2004-09-12 Communion Dedication - Baldwin Christian Church

1 Peter 4:12-19

12. Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you:
13. But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ's sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy.
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.
15. But let none of you suffer as a murderer, or as a thief, or as an evildoer (a troublemaker), or as a busybody in other men's matters (one who pries where he ought not).
16. Yet if any man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God on this behalf.
17. For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God?
18. And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear?
19. Wherefore let them that suffer according to the will of God commit the keeping of their souls to him in well doing, as unto a faithful Creator.

John 14:21-27

21. He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him.
22. Judas saith unto him, not Iscariot, Lord, how is it that thou wilt manifest thyself unto us, and not unto the world?
23. Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him.
24. He that loveth me not keepeth not my sayings: and the word which ye hear is not mine, but the Father's which sent me.
25. These things have I spoken unto you, being yet present with you.
26. But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.
27. Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.

John 15:16-23

16. Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you.
17. These things I command you, that ye love one another.
18. If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you.
19. If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you.
20. Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept my saying, they will keep yours also.
21. But all these things will they do unto you for my name's sake, because they know not him that sent me.
22. If I had not come and spoken unto them, they had not had sin: but now they have no cloke for their sin.
23. He that hateth me hateth my Father also.

If the rocks are flying at you, if you can read those passages with a pure heart, rejoice that you're bearing the mark of His name and His character.

On the other hand, if I lay claim to the name and to the character of Jesus Christ, but scarcely a pebble ever comes hurtling my way (if my life is not marked by frequent trials and tribulations), that should be the mark, the sign showing me that I'm nearer in communion (in a closer fellowship) with the world than I am with Jesus. Judgment begins in the church, so we all have to ask ourselves: Am I offended when I hear the Lord's name used in vain? Am I grieved when I hear that abortions have become available in Fayetteville again? Am I wounded when I realize I've missed an opportunity to minister to someone? Am I slain whenever I realize I've tried to stand on my own righteousness, on my own goodness? Am I just playing church? If I'm walking close to Jesus, sooner or later the rocks that this world throws at Him will hit me too.

One day we will all face this question: How have you handled the Word of God? How have you treated My Son? Did you walk just close enough to avoid getting hit by the rocks, or did you cling to Him?

Isaiah 64:4-5

4. For since the beginning of the world men have not heard, nor perceived by the ear, neither hath the eye seen, O God, beside thee, what he hath prepared for him that waiteth for him.
5. Thou meetest him that rejoiceth and worketh righteousness, those that remember thee in thy ways: behold, thou art wroth; for we have sinned: in those is continuance, and we shall be saved. (NKJV ...In these ways we continue; And we need to be saved.)

We don't have to wait for heaven to get a glimpse of this glory. We can have the firstfruits of it now. In Jesus, people have sung praises and rejoiced while in prison, being boiled in oil, or being burnt at the stake. We may not experience the same level of suffering today, but we have been given the same opportunity, the opportunity to shine forth God's glory as the rocks fly.