kind of took his hand off of him, let him deal with it. Right. And it's kind of the same thing when when Jesus said, Why have you forsaken me? He he felt that That communication with God wasn't there at that moment, right? And that's because God had to step back. He literally, he turned his back on the sin and Christ suffered. And y'all, that is definitely probably the biggest part of Christ's suffering, honestly, is the father, he had to let him go at that point. But at the same time, yeah, at the same time, man, he bowed his head, he gave up the ghost, the earthquake, the skies got dark. I mean, people rose up out the ground. God definitely put a stamp of approval on that, not to mention he rose again three days later, amen? Amen. Praise God. We'll go ahead and pray and be done. Lord God, we thank you so much for today. We thank you for your word, Lord. We thank you for the men that went before us, Lord, and the women. And we can see their faithfulness, Father, and we can appreciate what they endured for our sake, Lord, and for our future sake and our kids' sake, Lord. And God, I pray that you may help us to stay accountable, Lord, to be willing to lead others to the cross, God, regardless of what it may cost us, Father, that we may have assurance in knowing that regardless of where it goes, Father, that you are with us, you will never leave us nor forsake us, Father, and that you will always work things out for your own glory. And Lord, I just pray that we may just bring honor and glory to your holy name. I pray this in the name of Jesus, amen.