SERMON STARTER

INJUSTICE AND THE POWER OF GOD

Matthew 27:27-31 - 1 Peter 4:12-19

 

          The media has it that ISIS and the militant Islamist terrorists are winning. Christians in Iraq have been either killed or diminished through severe persecution until there are only one-fourth of their members remaining. Bombs and militant fighting have destroyed their churches, homes and livelihood. Yet, the remaining believers have flourished in their faith for Jesus.

          Coptic Christians in Egypt have had their churches destroyed by militants. Yet they assemble in burned out buildings, standing on broken glass and praise God in regular worship. I have spoken to believers who have been beaten by Hindu and militant Islamic thugs in India. Their faith is vibrant and flourishing.

 

HOW DO WE RESPOND TO INJUSTICE?

          How should his followers respond? On the one hand, we are grieved and angered. On the other hand, we identify with Christ, embrace his suffering, rejoice in our afflictions, and say with the apostle Paul that vengeance belongs to the Lord, let us love our enemies and win them with the gospel. If Christ did his work by being insulted, we must do ours likewise.

          Christianity with no insulted Savior will not endure insults to win the scoffers. Jesus Christ is still the only hope of peace with God and peace with man. Finally, it means that his followers must be willing to "share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death" (Philippians 3:10).

          When you crush a rose that has been stripped of its thorns with your hand, the only thing that will happen is that the air will fill with sweetness. The rose will not curse, condemn, retaliate or revenge itself. It will only give what it has. When under the crushing pressure of injustice each of us will give what we have.

 

Pastor Phil  <><<

Sheepfold Ministries, March 13, 2016

Pastor Phil Roland

 

INJUSTICE AND THE POWER OF GOD

Matthew 27:27-31 - 1 Peter 4:12-19

 

"Early Christians were beaten, stoned to death, thrown to the lions, tortured and crucified. Every conceivable method was used to stop them from talking. Yet they couldn't be stopped and their testimony couldn't be silenced! They flourished under persecution!”                        Pastor Phil <><<

 

¹² Beloved, do not think it strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened to you; ¹³ but rejoice to the extent that you partake of Christ's sufferings, that when His glory is revealed, you may also be glad with exceeding joy.     1 Peter 4:12,13

I. JESUS BORE PERSONAL INSULT AND INJURY

            A. David and Isaiah Predicted Mockery – Psalm 22:7; Isa. 53:3

            "All who see me mock me; they make mouths at me; they wag their heads"

 

1. Jesus Displayed Patient Endurance – Isa. 53:7

"Like a lamb that is led to the slaughter, and like a sheep that                              before its shearers is silent, so he opened not his mouth"

2. Incredible Mockery and Injustice – Text; Isaiah 50:6

“I offered my back to those who beat me, my cheeks to those who pulled out my beard; I did not hide my face from mocking and spitting.”

            B. Jesus’ Suffered Injustice to Save Us from our Sins – Text

                        1. Public Disrobing and the Purple Robe of Mockery – v. 28

2. Crown of Thorns – v. 29a

3. Phony Scepter of Power v. 29b

4. Spit on Him, Struck Him – v. 30

 

II. FOLLOWING HIM WE WILL ALL BE TREATED LIKE JESUS

² looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.      Hebrews 12:2

 

A. Enduring Injustice was the Essence of Christ’s Mission

1. Immaturity says, "That's not Fair!"

                      2. The greatest Injustice of all time was the trial and crucifixion

            B. Jesus endured the Cross and showed us how to deal with pain

                        1. Remember, He said, "Blessed are you when others revile you                               and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely                                    on my account"     Matthew 5:11

                  

INJUSTICE AND THE POWER OF GOD, cont. p.2

 

                   2. They called Him a Bastard – John 8:41

                                ⁴¹ You are doing the things your own father does." "We are                                              not  illegitimate children," they protested. "The only Father we have is

                          God himself."    (NIV)

                        3. They called Him a Drunkard – Matthew 11:19

                                ¹⁸ For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, 'He has a

                          demon.' ¹⁹ The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say,

                          'Look, a glutton and a winebibber, a friend of tax collectors and

                          sinners!' But wisdom is justified by her children."

                        4. They called Him a Blasphemer – Matthew 26:65

                                ⁶⁵ Then the high priest tore his clothes, saying, "He has spoken

                          blasphemy! What further need do we have of witnesses? Look,                                  now you have heard His blasphemy!

                        5. They called Him a Devil – Matthew 10:25

                                ²⁵ It is enough for a disciple that he be like his teacher, and a servant

                          like his master. If they have called the master of the house

                          Beelzebub, how much more will they call those of his household!

  

B. We are Promised the Same Insults – John 15:20

                ²⁰ Remember the word that I said to you, 'A servant is not greater than his

              master.' If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you. If they kept

              My word, they will keep yours also.

  

          1. Beelzebub the Prince of Demons - Matthew 10:25b

                          If they have called the master of the house Beelzebub, how much                                 more will they call those of his household!

          2. We aren't above suffering the Injustice Jesus suffered

                      Most assuredly, I say to you, a servant is not greater than his Master;

                       nor is he who is sent greater than he who sent him. John 13:16

                        3. I have been labeled a Satanist and a New Ager

                        4. This validates me and my ministry in the region

III. THERE ARE FIVE THINGS WE CAN LEARN FROM INJUSTICE

          A. God uses Injustice to DIRECT you

            Sometimes God must light a fire under you to get you moving.

            Injustice often points us in a new direction and motivate us to

            change. Is God trying to get your attention? "Sometimes it takes a

            painful situation to make us change our ways."

                ³⁰ Blows that hurt cleanse away evil, As do stripes the inner depths of

               the heart.    Proverbs 20:30

            B. God uses Injustice to INSPECT you.
            People are like tea bags. . . if you want to know what's inside them,

            just drop them into hot water!  Has God ever tested your faith with a

            trial? What do trials reveal about you?

 

             ² My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials,

        ³ knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. James 1:2-3

INJUSTICE AND THE POWER OF GOD, cont. p.3

 

            C. God uses Injustice to CORRECT you.
            Some lessons we learn only through adversity.  It's likely that as a

            child your parents told you not to touch a hot stove. But you

            probably learned by being burned. Sometimes we only learn the

            value of something ... health, money, a relationship. . .by losing it.

                                                ⁷¹ It is good for me that I have been afflicted, That I may learn Your

            statutes. ⁷² The law of Your mouth is better to me Than thousands of

            coins of gold and silver.    Psalm 119:71-72

 

            D. God uses Injustice to PROTECT you.
            Trials can be a blessing in disguise. Persecuted believers are often

            scattered. . .lose their homes. . .source of income. . .possessions.    As they are scattered, they share the Good News of God's Salvation,

            provision and care in their lives. The persecutors are often the ones

            who are the real losers.

 

                ²⁰ But as for you, you meant evil against me; but God meant it for

            good, in order to bring it about as it is this day, to save many people

            alive. Genesis 50:20

                        E. God uses Injustice to PERFECT you.
            Injustice when responded to correctly is a character builders. God’s

            far more interested in your character than your comfort. Your

            relationship to God and your character are the only two things           you're going to take with you into eternity.

 

                ³ And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that

            tribulation produces perseverance; ⁴ and perseverance, character;

            and character, hope. Romans 5:3-4

Here's the point:

God is at work in your life - even when you do not recognize it or understand it. As each Injustice occurs in your life, remind yourself, God's in Control!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

INJUSTICE AND THE POWER OF GOD

Closing Illustration

 

Coptic Archbishop Amal Nona doesn't have a diocese anymore. He doesn't have a church. ISIS destroyed all that, and his people are scattered. But he's not afraid to speak up in the face if Injustice and Persecution, even when ISIS was at his doorstep: "Islam does not say that all men are equal."

Those who travel among Middle East Christians, watch their situations grow worse-and their faith grow stronger. Years ago in Iraq you'd rarely see Chaldean, Orthodox, and evangelical church leaders together. The older churches saw evangelicals as usurpers. The evangelicals distrusted the older churches, as some for centuries had compromised with and been corrupted by Muslim leaders.

        Persecution has a way of winnowing the corrupt and the fainthearted. The speakers at a recent women's conference in Iraqi Kurdistan were Evangelical, Missionary Alliance, Syriac Orthodox, and Chaldean. Each spoke, and what you heard was the gospel, unadorned save for the grief they'd suffered, and kindness toward one another.

        Middle Eastern clergy all agree: This is new. They are all displaced themselves. Since ISIS·came in 2014, they've been serving together their now-homeless flocks. One had money, another had a van, and a third knew where bottled. water was selling cheap. They pooled those resources and took turns visiting each others' displaced community, ferrying to them water, mattresses, milk powder, and a little money.

 

Injustice can make us Bitter or Better. It's either God's Power or the World's. The choice is ours.

We deal with Injustice with the Power of God.

 

Pastor Phil   <><<