None of us would willingly invite persecution, would we? Our instinct towards self preservation is so ingrained in us that our natural tendency is to avoid anything that might cause us pain or discomfort. If you’re like me, you spend a lot of time praying that God would deliver you from whatever trial you might be encountering. But the fact is that God often uses persecution and trials for His plan.   What seems injurious to us, is often used by God to conform us in the image of Jesus Christ.

That is why James says in chapter 1 vs. 2, “Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance, and let endurance have its perfect result so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.”

It’s interesting to notice that at the very beginning of the church, when unparalleled growth was occurring, 10,000 to 20,000 people have possibly been saved and brought into the church, it’s ironic that this is also the time that God allowed persecution to come upon the church in order to complete what had been begun at Pentecost. Though God never tempts us with evil, He allowed evil men to bring persecution upon this fledgling body of believers and used it to produce maturity and a greater degree of usefulness and fruitfulness.

Peter in His address to the Sanhedrin makes it clear that persecution of Christ was used by God to work out His plan. Vs. 27, “For truly in this city there were gathered together against Your holy servant Jesus, whom You anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, along with the Gentiles and the peoples of Israel, to do whatever Your hand and Your purpose predestined to occur.”

In the same way, according to the sovereign plan of God, He uses trials and persecutions brought on by evil men to accomplish His purpose; to produce endurance, to prove our faith and to bring us to completeness in the image of Christ. So in this passage today we are going to look at 9 ways that persecution brings about God’s purposes. Nine ways that God uses persecution to perform His purposes. And as we look at these, it is my hope that it would cause us to look at persecution and trials differently, so that we might fulfill James command to endure these trials and consider it all joy, because we know that it will be used by God for His glory, and our good.

First, we should rejoice because persecution produces identification with Christ. Vs.13, “Now as they observed the confidence of Peter and John and understood that they were uneducated and untrained men, they were amazed, and began to recognize them as having been with Jesus.” One of the benefits of persecution is that it draws the line doesn’t it? When Christianity is on easy street and it’s considered popular to be a “Christian”, then many times the lines get blurred between true Christianity that is modeled after Christ’s example and those who just give lip service. But when persecution comes, and suddenly it’s not popular to be a Christian, when professing Christ can get you fired from your job, or even fined or arrested for talking about Jesus, then the fair weather Christians fall away pretty quickly and those that are truly His disciples become evident.

To the Sanhedrin who had arrested Peter and John, it was apparent that these men had been with Jesus. They spoke with the boldness that He spoke. They acted in the power of the Holy Spirit even as Christ had. They showed discernment of the scriptures even as Christ had. And so it was apparent that they had been with Jesus. Hey, is that something that might be said about you, by people you are working with? Do your neighbors say that it’s apparent that you are someone who has Jesus? That should be our goal, to live lives that mirror the life of Jesus, so that people see the resemblance by the way we act, and the way we talk. And persecution has a way of drawing that out, or better yet, instilling Christ’s attributes in us. As Paul says in Phil. 3:10 “that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death.” That means that as we submit to suffering for the sake of Christ, and we die to ourselves, we come to know Him more fully, and we receive the power to live as He lived.

Secondly, persecution produces proof. Vs.14-16 “And seeing the man who had been healed standing with them, they had nothing to say in reply. But when they had ordered them to leave the Council, they began to confer with one another, saying, “What shall we do with these men? For the fact that a noteworthy miracle has taken place through them is apparent to all who live in Jerusalem, and we cannot deny it.” What kind of proof does persecution produce? Persecution produces the proof of your faith.

Back in the reference we looked at in James 1:3, the word translated testing is from the Greek word “dokimion” which means proving. That is what testing through trials is referring to. God uses testing to prove your faith, so that you have a more sure faith that is able to endure even greater conflicts, do even greater deeds and win even greater battles in this spiritual warfare. A good illustration of that word is found in the story of David when he was about to go to battle with Goliath, and King Saul wanted David to wear the King’s personal armor. And remember, David tried it on and said, “I can’t wear this armor, for I haven’t proven it.” He meant that he had not tested it out in battle. He couldn’t rely on it. But God uses persecution to produce trials which produce a proven faith. Persecution provides evidence of our faith to an unbelieving world that is watching us and even more importantly, it produces a proven faith in us that enables us to live a more victorious life.

Thirdly, persecution produces allegiance to God not men. Vs.18-20 “And when they had summoned them, they commanded them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus. But Peter and John answered and said to them, “Whether it is right in the sight of God to give heed to you rather than to God, you be the judge; for we cannot stop speaking about what we have seen and heard.”

There really is no such thing as popular Christianity. The gospel by it’s nature offensive to man’s desire for self determination. Peter, in 1 Peter 2:8 says that Jesus as the cornerstone is a stone of stumbling and a rock of offense. And Jesus said in Matt. 21:44 “And he who falls on this stone will be broken to pieces; but on whomever it falls, it will scatter him like dust.” The gospel is designed to divide the sheep from the goats, light from darkness, truth from error. It is designed to separate righteousness from sin. And God uses persecution to produce that separation.

Today in an age of seeker friendly churches, preachers have tried to take out anything from Christianity that might be offensive in their efforts to woo people into church. But in so doing, the have prostituted the gospel for the sake of gain. And the real danger is that hell is richer for it, as people are lulled into a false security that they are in Christ, when all they have done is align themselves with manmade religion.

But when persecution comes, it suddenly costs something to follow Christ. And then we often find ourselves having to choose between pleasing men or pleasing God. And there must be only one real choice for the child of God. We must give heed to God rather than men, no matter what it cost us.

And that segues nicely into the next principle, persecution produces preaching, not pandering. At the end of vs.20 we read that Peter says, “we cannot stop speaking about what we have seen and heard.” John would say later in his epistle, 1John 1:1 “What was from the beginning, what we have heard, what we have seen with our eyes, what we have looked at and touched with our hands, concerning the Word of Life– and the life was manifested, and we have seen and testify and proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and was manifested to us– what we have seen and heard we proclaim to you also, so that you too may have fellowship with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father, and with His Son Jesus Christ.”

Listen, there is no hope in preaching a half truth. There is no hope in preaching a social gospel. Jesus said in John 8:31, ““If you continue in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine; and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.” The word of God is truth, and only in that truth are we made free. When we water it down, when we deduct things that are onerous for fear of offending someone, then we risk leaving them still dead in their sins. If they are to have true fellowship with the Father, then they must accept the Word of Christ as faithfully delivered by the apostles. We dare not offer a dying world a nice tasting placebo which has no power to save. They need to know the truth of the gospel in order to deliver them from death.

Fifth, persecution produces praise. Vs.23-24 “When they had been released, they went to their own companions and reported all that the chief priests and the elders had said to them. And when they heard this, they lifted their voices to God with one accord and said, “O Lord, it is You who MADE THE HEAVEN AND THE EARTH AND THE SEA, AND ALL THAT IS IN THEM…” It seems like an oxymoron to say that persecution produces praise, doesn’t it? How does persecution produce praise? Well, for one it reminds us that God is sovereign over all. He is the creator, and all things have their life and being in Him. And so there is nothing that happens that is outside of His provenance. God is sovereign.  He is able to cause all things to work together for good to those that love God and are called according to His purpose. (Rom. 8:28)

A good illustration of that was when Joseph praised God even when his brothers meant him harm. He said, “You meant it for evil, but God used it for good.” We can praise God that He counts us worthy to suffer for His name sake. And in Act 16, after Paul and Silas were thrown in the stocks in jail they began to sing songs of praise and God caused an earthquake. When we suffer for Christ, it produces praise to Christ that isn’t merely lip service. Praise in the midst of suffering pleases the heart of God.

Sixthly, persecution produces prayer. Peter’s prayer is continued in vs. 29-31, “And now, Lord, take note of their threats, and grant that Your bond-servants may speak Your word with all confidence, while You extend Your hand to heal, and signs and wonders take place through the name of Your holy servant Jesus. And when they had prayed, the place where they had gathered together was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak the word of God with boldness.”

In James 5:16, the KJV says, “Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.” Persecution produces fervent prayer and righteous men, which produces results. God hears and answers that kind of prayer.

Augustine said, “Pray as if everything depends upon God, and work as though everything depended on you.” Sometimes the work that is demanded is just laboring in prayer. Sometimes it is laborious to pray. And yet perhaps that is when it is most effective. R.A. Torrey said, “Pray for great things, expect great things, work for great things, but above all, pray.”   Nothing lies beyond the reach of prayer except that which lies outside the will of God. Pray when it hurts, and pray until it hurts. Pray until you see results.

Number seven, persecution produces power from God. Vs. 31, “And when they had prayed, the place where they had gathered together was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak the word of God with boldness.” I can’t help but wonder why the place started shaking when they prayed. But I have to imagine that it was shaken because the forces of darkness were shaken. Eph. 6:12 says, “For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.” God has given us two weapons to use against these spiritual strongholds; the Sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God, and prayer. When these righteous, persecuted Christians fervently prayed, I believe that God caused the walls of those strongholds to fall down, just as the walls of Jericho fell down. And that produced a shaking that they could actually feel.

Oh, Christians! How I want us to pray like that. I want to see us pray so that God cracks the sky and rumbles forth in power and might to put the enemies of the church to flight, to deliver loved ones from sin, and to bring a spirit of revival upon the church. Notice that when they prayed, God answered with a shaking, but also with power. That is what it means to be filled with the Holy Spirit, is it not? It is the power to be what God has called us to be. The Holy Spirit provides the power to do what God wants us to do. And what God wanted them to do, and what He wants us to do, is to speak the Word of God with boldness. Persecution produces power, the power to boldly proclaim Jesus Christ and His gospel in spite of opposition or what the culture considers politically correct.

Eighth, persecution produces unity. It produces unity in the church. Vs. 32 “And the congregation of those who believed were of one heart and soul; and not one of them claimed that anything belonging to him was his own, but all things were common property to them.” Unity is so important in the life of a Christian. But please understand that unity doesn’t overrule truth of doctrine, but it is the result of truth of doctrine. We never should sacrifice doctrinal purity for the sake of unity. But God often uses persecution to bring differing factions together in unity, because persecution has a way of making the plain things the main things. It has a way of making what is trivial, even more apparently so, to the extent that we forsake the trivial. In other words, some things are worth dying for, and some are not. Some things are worth dividing over, and some are not.

In Jesus’ great prayer in the upper room on the night He was betrayed, He prayed for unity. And He prayed that that unity was founded in the truth. Listen to part of that prayer from John 17:16-21. “They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. Sanctify them in the truth; Your word is truth. As You sent Me into the world, I also have sent them into the world. For their sakes I sanctify Myself, that they themselves also may be sanctified in truth. I do not ask on behalf of these alone, but for those also who believe in Me through their word; that they may all be one; even as You, Father, are in Me and I in You, that they also may be in Us, so that the world may believe that You sent Me.”   Our unity is founded first and foremost on unity in the truth, with the teaching of Christ. As we are united in that, then we will be united together in the church.

That is the secret to unity in marriage as well. Marriage unity is not by finding points of compatibility with one another. Marriage unity starts by each person becoming reconciled to God first, and when that is accomplished, then that will automatically result in unity to one another.

Lastly, persecution produces charity. Vs.34 “For there was not a needy person among them, for all who were owners of land or houses would sell them and bring the proceeds of the sales and lay them at the apostles’ feet, and they would be distributed to each as any had need.” I deliberately use the old fashioned word King James word “charity” to describe Christian love. Christian love is not just an emotional response. It’s not just a feeling. Those things might or might not be present, depending on the circumstances. But true Christian charity is the hallmark of the true church and it is illustrated in sacrifice. Jesus said, they will know you are my disciples because of the love you have for one another.

And how did Jesus define that love? He said we are to love one another in the same way that He loved us. And how did Jesus express His love for us? He laid down His life for us. Christian love is sacrificial love. That is what Christian charity is; sacrificial love for one another. And that is what this first church exemplified. There was not a needy person among them. That is an amazing statement. There were upwards of 20,000 people in this church. And yet there was not a needy person among them because of the selfless, sacrificial giving nature of this church.

Persecution had caused many people to not have homes to go back to once they were saved. Many people did not have jobs anymore once they were saved. But what is amazing is that in this dynamic, Holy Spirit filled church, there was such a sacrificial spirit among them that they were even selling off their property, land and houses and bringing in the proceeds to the church. This isn’t tithing folks. This is cheerful, willing hearts that want to abundantly contribute to the kingdom of God and they understand that is to happen through the church. They aren’t trying to see how little they can give, but they are selling stuff to be able to give even beyond their means.

Listen, the Lord loves a cheerful giver. He doesn’t hold us under the Old Testament law of tithing in the New Covenant. But that doesn’t mean that we don’t give because we are under grace. We should give more because we have been given more. Your checkbook is a testament to your faith in Christ. Did you know that? I don’t care to know what your checkbook reveals. But believe me, God knows. God sees the heart, and He sees the secret things. And one day, the God who sees the secrets of men’s hearts will reward the secrets of men’s hearts.

Well, it’s amazing isn’t it, how God uses persecution to bring about His purposes in His people. I don’t know what kind of trials that you may be going through. But I can assure you of this – if you are living godly, then there will be some form of persecution, some form of trial in your life. Jesus said, In this world you will have tribulation. But remember the words of Peter, who was no stranger to persecution, and who would one day be martyred for his faith. 1Peter 4:12-19 “Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal among you, which comes upon you for your testing, as though some strange thing were happening to you; but to the degree that you share the sufferings of Christ, keep on rejoicing, so that also at the revelation of His glory you may rejoice with exultation. If you are reviled for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you. Make sure that none of you suffers as a murderer, or thief, or evildoer, or a troublesome meddler; but if anyone suffers as a Christian, he is not to be ashamed, but is to glorify God in this name. For it is time for judgment to begin with the household of God; and if it begins with us first, what will be the outcome for those who do not obey the gospel of God? AND IF IT IS WITH DIFFICULTY THAT THE RIGHTEOUS IS SAVED, WHAT WILL BECOME OF THE GODLESS MAN AND THE SINNER? Therefore, those also who suffer according to the will of God shall entrust their souls to a faithful Creator in doing what is right.”

I don’t know what kind of trials or persecution you may be going through, or what the future holds. But let me close by reminding you of the words of the ancient hymn, “How Firm a Foundation,” so when persecutions come, we may know that it is all in the plan and purposes of God. And He says to us;

“Fear not, I am with thee, oh, be not dismayed,

For I am thy God and will still give thee aid;

I’ll strengthen thee, help thee, and cause thee to stand,

Upheld by My righteous, omnipotent hand.

“When through the deep waters I call thee to go,

The rivers of sorrow shall not overflow;

For I will be with thee thy troubles to bless

And sanctify to thee thy deepest distress.

“When through fiery trials thy pathway shall lie,

My grace, all-sufficient, shall be thy supply.

The flames shall not hurt thee; I only design

Thy dross to consume and thy gold to refine.