Week 28 Day 1

The Daily Take 10

The Gospel of John

Week 28 Day 1

Introduction…The book of John was written between 85-90AD by John the Beloved, a close disciple of Jesus Christ. After Jesus’ death, resurrection and ascension to the Father, the disciples ministered the Gospel and thousands were saved. The new believers and the disciples went into all the world with their testimony of faith and the world was coming to Christ. But this spiritual revival came with the price of great persecution. See Acts 8:1. John was exiled to a remote island of Patmos because of His faith. The persecution the early Church faced was fierce. The first century believers were threatened, tortured and martyred for their faith and yet the Church of Jesus Christ flourished because it was built upon the truth and the fact, they had seen Jesus live, die for them, rise again and ascend to the Father. Their faith was not in fables nor did they give their lives in vain.

Read John 15:18-23 “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, but the world hates you because you are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. Remember the word which I spoke to you. The servant is not greater than his master. If they persecuted me, they will persecute you. If they kept my word, they will keep yours. But they will do these things to you because of my name, because they do not know him who sent me. If I had not come and spoken unto them, they would not be guilty of sin. As it is, they have no excuse for their sins. He who hates me hates the Father too.”

Bible Study

• The disciples were not stopped when threatened or surprised when persecution came because Jesus warned them clearly and repeatedly…it will happen.
  • “They will deliver you up to councils and you will be beaten in synagogues and you will stand before governors and kings for my sake, to bear testimony before them…and they will put them to death and you will be hated by all for my name sake.” See Matthew 10:17-29, Mark 13:9-13, Luke 12:2-9,51-53.
• The Roman government and society of the day, hated the Christians, in fact it became illegal to be a Christian in the first century. Why were they hated?
  • The Christians would not call Caesar, “the Lord.” That title was rightfully reserved only for the Lord Jesus Christ.
  • Christians moved to the beat of a different drum…that of God and the Word. They were not impressed by Roman rule or moved by their threats.
  • Christians were hated because they did not conform to the world around them and appeared as rebels fearlessly living out their faith.
  • Christianity’s Godly lifestyle and higher standards espoused by the believers made non believers uncomfortable and resentful.
• The world that hates the Christian can be defined as…human society organizing and establishing itself while disregarding God and His Word.
  • Be it known, the source of the hatred and disregard for God is Satan and the object of the hate and disdain is focused on the way, truth and life…our Savior Jesus Christ.
• In Matthew 10:28 Jesus offers perspective saying, “Fear not them who kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul, but rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.”

Application

• Two notable ministers of the 20^th century made these true statements:
  • J.C. Ryle… “A man’s religion may well be suspected when he is content to go to heaven alone.”
  • C.H. Spurgeon…“Better for us to die than to live if souls be not saved.”
• When we pray for the Church of Jesus Christ and His Kingdom to come and His will to be done on earth as it is in heaven…remember those believers today who are facing persecution and pray… “God give your Church courage, great faith and put your angels about us as your Church boldly ministers your Gospel.”

Tags: Take 10

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