Tuesday, June 28th
Pastor Chris Oyakhilome PhD DSc DD
And ye shall be hated of all men for my name’s sake: but he that endureth to the end shall be saved (Matthew 10:22).
When you study a story in Matthew 17:24-27, you’ll discover that when some Jewish officials came to harass Peter about taxes, they didn’t ask him about his own taxes. Rather, they said, “…Doth not your master pay tribute?” (Matthew 17:24). In other words, “Doesn’t your Master pay taxes?” They overlooked Peter and focused instead on the Master.
It’s always been that way: it’s all about our Master. The world hates us, not because of who we areq, but because of who we represent—Jesus Christ. They’ll hate you for your faith in Him. No matter how good you are, how helpful you are, how kind you are, how successful you are; it won’t make any difference to them because you’re associated with Jesus Christ.
The hatred of Satan for Jesus is called the spirit of the world. The world hates Jesus. Many individuals who don’t even know Jesus enough still hate Him, and you wonder why. How can they hate someone they don’t even know? It’s because of the spirit of the world. It has captured a lot of people in the world, and it moves them in a way that makes them think about the Master with hatred.
They want religion, they want to pray, they want to believe in something, but when you tell them about Jesus, they reject Him vehemently. A man named Simeon said that this Jesus is “set for a sign that shall be spoken against” (Luke 2:34).
There’re people now who claim that when we say Jesus is the only way, it’s “hate speech.” They’re construing many of the things we say as hate speech, thereby laying the foundation for a massive persecution of Christians in the last days.
Jesus said in Matthew 10:25, “…If they have called the master of the house Beelzebub, how much more shall they call them of his household?” When you’re persecuted, always remember that you were sent, not in your own name, but in the Name of Jesus. Therefore, the Lord Himself shall be your defense, and reward.
Confession
I’m Christ’s ambassador, the bearer of the news of His saving power. I’m steadfast, undaunted, always abounding in the work of the Lord, irrespective of the distress or persecution in this world. I triumph gloriously in Him always, boldly proclaiming the righteousness and blessedness of Christ and His saving power to the ends of the earth. Amen!
Further Study:
John 15:18-21
“If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before [it hated] you.
19 If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you.
20 Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept my saying, they will keep yours also.
21 But all these things will they do unto you for my name’s sake, because they know not him that sent me.”
Luke 2:34
“And Simeon blessed them, and said unto Mary his mother, Behold, this [child] is set for the fall and rising again of many in Israel; and for a sign which shall be spoken against;”
Matthew 10:24-25 NIV
“The student is not above the teacher, nor a servant above his master.
25 It is enough for students to be like their teachers, and servants like their masters. If the head of the house has been called Beelzebul, how much more the members of his household!”
1-Year Bible Reading Plan:
Acts 13:13-52;
Nehemiah 9-10
2-Year Bible Reading Plan:
2 Corinthians 10:1-7;
Isaiah 17