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Colin Smith: The blessings of freedom produce an expectation of a comfortable life. And a comfortable life produces a lethargy of spirit. And friends, I say from the depth of my being, that is why fasting and giving and serving and risking are so important for our spiritual health.

Steve Hiller: Welcome to Open the Bible with Pastor Colin Smith. And Colin, we're continuing a message today called Blessed Are Those Who Are Persecuted. And we began there with this thinking about the freedom that we experience here in the West. It does produce the expectation of this comfortable life. You do a little traveling, you see persecution in other parts of the world, and you wonder, are we really under any persecution over here?

Colin Smith: Yeah, and it's certainly possible to get away in a relatively trouble-free kind of way, so long as you keep your head down and don't say anything very distinctive about Jesus. But there are people listening to us right now who are saying, you know what, I stood for truth. I spoke for Christ. I was distinctive about my Christian witness and I found it really costly. And that's part of the reality wherever we live in the world.

Steve Hiller: Whether it may be that you don't get that promotion or you're kind of the black sheep of the family or whatever that may be, there is a cost. So why is persecution important for us?

Colin Smith: Well, let's start with the word of Jesus: blessed are those who are persecuted. It seems that there is a particular experience of fellowship with Christ that comes when there is a cost involved in following him. And every Christian experiences that. If you're a real follower of Jesus, it means you're taking up your cross and following him.

There is a cost for you, and when you feel it, when there's something that's really hard in your life that wouldn't be there if it were not that you were following Christ, you are going to know something of his presence and his blessing in a different way from other times. And that's the promise of Jesus.

Steve Hiller: All right, well let's continue to look at that from Matthew chapter 5 verses 10 through 12. Here's Pastor Colin with the second part of a message, Blessed Are Those Who Are Persecuted.

Colin Smith: And here is where I want to speak especially to all of our high school students across the congregations this weekend, and our middle school students, too. And of course their parents and their grandparents. If someone, if you are known to be a Christian in high school today, you are going to get some opposition. Apart from anything else, Satan has his eye on you, and there's never a situation in which somehow he gives a break to you until you're 21. No trouble until you are old enough to drive a car or whatever. It starts earlier than that.

Different people, of course, have different experiences, but here's what you should expect. That's what we've learned from the first point here. If people know that you are a Christian, even though you are young, expect to be mocked for believing in Christ. Expect that people are going to say, "You actually believe that God created the world? You must be a fool. How could you possibly think that?"

And certainly you should expect to be mocked and perhaps ridiculed for obeying Christ. And particularly I'm thinking here that if you are committed to the path of sexual purity, and if you therefore hold back from the increasingly relentless sexual experimentation that's becoming more and more part, so tragically, of high school culture, people are going to think you're strange. They're going to make fun of you because of it. There are going to be some groups that you might like to belong to, but because they're acting in a certain way and you're not, you find yourself outside. You feel yourself to be a sort of outcast, socially ostracized.

My own experience on this score was really pretty tame. There was one teacher, however, who had it in for me, and he was a good teacher as far as teaching was concerned. I actually owe a great deal to him. He was a vitriolically committed atheist, and he had a real ax to grind against Christians. And because I was one of those that was part of the Christian Union, we had a group of about 20 of us, just 20 in the entire school, and we were the Christian Union, and I was part of that from my first year in the school and later on higher up the school was one of the leaders of the group. So I guess we'd nailed our colors to the mast and we were thought to be fair game. So I regularly got on the wrong end of barbed comments that were made in class.

When I left school, I went to see this teacher, thank him for what he'd done for me, which had helped me in mathematics, which was his subject for sure. And I'll never forget the very brief conversation. "What are you going to do with your life, Smith?" And I said to him, "Well, I want to be a pastor." "Absolute waste of a perfectly good brain!" I found out years later that this man had a sister who was a missionary in China. You never know behind the hostility what God is actually doing in a person who persists with twisted and barbed comments. What God is actually doing in their life. And he may be doing more in the life of a person into whose life your light is shining than you will ever, ever realize.

Now, moving a generation forward, I have two sons, as you know, who went through high school here. And one of them went through a period in high school where a particular teacher went way over bounds, I mean way over bounds, in making barbed comments about my son's faith and about his commitment to sexual purity. And I remember wondering as a father, now what should I do about this? Should we complain? Should we make an adjustment to his schedule, take him out of program, or whatever?

Here's what we found, and I give you this as my personal testimony, no more. In the kindness of the Lord, we saw our son grow in strength spiritually over a period of about six months that was unmatched either before or even since. Something happened right there and then. It was as if he rose to it, 15, 16 years old. It was as if some spine came into him. It was as if he was saying, and indeed we heard him say, "I'm not going to be bowled over by this." And then I began to think, you know, this isn't all so bad. I'd rather he's pushing against that teacher than pushing against me.

God put strength into him by the opposition that he faced. God's hand was in it. And it was not long before Karen and I said to each other, you know, God meant it for good.

Steve Hiller: Pastor Colin Smith here on Open the Bible with the message called Blessed Are Those Who Are Persecuted. Now we're going to pause right here but we'll get back to the message in just a moment. Well Open the Bible is a listener-supported ministry, and as you give a gift of any amount this month, you're going to receive a copy of Pastor Brad Wetherell's book called Saved to Sin No More. And Colin, who is this book for?

Colin Smith: Well, it's really for every Christian who wants to make progress in his or her battle against sin. And that's surely got to be everyone who knows and loves the Lord Jesus Christ. I think one of the greatest struggles that we have is just discouragement, and the doctrine of union with Christ is the most encouraging truth that I know in all of the Bible. Faith unites us to the Lord Jesus Christ so that his presence is in us through the Holy Spirit.

And when Christ is in us, there's something of the power and the peace and the joy of the Lord Jesus that's actually in us, too. And when that's the case, it makes what would have been impossible for us on our own possible because his power and his presence is with us. So getting hold of what it means to actually have Christ in us, and for us to be in him, that's union with Christ, is going to be the most encouraging thing for moving forward in the battle against stubborn sins that often defeat us.

Steve Hiller: Well we'd love to send you a copy of this book. Again, it's called Saved to Sin No More, and it's our thank you for your financial support this month. You can give a gift online at openthebible.org or when you call 1-877-673-6365. That might be easier to remember as 1-877-OPEN-365. Or again our website is openthebible.org. Back to the message, here is Pastor Colin.

Colin Smith: There's a principle here for all of us. Opposition helps you grow as a Christian. It is, Paul says, through many tribulations that we must enter into the kingdom of God. Encourage those of you who are younger, ask any older Christian how it was that you grew, where it was in your life that you grew most, and you'll get the same answer. And those of you who are older here in this congregation will testify to this.

It was when you went through something really tough, was it not? That was when you found the nearness of Christ. That was when the deep roots were really put down. And what is true for us individually, you see, is also true for the church as a group. It's true for us together that persecution has a sanctifying effect on the church, which is why it comes at the end of the beatitudes.

I will never forget the immense privilege that we had, some of you will remember this well, two years ago, we had Ajith Fernando speaking from this very pulpit. And in the course of his sermon, he told us about the history of the church in his home country of Sri Lanka. And paraphrasing what he said, it was along these lines. He said now for the years of British rule in Sri Lanka, the church was very comfortably positioned. The British rule was kind of benign towards the church, and in fact bishops had seats at the table of power and influence in government house and all this kind of thing. And he said throughout all of these years, there was very little persecution and very few conversions.

Then the British go and in comes a militant and aggressive Hindu government. Persecution. Youth workers in prison. And conversions everywhere. Now to be sure, something else happens and this won't surprise you. When persecution comes, people who are Christians in name only leave the church in droves. So here we are in America, and all the reports still tell us that 80% of Americans profess to be Christian. And as soon as there's some persecution, how many are still going to be there? "This is going to be costly? I'm out of here." Is that what you would say?

The church actually ends up being shrunk very, very quickly as soon as this happens. It gets smaller, but those who remain find themselves praying as never before. The bonds of fellowship grow closer. They become more real than ever before. The spiritual temperature rises, and unconverted people see something that is real and they are drawn to it. That's how suffering has a sanctifying effect on the church. And Ajith told us that happened across all nations.

Now friends, there is absolutely no doubt in my mind that the culture in which we live and serve is becoming more hostile towards Christians and churches. You can all see that. Anyone who's observing our country and loves our country can see that. For 200 years and more, the culture in which we live has been very kind, very supportive towards Christians, but any observant person can see that that is changing and that it is changing fast. And no one should be wishing persecution.

But if God should allow us to suffer for our faith in ways that we have not before, we should be praying that he will use that for the reviving of his church here in this great country, which is desperately needed. And the beatitudes show how this works. See here's this eighth beatitude right at the end and it's about persecution. What happens when persecution comes? Well, you realize immediately that I don't have what it takes. And so what? You're cast back upon the Lord. And suddenly where are you? You're poor in spirit.

And then when it comes, what happens next? You begin to say, now how could I possibly have been so shallow for so long? And you begin to mourn your own sin. You're going to see your life in an entirely different way. You thought you were doing great as a Christian, now you say I had hardly begun. Then you begin to say, well, I've got to meekly submit to the will of God even where it's costly and especially what it's costly. And I've got to try to do what is right here in order to honor Christ.

And as you're doing these things, what's going to happen? You're going to find compassion that's growing in you, and purity that's growing in you, and peace that is coming to you. And the world will see more of that. And because they see that light, they'll hate you even more. And the whole cycle begins all over again. Christian growth. Purity.

Years ago while I was serving as a pastor in England, now this must be more than 20 years ago, there was a relatively young pastor who came to speak at a national conference for the denomination, the Free Church denomination I was serving over there. And his name was John Piper. A lot of years ago, a lot more people have heard of John Piper now than perhaps then. But he made an extraordinary comment. And I'm sitting as a pastor in England listening to this, and I thought it extraordinary at the time, but I feel I understand it much better now. But he said to our denominational conference more than 20 years ago, "America is one of the hardest places in the world to be a true Christian." And I'm thinking to myself, that cannot be possibly true.

And having been here for 16 years and loving this country so much as we all do, I now understand what he was saying. Because the blessings of freedom produce an expectation of a comfortable life. And a comfortable life produces a lethargy of spirit. And friends, I say from the depth of my being, that is why fasting and giving and serving and risking are so important for our spiritual health. Because you cannot follow Christ far living within the comfort zone. Can't.

Some of you in the congregation, and in the last years it's become a very, very fast growing number as the congregation has become more and more and more and wonderfully diverse, people from all backgrounds. Many of you now do have stories about how you have suffered. Some of you have been imprisoned. And now here you are part of this congregation. I tell you, we need you and we need your stories. They will strengthen the rest of us who have to overcome this lethargy that so easily comes with a comfortable life to which we have become too used.

So share your stories with a life group. Share them with one of the pastors. Share them with me. Let us encourage one another so that a sense of rising up as the church of Christ to attempt great things will prevail among us. I want to say more about that tonight.

And here's the very last thing for now. I want you to look at the outcome of persecution. And notice that Jesus specifies two wonderful, wonderful outcomes. The first is great blessing and the second is great reward. Let's just look at great blessing here. Verses 10 and 11: "Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake. Blessed are you when others revile you." Now the reward comes later, but the blessing that Jesus speaks about to believers is something that believers experience now.

How can believers be blessed if they're persecuted? Well, Jesus says they are. The two go together. It's hard for us to understand that, but he says as you experience this you are going to enter into blessing that will be greater than you have known before. And the Bible of course is full of this. There is a fellowship of Christ's sufferings that Paul speaks about. There is a communion with Jesus Christ and an anointing of the Spirit that comes to a man or to a woman in facing opposition in regards to the advance of the gospel that is greater than anything you will experience at any other time or in any situation.

Let me give you just this one quote from Samuel Rutherford, a pastor who testifies in this way, very simply. He's been a preacher for nine years and he said this: "I never knew in my nine years of preaching so much of Christ's love as he taught me in Aberdeen through six months' imprisonment." Is that not striking to you? This is a pastor. I mean standing as I'm standing now and he's preaching. Been doing it for nine years. And this was the experience of his own soul.

I never knew as much of the love of Christ in nine years of preaching as I discovered in just six months when I was slung in prison in Aberdeen. Why? Because what Jesus speaks of in this beatitude became his experience. He was persecuted and he enters into blessing in a whole new way, and the Spirit of the Lord is upon him, and a knowledge of the love of Christ is given to him. Peter puts it this way in 1 Peter chapter 4 and verse 14. "If you are insulted for the name of Christ, you are blessed because the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you."

Oh, how much I pray, don't you pray for the Spirit of God and glory to evidently rest upon my life? Peter says well, here's where it'll happen more than in any other way and at any other time. You'll enter into the fellowship of Christ's sufferings.

One picture and then we're through. You remember how this wonderful truth of blessing in affliction is pictured for us in the story, it really happened, in the book of Daniel. Three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. And there's this fearsome king, Nebuchadnezzar, and he's commanded that everyone bows down to him and these men won't do it. And so persecution comes and it's an awful persecution. There is this fiery furnace.

And the men are brought out, you can read it in Daniel and chapter 3 and their hands are bound and then bindings go round their tunics. So can you picture them? And there's this fiery furnace and the three of them are thrown in there by the king. And what a grisly mind this man must have had because he wanted to look into the furnace. And here's Nebuchadnezzar and he's looking into the flames. That'll fix them. And he can't believe what he sees.

He says to one of his counselors, "Was it not three men that we threw into that furnace?" "Yes, O King," they say. I guess if you're a counselor to Nebuchadnezzar, you're just going to say yes to every question he asks. Yes, yes. "Then why do I see four men, and they are walking, and they are not bound, and the fourth one looks like the Son of God?" Walking with Christ in the furnace of affliction.

Steve Hiller: Pastor Colin Smith here on Open the Bible wrapping up our message, Blessed Are Those Who Are Persecuted. And as we take a look at the topic of persecution, I think it's helpful to know that the outcome is great blessing for those who are persecuted and there is a great reward.

Maybe you want to go back and listen to this broadcast again. You can do that at our website. Come to openthebible.org. There you can stream the program or you can download an MP3 for free. You can also listen for free through the Open the Bible app.

Well Colin, it's Friday and the weekend's coming.

Colin Smith: Yeah, and I want to encourage you to get to church on Sunday. You know, across the country people who love Jesus will be gathering to praise him and if you love Jesus, that's something you'll want to be part of. So find a church where the Bible is opened. And if you live in the Chicago area and you don't have a church home, I'd love for you to join us at the Orchard. There are six locations in the northwest suburbs. For more information go to theorchard.church. That's theorchard.church.

Steve Hiller: Well, thank you, Colin. And thanks for listening. I'm Steve Hiller and I hope you'll join us next time. This program is a listener-supported production of Open the Bible.

Colin Smith: This is Pastor Colin, and I want you to know about a resource that will help you in your devotional life. It's called Open the Bible Daily. My colleague, Pastor Tim Augustyn, takes what you hear on Open the Bible and he edits it into daily bite-sized chunks that you can read in your devotional time in less than three minutes.

Every day you'll find a verse of Scripture, a short teaching from God's Word, and an application that you can carry with you through the day. People who use this tell us that they read it every day, and I think that if you try it, you'll love it too. For more information, visit openthebible.org/daily. That's openthebible.org/daily.