Lord’s Day, Vol. 13 No. 38
Faith Preaching & Persecution
Luke 3:15-20 (KJV) And as the people were in expectation, and all men mused in their hearts of John, whether he were the Christ, or not; 16 John answered, saying unto them all, I indeed baptize you with water; but one mightier than I cometh, the latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy to unloose: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost and with fire: 17Whose fan is in his hand, and he will throughly purge his floor, and will gather the wheat into his garner; but the chaff he will burn with fire unquenchable. 18 And many other things in his exhortation preached he unto the people. 19 But Herod the tetrarch, being reproved by him for Herodias his brother Philip’s wife, and for all the evils which Herod had done, 20Added yet this above all, that he shut up John in prison.
OUTLINE
- Exalting Christ (v15-17)
- Reproving Sin (v18-19)
- Sinner’s Rage (v20)
INTRODUCTION
As a man comes to the Lord Jesus Christ in contrition and confessions of sins and have his sins forgiven through the precious blood of Christ (1 Peter 1:19), he finds himself having a poverty of spirit and mourning for sin (Matt. 5:3-4). By the power of God, by grace through faith (Eph. 2:8), he is saved. He begins to seek God with a humility of heart and a subdued spirit towards others, there is a meekness in his transformed disposition (Matt. 5:5). There is a great hunger and thirst in the regenerated heart after righteousness and finding great satisfaction, fulfilment and restfulness in the new life with Christ. Life finds its bearing. God’s love fills his heart having obtained mercy from the Lord and finding the strength to forgive and help others in need (Matt. 5:7). A heart filled with God’s love that is shed abroad in his heart (Rom. 5:5), honouring the Lord in keeping His commandments, having a purity of heart through constant self-examination and confession of sins. Such a man is in constant communion with God (Matt. 5:8). Being filled with the Holy Spirit, his righteous life begins to impact other lives. He becomes a peacemaker, leading others to Christ (Matt. 5:9). In the process of doing so, he begins to suffer persecution because he is at enmity with the world (James 4:4).
Jesus says to such a man to rejoice in the Lord, rest in Him for in the Lord is peace and overcoming – Matthew 5:10-12 (KJV) Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness’ sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 11 Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. 12Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you. John 16:33 (KJV) These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.
He that is twice blessed will receive great reward from the Lord in heaven as he shines for Christ, serving as salt and light in a sin darkened world. He finds God’s grace to withstand the sinner’s rage as seen in John the Baptizer, the forerunner of Christ’s life who was cast into prison for reproving Herod, the ruling governor of his day for our learning. His life impacted all walks of life pointing men to Christ.
Romans 14:17 (KJV) For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.
Yours lovingly,
Pastor Lek Aik Wee