#GOFAMINTDailyDevotion Sun. 30/7/2017
30/7/2017 LESSON 9
BLESSINGS FOR THOSE RIDICULED FOR CHRIST’S SAKE
Quarter’s Theme: CHRISTIAN ATTITUDE
Unit 2: Our Virtues (Lessons 5-9)
(RESPONSIBILITY MONTHS)
MEMORY VERSE
For if they do these things in the green wood, what will be done in the dry Lk. 23:31 (NKJV)
DAILY DEVOTIONAL READING
Sun. 30/7/2017
Paul Falsely Accused Of Creating Dissension
Acts 24:1-16
After Paul’s missionary journeys, he went to Jerusalem. While in the temple to worship, Jews from Asia who had opposed him during his missionary journeys stirred up the worshipers against him, accusing him falsely of polluting the temple by bringing Gentiles into the temple (Acts 21:27-28). They were ready to kill him, but he was rescued by the garrison commander. They still followed him up to the governor to lay the false charges against him; the high priest himself leading them. The accusers laid their charges against Paul using a hired orator so as to give Paul no chance. Paul had a chance many other accused people did not have – the chance of defending himself. Most often when a Christian is falsely accused or defamed, he is not given the chance of giving a defense. Paul was able to ward off his accusers, but the enemy did not give up.
POINT OF EMPHASIS: The enemy goes to any length to discredit the Christian.
PRAYER POINT: In the name of Jesus, every attempt of the enemy to ridicule me shall utterly fail.
BACKGROUND
Our age has a peculiarity of being one in which compromise seems to be the most acceptable religion. People don’t want to be alone or be the only dissenting voice or view, they don’t want to be laughed at or labeled outdated or untrendy, more so the cruel or harsh treatment meted out to those who choose to be different might be perceived unnecessary. Therefore people try to swim with the tide and gain acceptance of the society to avoid unpleasant situations. They downplay, and colour or better still swallow the truth and speak what is acceptable to people around them, sometimes for no just course, while at other times for monetary, material or positional gains. Note that every compromise makes you lose your voice when it really matters. Jesus promised us more than what would be lost if we follow Him and accept being ridiculed for His name and the truth. This week’s lesson enjoins us to joyfully accept the unpleasant treatments attached to being a follower of Jesus because of the exceeding weight of glory awaiting believers.
NOTES ON THE TEXT
PART 1: JESUS SLANDERED (MK. 3:20-27; MATT. 11:9, 13:23-26)
Many things said about Jesus and His ministry were to ridicule Him and undermine what He did. Even His family members did not believe in His ministry and thought He was out of His mind. The Jewish leaders alleged that He cast out demons with diabolical powers. If anyone suggested that God was working through Him, the leaders were ready to cast the person out of the synagogue. Because He did not go on extended fasting, they accused Him of being a glutton. When He dined with tax collectors they inferred He could not have been from God because He associated with sinners. The leaders regarded Him as a sinner because He healed the sick on a Sabbath. Finally to get Him crucified, they brought false allegation against Him before Pilate.
Jesus our perfect example endured much slander from religious leaders, ignorant people who one day shouted Hosanna and another day cried out “crucify Him”. Those who knew Him closely did not believe His ministry and made derogatory statements about Him and what He claimed to be.
How did Jesus handle these actions taken to ridicule Him and undermine His ministry?
PART 2: OLD PROPHETS RIDICULED (JER. 20:7-10; EZRA 4:11-16)
Jeremiah is a classic example of prophets who were ridiculed by those to whom he ministered. God gave him the message to prophesy of imminent invasion by the enemy. The people made jest of him for bringing an unpopular message; they threatened him for prophesying doom and spreading all manners of false rumors about him (Jer. 20:10). At the same time, God appeared not to be in a hurry to bring to pass the prophecies sent through him. He became the laughing stock of all people around him. He oscillated between periods of strong faith in God who sent him (Jer. 20:11) and periods of depression because of what he went through in the hands of his people (Jer. 15:10).
How did the ridicule Jeremiah experienced affect his ministry and personal life?
PART 3: DON’T GET DISCOURAGED (MATT. 5:11)
Christians today still face persecution in form of false accusations, being lied against, and verbal threatening. Christians are called derogatory names. Everyone is painted with the same brush when a few do some ungodly things. When a minister falls into adultery, every minister is labeled an adulterer and a phoney. When one minister mismanages funds, every minister is labeled a thief. Christians are generally labeled hypocrites by all and sundry. Under such attack, many Christians try to hide their identities and become secret disciples. Some even backslide.
If Jesus Christ was maligned and ridiculed, the disciples should not expect to experience anything less. The Apostles counted it an honor to go through the same experience which Jesus Christ passed through. They did all these things to Jesus Christ because they hated Him. They will do similar things to any Christian who lives faithfully to his faith in Jesus. If you are comfortable with the world and the world is comfortable with you, it is very likely that you are for the world and not for Jesus Christ.
CONCLUSION
Christians should bear it in mind that they must prepare for ridicule because Jesus experienced the same thing from the people. He kept us informed in His teaching of the beatitude of what will confront us as a result of our belief in Him. We must not count it strange when people ridicule us for Christ’s sake.
QUESTIONS
- Mention some things that people do to ridicule Jesus.
- Why should Jesus be our perfect example when people ridicule us for His sake?
- How did the ridicule Jeremiah experience affect his ministry and personal life?
- How did Jesus handle the actions taken to ridicule Him and undermine His ministry?
- Why should Christians not expect anything less than what Jesus experienced in terms of ridicule?
