Rejected For Faith?

Are your tracks being crumpled? I'm writing this Blog to encourage those of you who partake in the great commission and share the Gospel openly. If you have ever shared the Gospel in the open you already know to well that rejection comes with the turf. If you do not spread the Gospel this might not mean much to you but should! Mark 16:15 We should all be preaching the Gospel to every one. I am not writing this for those who do not evangelize but  for those who do so, and in doing so are rejected. But If you don't, you should still read this in case you ever come across someone who you give the Gospel to and for the 1st time you are rejected.

So what should we do with the rejection? Well I am going to do my best with giving us a biblical answer.  On  May 1st,  a Friday night, Preaching the Gospel in the open-air and one-2-one at Downtown Orlando, While my friend bobby was preaching, I was giving out Gospel tracks to these two guys who's names they did not give me. I handed them each a gospel track that were 1million dollar bills (fake) with the Gospel of Jesus Christ on the back of them in hopes that they might read it. I tried to start a conversation with these two guys and share the gospel of Christ with them but as soon as i opened my mouth one of the guys looked at his friend and gave him the track and said I do not want this (to not use bad language) saying some other things and started walking away. The other guy in turn started walking off with His friend who was walking in front of Him and started cursing, laughing, took the Gospel tracks, having both of them,  crumpled them up and threw them on the floor. I was hurt to see Christ get treated like that as I always am and afraid of what might happen to them.

Now i know this does not sound a lot like persecution but they did how ever take the message of Christ and jeered Him and threw Him out with disrespect and cursed at us for his name sake. Now being in downtown this is not the worst I have seen.  We have been mocked, cursed,  both verbally and physically attacked, we have been hit with diapers (believe it or not), Called haters of men and God, threatened and hated etc, etc just like many of you being persecuted for His message all night long. But no worry for we are in great company Hebrews 11: 35-38 and not to mention with those who get presently persecuted for standing and preaching the Truth of Christ. 

Even though this case was a little one, the action was not. So what are we supposed to do with persecution and rejection like that? No matter how little or big?  As i saw that and as we encountered and encounter much more difficult ones, I am reminded to pray and pray for their forgiveness. When Christ was hung on that cross what did he do? Jesus prayed. Luke 23:34 " Father forgive them, for they know not what they do." We must always remember to look unto Christ since He is our example. If Christ was hated, mocked, jeered, and crucified but still prayed for those guilty to be forgiven shouldn't we do the same? Now I know a lot of Christians are familiar with that verse and they try to over look it but this is not just a principle presented at the place called The Skull it is one that is presented all through out the bible. This type of action and prayer is based on scripture. Acts 7:60 while Stephen is being stoned for the sake of the Gospel he cries out "Lord, do not hold this sin against them."  This is what persecution looks like for a Christian in the Scriptures.

If that is not enough to move you to respect and pray for those who hate you look at 1 Corinthians 4:12 Paul writes "when reviled, we bless". The word Reviled means "criticize in an abusive or angrily insulting manner".  As preachers of the open-air in the midst of lost humans this is one of the most common and frequent encounters we run into.  But vary rarely do I see we remember to "bless" them who give us this treatment. In the ESV study bible the general editor R. C. Sproul writes in the study notes; this form of blessing can also refer to prayer.  We must always pray God will have mercy on their soul when treated like this.  1 Thessalonians 5:15 say "never pay evil for evil" . We should never wish upon nobody that they receive the wrath of judgment that would not want for our selves but be merciful the way the Lord was to us.

Now don't get me wrong I am not saying we should not defend our Lord or be fervent or zealous. The bible clearly shows that we will be persecuted and we should always give a answer for our faith 1peter 3:15 "Be prepared to make a defense to anyone who ask you for a reason for the hope that is in you" but what a lot of people tend to forget is what comes right after that same verse the bible also says" yet do it with gentleness and respect." When we hear respect we automatically think to what we were taught "respect given respect earned" and we expect respect back. But that is not what it is saying. This is not the picture it is painting. Just because we respect we are not going to be respected back because they hate us and His message. But that scripture is speaking of anybody who is ASKING for the Hope in you it doesn't mean being yelled at and called names. When that happens they are not asking you any thing but reviling, attacking your character and name. When then we pray God forgive them and not hold it against them. For the sake of His mercy and grace.

Now I am not condemning any body here, 1st because you are preaching the Word of God so that is the right thing to be doing no matter what. 2nd because I would be a hypocrite if I were to say I am perfect in this area and try to say I am any better then any one.  But what I am doing is trying to draw a line where we must know what to do in these situations with biblical principles that the Lord has been showing me threw His Word. We must pray for there forgiveness and that God not hold it against them when persecuted. It is already going to be bad for them on Judgment day if they don't trust in the Lord and repent.

I have seen out there some brothers so fervent in there ways and zealous that they pay evil for evil and revile those reviling with out knowing. And that is not what the scriptures teach us. I think 1 Peter 2:23 draws a good picture for us in this situation "When reviled, he did not revile in return; when he suffered, he did not threaten, but continued entrusting himself to him who judges justly." Remember the parable of the debtor who was forgiven but he himself did not forgive? We must not be like him being  forgiven and not forgiving. Merciless to those who hate us and spit on our name for the sake of Jesus Christ when we use to do the same thing to Him and He still forgave us.

Preaching the Gospel is something we are commanded to do but in it we are promised persecution and affliction, that we must learn how to deal with correctly.  Romans 12:14 "Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them."  I really want to drill that into your heads and hearts. Always bless for we are blessed especially those who persecute us.  We are children of Love so we must Love but I don't mean this new age Gospel of Love but Love which hates sin and Loves God and does everything in His Spirit. 

If you are not preaching the Gospel in the open air or in one-2-one conversations with the lost or even handing out tracks sharing your faith because this persecution bothers you or you are afraid of it, on the contrary you should be encouraged by this type of persecution because Jesus said "Blessed are you when people hate you and when they exclude you and revile you and spurn your name as evil, on account of the Son of Man! Rejoice in that day, and leap for joy, for behold, your reward is in heaven; for so their fathers did to the prophets." Luke 6:22-23. That is a promise that a lot of today's "Christians" are not able to share or partake in. 

 I want to encourage all of you who do evangelize, as we are called to do so, that we are in good company. Peace will never always be possible when standing for Christ as the scriptures teach but we must strive to do so on our part Romans 12:18. Rejoice in persecution! And Pray God forgives those who hate us and bless them who persecute us. Always pray for them and in doing so you will see that you are growing in the the image of His Son. I challenge you! Next time you are persecuted don't react but act in mercy, and meekness, and kindness, and pray for what they yell at you that God not hold it against them and ask Him to forgive them. Evangelism must always keep you in biblical perspective. Bless them and don't curse them and see Him in all His Glory! For more resources on evangelism and encouraging stories visit Bring The Noiz Ministries at BringtheNoiz.com