Mk 13.9-11,
Mt 10.17-20,
Lk 12.11-12,
21.12-19.
After
What’d become of them? Persecution. Which happened in Acts, happened over and over again in the various Roman persecutions, happened throughout Christian history whenever Christians went to lands where Christianity upended the status quo, and still happens. Never stopped. Our first-world rights to freedom of speech and religion aren’t perfect, but they’re still way better than the rest of the world. But don’t kid yourself: They’re hardly the rule; they’re a huge exception.
Now, your average American doesn’t know squat about history, and
That’s where whatever Christian beliefs they have,
As for those Christians who aren’t planning to murder law enforcement officers, a number of us are already planning our defense if we’re ever hauled before courts and city council chambers and Congress. Watch David A.R. White’s godawful God’s Not Dead movies and you’ll see what I mean. They’re pretty sure the government is already coming for them, even though our local, state, and national governments are so predominantly Christian (yep, even here in my liberal state of California) it’s silly. They’re expecting persecution—so they’re getting their logical and legal defenses ready.
But here in the Olivet Discourse, what did Jesus say about such defenses? To not put any such thing together. To shut up and listen to the Holy Spirit and let him defend us. To practice faith. You know—exactly what fearful Christians aren’t doing. Have no intention whatsoever of doing.
Mark 13.9-11 KWL - 9 “Look out for yourselves.
- People will hand you over to senates
- and you’ll be flogged in synagogues.
- You’ll stand before leaders and kings because of me,
- to testify of me to them.
- 10 Primarily, this testimony
- has to spread the gospel to every people-group.
- 11 Whenever they may take you to hand you over,
- don’t worry beforehand about what you should say.
- Instead, whatever is given to you at that hour, say it.
- For you aren’t to be the speakers.
- But the Holy Spirit is.”
Luke 21.12-19 KWL - 12 “Before all these things happen,
- they’ll throw their hands on you;
- they’ll hunt you down,
- handing you over to synagogues and prisons,
- dragging you away to kings and leaders because of my name.
- 13 It’ll turn you into witnesses,
- 14 so determine in your hearts to not prepare a defense:
- 15 I’ll give you a mouth and wisdom
- which every one of your adversaries
- will be unable to withstand or dispute.
- 16 You’ll also be betrayed by parents, siblings,
- relatives and friends,
- and they’ll put some of you to death.
- 17 You’ll be hated by everyone because of my name.
- 18 But if every hair on your head isn’t destroyed,
- 19 save your souls by your endurance!”