Out of this World by Anthony Ricco

So, what is the deal with this whole persecution thing?  We need to know it is still happening today – A LOT.  This isn’t some kind of torture back from the Roman days – it is here now and in a very ugly way.

In fact, everyone who wants to live a Godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.  Our King of Kings was persecuted, who are we that as servants we deserve any better?

In countries like Eritrea, Christians are locked up in shipping containers, they are packed so tight they have to take it in turns to sit down. There is just 1 small hole cut into the roof for air to come in – so small that no one can squeeze out, so they take turns standing on one another’s shoulders to breathe fresh air. There are no toilets, so they have to do their business inside there, somewhere, and it is the middle of the desert in a metal shipping container, the days are boiling and the nights freezing.

These people are put into jail, labour camps and sometimes killed because they want to spread the Good News of the Gospel (which is everyone’s call by the way – Mt 28:18-20), but we who are free won’t even go out and reach the lost, we are willing to let people go and burn in eternal hell because we are too lazy and spiritually complacent to do anything about it.

You see, the Bible says quite plainly that we are not of this world; we are just in it (Jn 15:19).  And I think people like those in Eritrea and other persecuted nations live in that revelation. I think we in the western world live with the mentality that tomorrow we need to work so we can eat and feed our families, and we think we need to do stuff – even stuff for God.  The problem is I don’t think God wants our stuff, He wants us – and by that I mean every fibre of our beings.  Now I’m not saying go and forsake your calling that God has given you, but make absolutely sure that you are not living out your calling as your relationship with God: first and foremost must be your relationship with the Most High God and your calling will flow out of that.

And anyways, what can we really do for God? You think He wants you to warn someone about something? He used a donkey for that (Num 22:30). You think He wants you to give food to people who need? He used ravens for that (1 Kings 17:6).

I mean, does He really want us to do stuff, or does He really want us – our hearts, our worship?

So, back to the guys in the container. They are there because they aren’t just doing stuff for Him, they are there because they’ll worship God no matter what. They are no longer of this world – they can see the things God has promised to them and they’re not caught up in the rubbish that this world has to offer.  They want God and they are willing to give up all they have to follow Him.

So you may be asking what this has to do with you. Living in your house in your ‘free’ country.  Well firstly, lets see how free you really are. Here is a challenge: go into an airport and start preaching to people there, tell them that they have sin in there lives and need to repent – or go to street corner or a casino or even maybe inside your church – see how free you are, or here is one, go and tell people what you believe about abortion, or homosexuality or even about sex before marriage.  How long do you think it will be before someone says something to you, or about you, or asks you to leave?

Now please don’t get me wrong – I’m not the burn your Koran’s on 9/11 kind of guy. We need to do things the way Jesus would have – and that is with unconditional love. We can’t knock someone who has had an abortion or sex before marriage, that’s sin and we all were sinners, and if we make them hate us while we represent God then we’ve not showed them the way.  Come on this is common sense.

When we are up front about our God and His Word, that is how persecution starts, not because we are hurting or breaking down the people we are talking to but because the devil cant stand it when God is glorified and people hear about His mercy. By Christians not being afraid to share what God has shown them, by us all having compassion and love for the lost and telling them there is an escape.  When we start doing that then it wont be the ‘in’ thing to be a Christian – I wont just say I’m a Christian because that’s what my parents were.  No, to say you are a Christian will mean you need to stand out, to be set apart from what the world is doing – and when the world sees us as different, not blending in with them, not fornicating or taking drugs or getting drunk or doing the things the world does.

When we do this then one of two things will happen – The first is the more common one:  it is because they see there is something different about us, that we have the joy of the Lord all the time and it is our strength – they’ll want it and come to know Jesus.

The second is that they’ll hate us because we have what they want – and we may be the next ones to be put into a container. Question is – are you willing, or are you still of this world?