Corona Chronicles - Crown of Thorns

Welcome back to the corona chronicles. We last time were looking at this sort of beginning of teaching on the end times that Jesus is speaking with his disciples about. And he has said that many people will come in his name, so not to be deceived by false teaching and not to be alarmed by sort of sufferings and trials and hardships that are gonna be in this world because they're just beginnings of birth pains. So we were looking at how this world that we're in now We can never get heaven on earth because a new life is coming. And that's when we're with Christ for eternity.

That's when we will have that life. And now he gives us some instructions whilst we're in this world. So whilst we're here, waiting for that world, what must we do? And so we're starting from verse 9 of chapter 13. You must be on your guard.

You will be handed over to the local councils and logged in the synagogues. On account of me you will stand before governors and kings as witnesses to them and the gospel must first be preached to all nations. Whenever you are arrested and brought to trial, do not worry beforehand about what to say. Just say whatever has given you at the time for it is not you speaking but the holy spirit brother will betray brother to death and a father his child. Children will rebel against their parents and have them put to death.

Everyone will hate you because of me but the 1 who stands firm to the end will be saved. Yeah. It's it's extraordinary sort of language really, isn't it? I mean, first of all, he says, be on your guard. Yeah.

So you've got to be awake to this. You know, there's gonna be some terrible times for the the person who's a follower of Christ, isn't it? Yep. And there's gonna there's gonna be hard times and you're gonna be handed over to councils and synagogue leaders and all of those sort of stuff. But partly, that is what is involved in preaching the gospel, the good news of Christ, to the whole world.

So you know that's what happens when you look at persecution of Christians, you know they're brought before governors and leaders and authority. Why are you not obeying our communist regime or whatever? And it's at that point that they give testimony to the lord Jesus Christ because they've had the Holy Spirit within them. Yes. And how would you get the gospel to those people?

Yes. Unless you were arrested and be able to told it. And we we see this in in part in Belarus -- Yep. -- we've seen our brothers, haven't we? And our sisters -- Fantastic.

And they've said that Jesus is the just 1 -- Yes. -- and it's it's been marvelous -- Yes. -- to to to see that. Yep. And the judge sort of went sort of blushed as she was giving her -- Yeah.

-- verdict. Yeah. Because she sort of was convicted, I guess, when she heard And and who knows that she may come to Christ. And we're we're hope and pray that that will happen. Yeah.

Yeah. And I guess this follows on from don't be surprised when these things happen, don't be alarmed. God has not abandoned you. This is as you say, it's the gospel must first be preached to all nations. This goes hand in hand with that.

So therefore what God hasn't left us. So when we are arrested, don't don't worry even then about what to say because the Holy Spirit is with you. If you're a Christian, he's with you the whole time. But particularly in this situation, it seems to give you words to say. And then and then, you know, these days are hard because children rule rebel against parents.

And when we see all of this happening, but particularly hard, isn't it for for those who are Christians and they bring up a child -- Yeah. -- in the knowledge of the lord Jesus Christ and they turn and rebel and become bitter. But also in in countries where force religions are, you know, are you know, the dominant faith. You know, someone becomes a Christian from that background and they're killed. People are people are being killed by their own family members -- Yep.

-- for following Christ. And it's it's it's extraordinary, isn't it? Yes. It's Yeah. A lot of people have to sort of be Christian in their families almost secretly in order to stay alive.

This is a real sad thing. But every everyone will hate you. This doesn't sound like if, you know, most this this these words, you most people on the street wouldn't have picked that Jesus said this. No. You know, if you just had these words printed out on a billboard outside with a and you ask people on the street, who said these words?

People wouldn't guess Jesus would they. Everyone will hate you because of me. Yeah. That's really strong. It is, isn't it?

Yeah. I mean, because I think the interesting thing is it is a back to to him. So we saw in the last session that there are false messiahs. Yes. And they offer it's all fake news, isn't it?

Yeah. Yeah. But he's saying, this world is people don't like Yeah. People want a hope for the world. If we do this, we'll be able to save the planet.

Right. But this is Jesus saying, there is no hope for this planet. And people don't want to hear that. So when it comes to him and his teaching, really, people hate it. Yeah.

They have this sort of, oh, Christianity is a lovely lovely thing. Yes. But when you say, well, no 1 comes to the father but by me. Yes. When you start talking about him, how dare you?

Yes. There are other roots to God. I have that exact experience in school. I remember very clearly. Remember chatting to a friend and saying to her.

So you know, are you offended by me being a Christian? She said no not at all. I think it's great. So lovely. Said, well hang on a minute.

But as a Christian I believe that it's true for you as well as me. And everything about her her expression, her voice, her demeanor, everything changes, she said, well, no. No. That's you can't say that. Yeah.

Because suddenly it brought her into the equation. Yes. And it's not a nice thing anymore. No. Because you're you're making her make a decision about Jesus.

She doesn't want it. Yeah. Don't want This is exact absolutely exactly right. So it's it's down to him again. What do we do with him.

Yes. And when you really explain that he is the king of the universe, he's your king -- Yep. -- he's your ruler, you need to submit and repent -- Yeah. -- and turn to him. Yeah.

It's like, no, to her day -- Yeah. -- in, you know, coming to my life like that. Yeah. Absolutely. Yep.

And so when we start explaining Jesus, and that's what that's our job, by the way, as a Christian. Yes. Our job isn't just to go on about morality and all of the problems of the world. It's actually to talk about Jesus. Yep.

And that's where you find people will be converted and people will hate you. Yeah. Yeah. But not to be alarmed if they do hate you. No.

Because actually the spirit will give you the sort of things to say. I always I mean, I always used to look at that and go, wow, the holy spirit's gonna give me an incredible script. I was able to reel off the top of my mind. I think very often, you know, we we we sometimes are in those situations where suddenly we're confronted with an opportunity to present the gospel to someone. Yeah.

And we sort of crumble out a few words vaguely to do with Christ and his death, then that's how we're justified by faith. And I think sometimes that is how the spirit works in us, isn't it? Doesn't always give us the most eloquent. And it's not with words of eloquence is what Paul says. Yeah.

But it's, you know, the power of the the power of the gospel, the power of the cross is It's it's simple ABC gospel. Yeah. And that you're giving your testimony and you're just saying -- Yeah. -- that Christ is my savior. Yeah.

And you can kill me. You can kill my body but you can't I mean that's what the martyrs, you know -- Yeah. -- we're always saying, aren't they? You know, there's a fantastic 1 about 1 of the famous martyrs and the and the the the Roman Caesar is saying, I can kill you. And he says, no you can't.

You can't kill me. Only God can take my life and he gives me new life. You know? And and there's all of that sort of stuff -- Yeah. -- that that that these martyrs absolutely know that that they're they're they're Christ and the spirit gives them those words of testimony.

So, yes, there will be in 20 21, there will be our brothers and sisters around the world and perhaps even more so in this country as we stand for Christ. And talk about Christ, where people want to say, be quiet. Can you stop this? We don't want you Christians at school proclaiming this sort of stuff. You know?

And that's gonna probably happen this year, isn't it? Even in this country. Yep. But stand firm. Don't be surprised, be on your guard.

Be ready for this. Mhmm. And that means investing your life into Christ, understanding that there's these are birth pains of something greater. I think we'd better finish there.