Reproached for Christ’s sake?

Memorize: 1 Peter 4:14

If ye be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are ye; for the spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you: on their part he is evil spoken of, but on your part he is glorified.

Read: Acts 5:29-42

When Jesus Christ came in the flesh and lived amongst men, He was rejected by His own people to whom it was said salvation was reserved. His disciples and close confidants suffered similar fate as their teachings and preaching met with stiff opposition.

But was it because their teachings were wrong and heretical? Was Jesus, the Lord Himself truly blasphemous like the Jews claimed? The spirit of the enemy is constantly at work in men to make them refuse the truth of the Word of God, knowing that when men know the truth, it sets them free from the bondage of lies they had hitherto been fed. What will make a preacher say people should not believe new things aside what they had been taught and used to? Isn’t the conformity with the written word of God the standard anymore? But what gave birth to Pentecostalism as a movement itself: is it not the discovery of new truth in Scripture that goes beyond the orthodox ways?

Preach the truth of the Gospel of Christ in season and out of season. Do not mind them that reproach you for so doing. Do not mind the opposition that comes your way for doing so. Rather, stand firm with the truth you possess and refuse to be dissuaded by the acts of the disillusioned. Stand with Christ. Those who came before you suffered the same also. But they counted it all joy to be so reproached.

I have good news for you, the fact that you are reproached of men for the sake of the Gospel is a pointer to the fact that you are a true son of your father. For a servant is not greater than his master. If they so treated Christ, why assume they will treat you any better? Rejoice for great shall be your reward. Don’t quit; don’t quiver. Like your forebears, keep up the good work and in the end, you shall reap the reward. Keep shining the light beloved; the reward is at hand.

Pray:

Father, thank you for being there for me always. Thanks for giving me the grace to bear your Gospel to the ends of the earth. Do please hold me up in your palm that I may never be affected by the reproach of the evil ones in Jesus name.