Now when you read passages like these in the Old Testament, it is always a tricky task, especially for those that comes with many tricky names. So, thank you very much pastor for reading this to us. Okay before we start, let us commit this time to God in prayer. 

“Our Father in heaven, we are once again thankful for yet another opportunity where we can come and open up Your Word. Your preserved Word for us in Scripture so that we can learn much from it. We pray that this morning will indeed be the day where You will speak to us. You’ll encourage our hearts. Help us catch a glimpse of Your glory through Your Word. For these, we ask and pray in Jesus’ name, Amen.”

Now I recently read an article in this website by the name of “opendoors.org”. Now opendoors.org, which is really a website that is dedicated to helping persecuted Christians worldwide. And in this particular article that was dated March 2019 (I think it’s still on the website, you can go take a look), it mentioned a list of countries and the people that are in these countries that are facing life-threatening situations simply because they are Christians right. And let me just read to you some of the headlines of this particular article. In a sense it’s timely because we just were able to meet some of the missionaries of HeartCry. And we can relate in a sense to some of those people who come from a very hostile environment.

So here are some of the headlines in this particular article. “In North Korea, Christianity is the number one enemy of the state.” “Afghanistan- Where Christianity is not permitted to exist.” “The Christians are high-value targets in Somalia.” “Believers in Libya face deadly violence.” “Christians in Pakistan live with open discrimination and constant threat of mob attacks.” “Christian converts in Sudan targeted for persecution.” “Believers in Yemen especially vulnerable in civil war and famine.” “Illegal to convert, illegal to preach in Iran.” So, these are just some of the headlines in this article. If you want to know more, visit this website. I think there are more information on what these people are facing in these countries.

But you see, throughout the history of mankind, where people are coming to hear the Word of God, where God’s Word is being preached faithfully, where people are coming to live Christian lives that are in accordance with the Bible, you can be sure that the devil is never far away. In fact, the devil is always nearby. And so historically, there have always been two main ways. Two primary ways where Satan attacks the church and Satan attacks the people of God. And these are the two main ways.

Number one, it is always through external persecution. External persecution, especially so true. The first few centuries of the church, you see how many martyrs gave their lives because of their faith, simply because they were Christians. Now that’s the first method that Satan always engages. And the second method is in the form of lies. Now deception, heresies, attempts by Satan to undermine the gospel through false teachers. And so, these are just the two main ways that the devil uses to attack the church and the people of God.

Now today as we look at our chapter in Ezra chapter 4, now we see here again an attack of Satan among the work of God, especially among the people of God. And these people of God is those that returned. The returning exiles. Before we come to look at our chapter, I just want to recall where we are at this point in redemptive history. So, you would be familiar. And you know that the Jews were taken into captivity for seventy years. The Babylonian Empire came and took the Southern Kingdom of Judah into captivity and they were there for seventy years. 

In Ezra chapter 1, you saw the decree issued by King Cyrus enabling the exiles to now go home. Go back to Judah. And he also allowed them to go home and enabled them to go home through funding, through assistance, and through the support. So that was all in Ezra chapter 1. And in Ezra chapter 2, you saw a list of seventy verses of names. Totals to about 50,000 of those names, which includes male and female servant. And again you know that names are not in the Bible just because they are in the Bible. Everything is in the Bible for a reason.

But yet they were others that were sorrowful. They were weeping. They were crying. They were mourning because they remembered the previous temple. But almost instantaneously there is a loud sound or loud noise that was made. And here Ezra is detailed enough to tell us at the last sentence of Ezra chapter 3: “and the sound was heard afar off”. Now, this sets the context for what will take place in Ezra chapter 4. Okay? But before we look at this chapter again (Ezra chapter 4), let me explain a little bit how this passage is structured because Ezra chapter 4 is structured a little bit different from all other historical records.

Remember the book of Ezra, the book of Nehemiah, these are both historical records. It’s believed that Ezra was the author of both these books. In the Jewish records, there is no Ezra as one book, and Nehemiah as one book. It’s lumped together as one book. Just that in our Bible today we see that being split into Ezra and Nehemiah. But it’s widely believed that Ezra was the author of both these books. In historical records they are most of the time written in a chronological order alright. This happens, and this takes place, and then so on and so forth.

But here’s a chapter that’s a little bit unique. In what sense is it unique? In this sense: Now you see if you remember a couple of weeks ago when Bro. Woei Chyuen was speaking to us on Joshua chapter 3, the same literary style is being used here in Ezra chapter 4. And it is a form of Hebraic literary style. And how is it different from all other historical records? Verse 1 to verse 5 of Ezra chapter 4 flows immediately from chapter 3. And then it picks back up only at the last verse of this chapter. So, verse 1 to verse 5 follows through chronologically and picks back up in verse 24 which is the last verse of this chapter.

Now, what happened in between verse 6 to verse 23? Now this portion in between these two verses speaks of a totally different time period. It’s in fact talking about a period during the time of Nehemiah. Nehemiah. So, you would remember that the Jews were taken into exile in three waves. Babylonian Empire came, took them into three waves. And as they returned, they also came back in three waves. Now the first wave is what we are looking at here under leadership of Zerubbabel. They came back to rebuild the temple of the Lord.

Now the second wave is under the leadership of Ezra (We haven’t reached him yet, even though we’re looking at Ezra), that is to rebuild their lives and to re-establish the Law. And then the third wave is really the one that is led by Nehemiah. And he brought the people back to rebuild the walls. And so, this center portion here refers to the time period during the time of Nehemiah alright. And then you’d ask the obvious question is that: Why did Ezra write this way?

Now see in verse 1 to verse 5, he makes mention of two kings. Verse 5, you see he made mention of Cyrus, King of Persia, and Darius, King of Persia. Verse 24, he also mentions Darius, King of Persia. That’s why you see it’s continuing from there. But verse 6: “Now in the reign of Ahasuerus, in the beginning of his reign” Verse 7: “in the days of Artaxerxes also” Ahasuerus is also known as Xerxes, so you have Cyrus, Darius, Ahasuerus (or Xerxes), and Artaxerxes. So there are four different Middle-Persian kings in this chapter mentioned.

Again, why did Ezra write this way? Now the obvious answer to that question is that the God the Holy Spirit inspired Ezra to write this way because we know that every word is an inspiration of the Holy Spirit. But is there a deeper reason as to why Ezra wrote like this? Now you see, Ezra is actually a writer that is professional alright. He’s a professional scribe. And so as he writes Ezra chapter 3, you saw he highlighted one theme, which is the theme of worship. Now as we come to Ezra chapter 4, now he is also calling attention to a particular theme, and that is the theme of opposition. Theme of opposition.

So as he writes chronologically following from Ezra chapter 3, he writes about opposition. And he remembers that “Hey, opposition doesn’t just happen during this time, but it’s also happening during the time of Nehemiah. And opposition is still happening today. Persecution is still happening today.” So with that in mind, we at least get a sense of how this passage is being structured. And although two different timings, now there is and always will be opposition by the world upon the life of a Christian, upon the work of God in the church. Therefore this morning I’ve entitled my sermon, as you can see, is “Christians, You May Expect Opposition!” Christians, you may expect opposition.

And for this morning, we will just look at the first wave, which is from verse 1 to verse 5, pick back up in verse 24, and we’ll consider them in three points. Three points. Point number one is this: The Christian life is not one that is always smooth sailing. That’s point number one. The Christian life is not one that is always smooth sailing. Look with me the verse 1, Ezra chapter 4. “Now when the adversaries of Judah and Benjamin heard that the descendants of the captivity were building the temple of the LORD God of Israel, they came to Zerubbabel and the heads of the fathers’ houses”.

As I mentioned just now, there was a loud sound that was being made, and the sound was heard afar off. Again, as I’ve said, when God’s work is being done, when people are trying to live out their lives to please God, the enemy, Satan, is never far away. So the sound that the Israelite made was loud enough to be heard by the surrounding enemies and here they are. They came to Zerubbabel and the heads of the fathers’ houses. But why did they come? Why did the adversaries come to the leaders of the exiled? They came with a request. They came with a request in verse 2.

What was the request? It says: “Let us build with you, for we seek your God as you do; and we have sacrificed to him since the days of Esarhaddon king of Assyria, who brought us here.” The request was this: They wanted to help the Jews to rebuild the temple of the Lord. They wanted to help with the temple building project. Now on the surface, this sounds like a very kind generous request, because you know, Woei Shyong will tell you that building work is not easy. And here some people are trying to offer their help and their assistance. So why not accept? Why not welcome them to help with you know, temple building?

So on the surface, I mentioned this sounds very kind and very generous. But we have to examine a little further what was their pure motive? What was their intention of offering their help to build the temple of the Lord? So let’s take a closer look at their request. Now verse 2 tells us that these people claimed that they were brought to Israel by Esarhaddon, the king of Assyria. So the logical next question is: Who is this Esarhaddon? Who is this king of Assyria? Now for that, let me turn you to Second Kings chapter 19. Second Kings and chapter 19.

Second Kings is just a few books before Ezra, and as you turn to this chapter, now let me give you again some background of what we are looking at. As you know that the nation of Israel as a whole was divided into two- into the Northern Kingdom and the Southern Kingdom. After the reign of King Solomon right, they were divided into these two kingdoms, and both these kingdoms were disobedient to what God had said. And in 722 B.C., the Assyrians, which were the world power at that point of time, they came and they took the Northern Kingdom away into captivity. 

So they took the whole ten tribes back to Assyria, and we never really hear very much about the ten tribes after this ever again. And the king of that point of time who led the conquest was this king by the name of king Sennacherib. King Sennacherib. And King Sennacherib is an ambitious king. So he didn’t stop at conquering the Northern Kingdom of Israel. He wanted to also take the Southern Kingdom of Judah. He wanted to take the whole Israel because he was an ambitious King, and they were the world power at a point of time. So King Sennacherib took the Northern Kingdom of Israel, and he made plans to come and take the Southern Kingdom of Judah.

Verse 35 in 2 Kings chapter 19, here he is already planning to attack the Southern Kingdom. Verse 35: “And it came to pass on a certain night that the angel of the LORD went out, and killed in the camp of the Assyrians one hundred and eighty-five thousand; and when people arose early in the morning, there were the corpses – all dead. So Sennacherib king of Assyria departed and went away, returned home, and remained at Nineveh. Now it came to pass, as he was worshipping in the temple of Nisroch his god, that his sons Adrammelech and Sharezer struck him down with the sword; and they escaped into the land of Ararat.”.

Now here we know that God had other plans for His people. So the Assyrian king wanted to attack the Southern Kingdom of Judah, but that night, an angel of the Lord slew the armies. So the Assyrian king had no more army. He had to go back. And when he went back he was also killed by his sons. And so this is the context. And then we see in the last sentence in this chapter, “Then Esarhaddon his son reigned in his place.” So who is Esarhaddon? Esarhaddon is the son of King Sennacherib. He is the son of the king that conquered the Northern Kingdom of Israel. Now, this is the person to which the enemies of God claimed, brought them to Israel.

Now, remember when Assyria took over the Northern Kingdom of Israel, they didn’t just take the ten tribes away and left the Northern Kingdom empty just like that. Just left it barren; left it bare. What they did, what the Assyrians did was they brought their people, the pagan people from Assyria, and repopulated the Northern Kingdom of Israel alright. And so here were pagans living now in the Northern Kingdom of Israel. And these pagans intermingled, intermixed, intermarried with whatever was left of the ten tribes in the Northern Kingdom.

And what resulted from this intermarriage was a despised mongrel race of people known as the Samaritans. The Samaritans. So you know about the Samaritans. They got their name from the capital of the Northern Kingdom of Israel, which is Samaria. They intermingled, intermixed, intermarried with the Assyrians that were brought over by the Assyrian Kingdom, and we have the birth of the Samaritans. Now we know that the Samaritans is a group of people that is really hated by the Jews. The Jews really hated the Samaritans deeply because of this very reason. Because they are a mixed-race: Pagan and Jews.

You’ll also remember the well-known story of Jesus at the well, where He asked the Samaritan woman for a drink of water, and what did the woman say? She said, “How is it that you a Jew, asked a drink from me, a Samaritan woman?” And then John chapter 4 says what? “For Jews have no dealings with Samaritans.” Now it was these people that came to the leaders. They came to Zerubbabel and the leaders and said, “Hey let us build with you.” “Why? Why should you build with us?” “Because we seek your God.” It’s mentioned there, “because we seek your God and have been sacrificing to him since the days of Esarhaddon.”

Now if you know anything about this claim, you will know almost immediately that this is an outright blatant obvious lie. This is deception. Now how do we know that? How do we know that this is deception? Because remember in chapter 3, the Jews were just rebuilding the altar of the Lord to offer sacrifices. Seventy years have passed, there was no true altar, and here were people coming back and claiming that “Hey, all this while we have been offering sacrifices to your God.” Now we know that these were pagan people. And if you have time, you can go back and read Second Kings chapter 17. It mentions that these people had some form of altar.

But they didn’t just offer sacrifices to one God; they offered sacrifices to a host of different, different gods. And so, it’s definitely not in accordance with the way that Yahweh, the God of Israel has commanded them to worship. And so here is Satan engaging in one of his two methods to oppose the people of God, which is deception. Lies. And as I said, the Christian life is not one that is always smooth sailing. Here were the Jews, just coming back from exile, after a long tiring journey. It was four months. It took them four months to journey back, travel back to Jerusalem.

Before they even had time to recollect themselves, before they even had time to settle down, worship God peacefully, rebuild the temple, do what is honouring to God, here is Satan already knocking on their doorsteps, giving them problems. So the Christian life has never been guaranteed. It’s never promised to be one that is smooth sailing. Contrary to so many teachings that are out there from the prosperity teachers we see all around us that guarantees success and guarantees wealth and health.

Look at it. Here’s a quote from Joel Osteen; you know Joel Osteen, the Master of the prosperity movement. He says: “Don’t just accept whatever comes your way in life, you were born to win.”, to which John MacArthur responds, “win what?”. He says, “you were born for greatness. You were created to be a champion in life.”. So, I’m not sure if the Jews that came back would have agreed with this statement. I mean here they were trying to build the temple, and opposition is right in front of them, trying to stop them from building the temple. So how is that being a champion? How is that winning?

But the truth is the Bible never promises a smooth sailing journey of victory and championships all through our Christian life. So do not be easily deceived by the false teachers and the positive thinking gurus who say so around us. Now turn with me to Acts chapter 14. You put your finger in Ezra chapter 4, turn to Acts chapter 14. Let me read from verse 21. Here’s the Apostle Paul, said: “And when they had preached the gospel to that city and made many disciples, they returned to Lystra, Iconium, and Antioch.” (Paul and his missionary group). Verse 22: “strengthening the souls of the disciples, exhorting them to continue in the faith, and saying, “We must through many tribulations enter the kingdom of God.”

So even Paul acknowledged that the Christian life is not one that is smooth. We must through many tribulations, many trials, enter the kingdom of God. And it’s not just Paul. The Apostle John, now let me read for you from the book of Revelation chapter 1. You know that John was exiled to the island of Patmos. And he wrote these words, he said, “I, John, both your brother and companion, in the tribulation, and kingdom, and patience of Jesus Christ, was on the island that is called Patmos.” So he was exiled to the island of Patmos. Why? For the Word of God, and for the testimony of Jesus Christ. So the Bible never promises that our Christian life is one that is free and easy; everything will be cruise smooth when we live out our Christian life.

And I say to you, even the Jews who just returned from exile from a trying time, trying to do what is right now, were already approached by their enemies so very quickly. And this leads us to our second point this morning. As the Christian life is not one that is always smooth sailing, and as Christians, we may expect opposition from the world, that’s my title this morning. As Christians, we may expect opposition from the world.

Back to Ezra chapter 4. Now we saw that the adversaries of Judah and Benjamin initially tried the first tactic of opposition, which is to deceive the leaders, claiming that they wanted to help in the rebuilding project, “let’s come and help you build the temple.”. And it is not explicitly written here in Scripture as to why they wanted to help. And we’ve mentioned just now, there could be a couple of reasons. But one commentator said this: That if this had happened, the temple would have become a playground for Satan, where the pagans would claim hold of the temple and force the worship of their pagan gods in.

I think that that is a safe assumption to make because these people came from a pagan background. We know they came from a pagan background; and verse 3 of Ezra chapter 4 confirms our suspicion. Because why? What was the response of the leaders of the exiles? Verse 3: “But Zerubbabel and Jeshua and the rest of the heads of the fathers’ houses of Israel said to them, “You may do nothing with us to build a house for our God; but we alone will build to the Lord God of Israel, as King Cyrus the king of Persia has commanded us.”.

So they responded. The leaders responded with an emphatic “no”. You will not help us to build our temple, but we will build this temple to our Lord alright. And upon this rejection of their request by the leaders, what happened? You see the enemies of the exiles launched an outright full-blown attack on the building project, on the work that the people of God was doing. And this is Satan’s second strategy. Persecution. In the form of persecution. If deception didn’t work, persecution is next.

“Then the people”, verse 4, “of the land tried to discourage the people of Judah. They troubled them in building, and hired counsellors against them to frustrate their purpose all the days of Cyrus king of Persia, even until the reign of Darius king of Persia.” So you see the response was to discourage. And discourage in the original language here in Hebrew literally means to put your hands down. It means drop your hands, stop work. Discourage them. They troubled them in building. They hired counsellors against them to frustrate their purpose. So here is a very intentional response by the enemies of Judah and Benjamin, the enemies of the exiles, in an attempt to put to stop the progression of the temple.

And is this anything new? Satan has been using this very tactic for the longest time. We know that this very same tactic was engaged upon our Lord Jesus Christ. Satan took him to the wilderness, tempted him three times, “command these stones to be turned into bread”. “Throw yourself off from this cliff, the angels will save you. You’ll be a hero”. Or “look at this place, bow down and worship me and I’ll give them all to you”. But Jesus prevailed.

And what happened was Satan launched into an outright full-blown persecution through the Roman authorities and through the Jewish authorities to try to kill Jesus. And also through the most cruel form of torture invented, the crucifixion, we all know that. But we know he didn’t succeed as well. And we’re also familiar with the various persecutions that the Apostles, the early Christians, went through. We saw Paul and Peter and John. All these people were heavily persecuted and tortured because of their faith. And it never stopped from there right? Opposition, persecution from the devil also came very strongly through the Roman Catholic Church on our reformers.

You remember William Tyndale, who was the father of the English language and the father of the English Bible that you and I have in our hands. Persecution came strongly upon him. He was condemned as a heretic. Why? Because he translated the Bible from the original language, Greek and Hebrew, into English. He was condemned as a heretic. He was strangled at the neck until he died. Not just that. After he died, his body was burnt. And all because he translated the Bible into English, simply because that was his temple building project.

His predecessor, John Wycliffe, who really started the translation work, he died and his body was dug up; his body was burned, and the ashes were scattered in the river. Now that was how much the authorities hated what he was doing. John Rogers, who came after William Tyndale, to complete the translation of the English Bible. John Wycliffe started it, William Tyndale perfected the translation, and John Rogers completed the translation of the English Bible. He was also condemned as a heretic, and he was the first martyr during the reign of “Bloody Mary”. Queen Mary. And in “Foxe’s Book Of Martyrs”, it says this.

When the death sentence was passed (the death sentence here means that he was a sentence to be burned at the stake), John Rogers begged the Chancellor to let him speak a few words to his wife. But the Chancellor refused. And as Rodgers was led to the stake, he saw his wife at the roadside together with a group of people holding their youngest baby, whom he had never even seen. But he never got a chance to say goodbye or to hold his baby. But he was forcefully led to the stake. And at the stake, Rogers was offered a pardon. If he would recant his belief, return to the Roman Catholic Church.

But he refused. And John Foxe said the fire was lit, and Rogers washed his hands in the flames as though he did not feel them. He was the first of many martyrs during Mary’s reign. This was John Rogers’ temple building project. Now today is not much different as I’ve read to you at the beginning. Persecution is still in some parts of the world, very, very real. You could pay with your life for being a Christian. And in other parts of the world, Christians are labelled all sorts of different names like intolerant, homophobic, old-fashioned, narrow-minded, “dinosaur”, etc and etc. Now all because we want to do what the Bible tells us to do, and all because we want to honour our King.

So how about you this morning? Is your temple building project in life facing any opposition from the world? Perhaps it could be an opposition from an atheistic teacher in school. A teacher who doesn’t believe in God who’s giving you a hard time, challenging your faith in school. Or a colleague in the workplace who is ridiculing Christianity, who is mocking, who is scorning your faith. Or it could be even an unbelieving family member. A loved one who is giving you a hard time when they know that you are attending church, or you’re now a Christian. Are you facing any form of opposition this morning? Now listen to these words from John chapter 15.

John 15:18, here is Jesus speaking. He says, “If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love its own. But yet because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. Remember the word that I said to you, ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you.”. So here is Jesus speaking. He was preparing His apostles and Christians down through the ages that just as the world persecuted Him, would they not also persecute followers of Him? They will.

Now Peter says the same thing in 1 Peter 4:12- “Beloved, do not think it strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened to you”. Now Peter is saying the same thing as what Jesus is saying. Do not think it’s something surprising. Something that is strange if you face trials, persecution, opposition, and affliction from the world because it will come. Because we are believers. We follow the Lord Jesus Christ. Now the Christian life is not one that is always smooth sailing and as Christians, we may expect opposition from the world. 

But the third point is this. Here is the comfort. The comfort is that we can rest in the sovereignty of our good God. We can rest in the sovereignty of our good God. And you may not understand the reason for the current situation that you may be in or why persecution and opposition is so hostile upon your life. But one thing we know the promise is what? It’s that all things work together for good to those who love God ultimately. And this very encouraging verse in Romans 8:28.

How many times have you heard that being mentioned and again and again? It is always very encouraging in the midst of persecution and trials and hardship that we can remember that God is sovereign. Remember God is sovereign. God is in control of all things. See, the late R.C. Sproul said this. He said, “There is not one maverick molecule that runs around while in this universe, because God is in control of everything, and God is a sovereign God.”. Which means He is also sovereign over the persecution, sovereign over opposition, sovereign over suffering. And persecution and suffering does not disrupt the plan of God because God is the one who allows it.

Think about the story of Job. If Satan came to God and say that “here is a person who only trusts in You because he is healed and healthy.” And if God didn’t allow Satan to afflict Job, then Job would not have been afflicted. But the sovereign Lord saw it good to allow Job to suffer. Again in Ezra 4, the Samaritans, the enemies of God, they will not be able to do anything if God did not allow them to disrupt the temple building project. And so the comfort we have as Christians is that Satan cannot lift a finger against you if God does not allow that to happen. God is sovereign.

Remember God is sovereign. Remember also that God is good. God is not just sovereign, God is good. Look with me again in Ezra 4:24: “Thus the work of the house of God which is at Jerusalem ceased, and it was discontinued until the second year of the reign of Darius king of Persia.” Now in surface reading, it does feel like the enemies of God succeeded in stopping the rebuilding project because it was discontinued. Now but we know that all things work together for good. Now these people that were suffering at this point of time under persecution, they did not have the ability to see the big picture. They couldn’t see the bigger picture.

But if you turn just a few chapters with me in Ezra 6:13, Ezra 6:13 says: “Then Tattenai, governor of the region beyond the River, Shethar-Boznai, and their companions diligently did according to what King Darius had sent. So the elders of the Jews built, and they prospered through the prophesying of Haggai the prophet and Zechariah the son of Iddo. And they built and finished it, according to the commandment of the God of Israel, and according to the command of Cyrus, Darius, and Artaxerxes king of Persia. Now the temple was finished on the third day of the month of Adar, which was in the sixth year of the reign of King Darius.”.

So ultimately the temple was completed. That was a good thing. Isaiah has prophesied that Jerusalem, your foundations will be laid. Your temple will be built. And it did came to pass. But the exiles at that point of time would have felt frustrated. They would have felt depressed because here is persecution, oppression in front of us. But would they have remembered that God is sovereign, God is good, they would have had much encouragement, much hope. Now here is this old saying that says that “if persecution or oppression or evil happens to you, it’s either God is not sovereign or God is not loving”.

But the Scripture says otherwise. The Scripture affirms both the sovereignty of God and the goodness of God. God is a God that is sovereign and He is a God that is good. He has a good purpose in everything that happens in our lives. Even the bad things, even persecution, even suffering, even oppression. Let me turn you just one last verse in First Peter chapter 4. We briefly looked at this just now. But 1 Peter 4:12, let me read again to you. Now “beloved, do not think it strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened to you”.

Why? Because look at the bigger picture: “but rejoice”. We can even rejoice in the midst of suffering “to the extent that you partake of Christ’s sufferings, that when His glory is revealed, you may also be glad with exceeding joy.”. So we can look at this verse and we can see that ultimately even the little suffering, the little persecution that we face now as Christians would mean really nothing as we anticipate the glory that is to be revealed when Christ returns.

And one day, when Jesus comes back, there’ll be no more deception. There will be no more injustice. There will be no more persecution or affliction. And because He will vindicate all those that belong to Him, and we will be glad. It’s not we can be glad, we will be glad. It’s a confirmation. It’s an affirmation with exceeding joy and such that a little oppression that we face now is really nothing compared to when Christ returns right.

So there was a man who once said this, and I’ll close with this: “When you faithfully stand firm in your work for the Lord, you’ll most likely experienced major opposition from the enemies of the Lord. And when you faithfully stand firm in your work for the Lord, you will most likely experience major opposition from the enemies of the Lord.”. Doesn’t this sound exactly like Ezra chapter 4? Now this man stood firm despite persecution around him. And after fifty years in China, this man brought more than 18,000 converts to Christ, founded the China Inland Mission, which is still around today known as the “Overseas Mission Fund”.

And by some estimates, China is on track to be the world’s largest Christian population by the year 2030 all because this one man. J. Hudson Taylor stood firm against persecution and against opposition for the sake of the gospel, trusting in the sovereignty and in the providence of God. So the Christian life is not one that is always smooth sailing. As Christians, we may expect opposition from the world. But remember that we have a God that is sovereign. And we have a God that is ultimately good and will bring His good purpose to pass in our life in accordance to His own plan. Let us pray.

“Our Father in heaven, we are once again thankful for this time where we can come look at this story in redemptive history and find great encouragement, knowing that we still live in a sinful and fallen world that the world is still in opposition to Your people and to the work of the church almost on daily basis. But we thank You for the comfort that we have in Scripture knowing that You are a sovereign God, knowing that You are good God.

You are a benevolent God, and that so good are You that You have sent Your Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, to come and die for our sins. And so we pray this morning that in response we will learn to live lives that is faithful, life that is reflective upon what the Lord Jesus Christ has done for us, and to look forward to the eternal home of glory as opposed to the temporal suffering that we may face during this time. For these, we ask and pray in Jesus’ name, Amen.”

This transcript has been lightly edited for readability.