Jesus says that some people fall away from their newfound faith because of “trouble and persecution.” At first, they have joy, but then because they have “no root” they quickly fall away (Mark 4:16-17).
It’s a reality of modern faith. Your devotion to Jesus makes you different. As a Christian in the 1st century, even though you were assured of life-altering realities like God’s hope, salvation, eternity, forgiveness, hope, love, strength and purpose, it was assumed that life would involve hardship on earth.
This fact has kind of drifted from view for many years because, in Canada, Christianity has been in the majority. But that’s no longer the case. We are different. Alternative. Against-the-grain. Counter-cultural. Weird.
In this post, Part 2 in the “Crop” series [Part 1 is here], we explore Jesus’ Parable of the Sower. In it, we learn how experiencing trouble or persecution can threaten your faith, especially if it comes as a surprise to you.
But there’s good news. Jesus gives us help and wisdom! What he says isn’t to scare you but to prepare you.
Usually we think of ‘persecution’ as something that happens to Christians in other parts of the world. But it is increasingly coming to Canada. In this sermon, I explore five takeaways to ready ourselves in a biblical way.
The message is called “Expect to be different—and persecuted.” Listen in! (The video is below, and the audio-only download is underneath that.)
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