Suffering for the Gospel


Psalm 69:7 Because for Your sake I have borne reproach; Shame has covered my face.8 I have become a stranger to my brothers, And an alien to my mothers children;9 Because zeal for Your house has eaten me up, And the reproaches of those who reproach You have fallen on me.


While the price for our redemption has been paid in full by Jesus, there is still an undeniable price we must pay as his followers. The price we pay must not be confused with redemption, for believing that would discount the ultimate price that only Jesus could and did pay.  Paul clearly stated in 2 Timothy 3 "Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution."  Some would point out that Paul said in this discourse, "out of them all the Lord delivered me".  Thankfully, that is true, yet we must understand that it was "out of them" and not "from them" that the deliverance came.  To teach followers of Jesus that if their faith is strong enough they will avoid suffering is heresy.  The worst of it is that teaching such does not train the troops for war of which we are all a part.  The picture of the church is not a picture of a party but of a joy filled victorious army.  Persecution, suffering and rejection are all Biblical realities.  We don't seek them for that would be ghoulish. Yet, we prepare for their potential and brace ourselves for their possibility.  In David's words there is great insight into the direction from which these attacks might come. He said, "the reproaches or those who reproach you have fallen on me".  Early in the ministry as a pastor I found myself under ongoing attack by some of those that I was trying to serve.  I cried out to God, "why are they attacking me?  I'm the guy trying to love and help them?"  The answer came back loud and clear from the Lord.  "They can't attack me so they attack the one who represents me and the one who brings my truth to them." That day I learned an important lesson, DON'T TAKE IT PERSONALLY! Easier said than done, right?  Yes, but it is true.  Hurting people hurt the closest one to them and that is usually the one trying to bring Truth to darkness, deception and/or rebellion.


Today if persecution or rejection comes your way and if it is really because of the Gospel, dismiss the notion that it's about you and rejoice!
Acts 5:41 (NKJV)

So they departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for His name.