Persecution is Confirmation

I remember the first time I experienced persecution. It was nothing like what people in other parts of the world face. It was really nothing much at all. I was 17. I didn’t do anything like take a stand for Jesus publicly (that happened later). I just stopped doing the things my friends were doing. God had convicted me of sin and I was tired of compromise. You know, going to the parties, using the language, making fun of others, laughing at the jokes, and basically going along with all the things I knew weren’t right. It didn’t take long for my "friends" to notice. I remember a girl telling me I wasn’t fun any more. I realized I was no longer in on the jokes, I was the brunt of them. One morning I opened my locker to get my books when I noticed everyone laughing. Then I saw that someone had taped a porn magazine centerfold inside my locker door. Yeah, that hurt. It got worse. My “friends” would sometimes dedicate songs on WOKI (Knoxville's popular top-40 radio station back then) to me like, “Goody two-shoes” and “Only the good die young.” I was hurt and mad. I remember telling my father about it wanting him to share my anger. He smiled and congratulated me! "I'm so proud of you, son! Persecution is Confirmation!" he said.

When was the first time you experienced persecution? What was it like? Let's remember what persecution is. Persecution is not just anything negative that happens to you. It's not (on the other extreme) only getting your head cut off by Isis, either. Persecution is taking a personal hit because of Jesus. And that's normative for the Christian experience. Paul wrote (2 Tim. 3:12), “Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.” Jesus said (John 15:20), “If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you.”

Acts 4 begins with the pandemonium that ensued after Peter and John healed a man that everyone knew had been born with a severe disability. This miracle resulted in 5000 men believing and confessing Christ. As you might imagine, this got the attention of the elite Jewish establishment.
“The priests and the captain of the temple and the Sadducees came upon them, greatly annoyed because they were teaching the people and proclaiming in Jesus the resurrection from the dead” (Acts 4:1-2). John and Peter were arrested and spent the night in jail. It was the first example of persecution in the church era. And it wasn't over. The next day the Sanhedrin—the same establishment power players that schemed to put Jesus to death a little over a month earlier—came together in court to determine what to do with these upstart interlopers. Think of how intimidating this must have been! “And when they had set them in the midst, they inquired, 'By what power or by what name did you do this?'” (Acts 4:7) They're wanting to know who gave them the right to do what they were doing. This was a bit of a trick question, because the only ones (they thought) who could give them the right were in that room! These guys were the establishment! Generations had worked to secure their power! Listen to the answer in Acts 4:8-11: "Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, “Rulers of the people and elders, if we are being examined today concerning a good deed done to a crippled man, by what means this man has been healed, let it be known to all of you and to all the people of Israel that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead—by him this man is standing before you well. This Jesus is the stone that was rejected by you, the builders, which has become the cornerstone" (quoting Psalm 118:2). Now listen to his big ending in verse 12: “And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.” Did you read what he said? There is no other name. No other way. He got what Jesus had taught. Like in John 14:6 "Jesus said, I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." There is no other way to get to God than through Jesus.

Well, the elitists were impressed (at least with their courage):

"Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated, common men, they were astonished. And they recognized that they had been with Jesus" (Acts 4:13). Wow. I want that to be said of me. Having been with Jesus overcomes any lack of intelligence, eloquence, or education. That's pretty great.

The Jewish leaders were stuck. They couldn't deny the great miracle that had taken place, but they had to somehow stem the growth of this movement. After deliberating, Acts 4:18-21 says they “charged them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus. But Peter and John answered them,

“Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you rather than to God, you must judge, for we cannot but speak of what we have seen and heard.' And when they had further threatened them, they let them go, finding no way to punish them, because of the people, for all were praising God for what had happened.”

So, after a night in jail, a chance to proclaim Jesus to the most powerful Jews in the world, and having been threatened to stop talking about Jesus. How do you think they responded? How would you have responded?

Well, they went back to their friends—the other believers—the church, and told them what had happened. Then they all prayed together. They realized that this persecution is exactly what the Bible predicted would happen to the Messiah...and thus, to his followers. But they professed their trust in God who is in control of all things, and they asked God to "grant to your servants to continue to speak your word with all boldness" (Acts 4:29). What a prayer! There was no hint of growing faint. No possibility of retreat. “And when they had prayed, the place in which they were gathered together was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and continued to speak the word of God with boldness” (4:30). Wow!

So what?
• Show you’ve been with Jesus. By your boldness & courage, or because of your faith that all will turn out ok. Or perhaps because of your integrity when everyone else is doing what’s wrong...or your uncommon love for people who are hard to like, or your kindness, or peace, or other fruits of the Spirit. Maybe you show Jesus in the way you work & give your all with honesty & excellence. Can people tell you’ve been with Jesus? They can if you’re filled with the Spirit. Ask him to fill you each day! Of course it helps if you actually spend time with him.

• Rejoice when you are persecuted! Jesus said (Mt.5:10-12) “Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.” Rejoice with others. Persecution is confirmation...confirmation you really are a follower of Jesus.

• Pray for those who persecute you. They’re not rejecting you, they’re rejecting the Cornerstone. Less than two months earlier Jesus quoted the following to the same leaders who persecuted Peter and John: (Matthew 21:44) “The one who falls on this stone will be broken to pieces; and when it falls on anyone, it will crush him.” There are consequences to rejecting Jesus. So pray for them!

• Be bold. Don't be a jerk or offensive. Don’t bait people. Those are different—and sinful. In 1 Peter 3:15, the same Peter wrote, "Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness & respect."  God will give you opportunities. Be prepared. He'll give you the words to say, and the courage to say it.

Marvelous Faith

Right after preaching the famous sermon on the plain, Jesus wants those who follow him to "get" something important, and an opportunity presents itself.

Luke 7: ¹After he had finished all his sayings in the hearing of the people, he entered Capernaum. ²Now a centurion…

I want to tell you about centurions. They were not mere Roman soldiers, they were enlisted men who had worked themselves up through the ranks to be in charge of 100 men. They were not just political brown-nosers, they were elite fighting men who were not to be trifled with. Their pay was significant. Using today’s numbers, the average private in the U.S. Army is paid $18200 per year. By that standard, the common centurion made $364,000 a year (some made 2-4 times that)! To attain this rank and honor, one must be proven in combat or in martial arts to exhibit skill and courage, have a record of obedience, and show leadership. According to historians, these men were the backbone of the Roman legions. In short, they were the special forces of the greatest army in the world, and were spread out to lead the others by example. They were serious, ambitious, professional soldiers. In occupied territories, centurions were often the military governors of a town or area. They were feared and often hated by those subjected to them. They were not known for having compassion. They wore a flashy helmet and a breastplate covered with silver medallions—war medals for valor. They were important, and they knew it. And they usually had utter disdain for those conquered.

Now you can better appreciate this story.

Because this centurion’s different.

²Now a centurion had a servant who was sick and at the point of death, who was highly valued by him. 

Usually these servants (the word is often translated, “slave”) were pressed into service against their will from among the conquered people and treated like dirt. We really don’t know much more about the servant. Matthew reveals he’s male, and that he was “lying paralyzed” and “suffered terribly.” Dr. Luke’s diagnosis is that he was near death. What is amazing is that the centurion actually cares about this servant. Highly unusual! 

³When the centurion heard about Jesus, he sent to him elders of the Jews, asking him to come and heal his servant. 

Now we see that this important Roman officer had heard about this Jewish itinerate preacher/healer and believed Jesus was for real. He moves on behalf of his servant, not himself. The “elders” was a group made up of some patriarchs from the town, the ruler of synagogue or religious leaders, and perhaps other important or wealthy men. That they would come on his behalf is quite unusual! But something else odd happened: 

⁴And when they came to Jesus, they pleaded with him earnestly, saying, “He is worthy to have you do this for him, ⁵for he loves our nation, and he is the one who built us our synagogue.”  

This is remarkable. Even these Jewish leaders, who were typically proud of their own righteousness and disdainful of others (especially Gentiles, and particularly leaders in the military that subdued them) recognize this guy isn’t your average centurion. By their own words, this guy actually lives out some of the things Jesus had just said his followers should do: love enemies, be selfless, generous, about others. 

⁶And Jesus went with them. 

On the heels of his sermon, Jesus himself seems to be demonstrating radical love for enemies. So he agrees to go help this Gentile soldier. While walking across town, we infer the centurion gets word that Jesus is actually coming. At this point you’d think he’d be thrilled, but he’s not: 

When [Jesus] was not far from the house, the centurion sent friends, saying to him, “Lord, do not trouble yourself, for I am not worthy to have you come under my roof. ⁷Therefore I did not presume to come to you. But say the word, and let my servant be healed. ⁸For I too am a man set under authority, with soldiers under me: and I say to one, ‘Go,’ and he goes; and to another, ‘Come,’ and he comes; and to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.”  

Did you catch that? He called him Lord, he shows incredible understanding of his own sinfulness, and he totally gets Jesus’ authority and power. He never blinks about whether Jesus can do this. He simply believes, and doesn’t think Jesus even needs to be present to make it happen. What was Jesus’ reaction? He is seriously impressed!

⁹When Jesus heard these things, he marveled at him, 

The word translated, “marveled” is only used three time regarding Jesus. Two of these are with this story about this centurion (Matthew uses it, too). The other is when Jesus marvels at the people of his home town regarding their LACK of faith [Mk. 6:6]. But here Jesus is impressed. And he makes a big deal of it: 

and turning to the crowd that followed him, said, “I tell you, not even in Israel have I found such faith.” ¹⁰And when those who had been sent returned to the house, they found the servant well.

There’s a lot of good that can be said about this Gentile centurion: He loved his servant. He loved the Jews and demonstrated it. He shows humility (I am not worthy), and based only on what he’s heard, he has a correct understanding of Christ's authority and identity. All that is good. but it's his faith that Jesus focuses on as marvelous.

This should be our focus too—the kind of faith Jesus desires. Here are 3 key aspects of faith that the Bible teaches:

1. Faith defined: 

Hebrews 11:1 reads, “Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.” That's more than mere hope. That’s being sure of what you hope for. That’s being certain of what you haven’t seen. That’s what we observe in this centurion who never saw Jesus yet believed he had the power and authority to heal his servant—in absentia! He simply believed! By the way, the Greek word translated “faith” is pistis, and the word translated “believe” is pisteuō. Yes, they have the same root. To have faith is to believe. 

2. Faith is necessary for a relationship with God: 

Hebrews 11:6 “And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.”

That’s because faith overrides all barriers, real and imagined. This centurion was a Gentile. Most Jews would have said that he was beyond saving. What’s a bigger problem is that he was a sinner (as we all are). Even the most serious Jews were separated from God by their sin, because good works do not save. But no one is beyond saving who has faith. 

Galatians 2: ¹⁵We ourselves are Jews by birth and not Gentile sinners; ¹⁶yet we know that a person is not justified by works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ, so we also have believed in Christ Jesus, in order to be justified by faith in Christ and not by works of the law, because by works of the law no one will be justified. 

And just in case that’s not clear enough, read Ephesians 2:8: For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God. Of course grace is God’s gift. But I believe faith is too. Faith is the means by which God’s grace is applied. Grace through faith. No one is an outsider to Christ if he/she has faith. 

“Wait,” some are saying, “I just struggle with believing.” In Mark 9: There’s a dad who’s son is demon possessed. He is desperate for Jesus to heal him. He says to Jesus: “²²But if you can do anything, have compassion on us and help us.” ²³And Jesus said to him, “‘If you can’! All things are possible for one who believes.” ²⁴Immediately the father of the child cried out and said, “I believe; help my unbelief!” I love that prayer! If you aren’t yet there regarding belief, ask God to help you! Ask him to give you faith to believe!

There’s one more key aspect of faith…

3. Faith works! Real faith results in a change in lifestyle, and will show evidence. What the Centurion showed is an example of faith in Christ's identity/authority/ability that resulted in good works. Faith in Christ brings forth actions of humility and love–like what we've been talking about the last few weeks.

This kind of faith saves, and it also bears fruit. 

James 2 :14-19 ¹⁴What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him? ¹⁵If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, ¹⁶and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and filled,” without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that? ¹⁷So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.

¹⁸But someone will say, “You have faith and I have works.” Show me your faith apart from your works, and I will show you my faith by my works. ¹⁹You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe—and shudder! 

Galatians 2:20, one of my favorite verses, reads: I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

If we back away to see the big picture, we see that Luke is showing us that Jesus is giving the foundational blocks for “getting” God. 

We’ve been seeing the first which was on display in the sermon on the plain. Agape Love is that essential characteristic of God that caused him to make and save us. He wants to share it with us. It is how we are blessed. It is the key to living the Christ life. Love. Big huge foundational building block.

But this week we see another important foundational word for “getting God.”

To “get” him is not just to understand him. It is to have a relationship with him. 

Here is the key to gaining Christ: Faith. As far as we are concerned, all that is required is faith. We see in the centurion that it is NOT about heritage. It is about faith. His faith is what caused Jesus to marvel. It is what Jesus wanted all the others to see. 

Where are you? Have you believed? 

For some the “light” comes on like a flip switch, but for others it is more like a dimmer switch. Perhaps you’re just now getting to the place where you can say, “Yep, I think I believe.” Now, like this centurion, let it be known.