This week's passages collectively turn our focus on the resistance and rejection Jesus began to experience as His ministry continued. The types of criticism and hardships that come His way are one's we can still experience today. And His example gives us insight into how to handle those situations for ourselves.
What really 'grinds my gears' though is when I observe Christians opening themselves up to resistance and persecution for non-essential things, for hills that aren't worth dying on. It is one thing to be the target of ridicule because of the message of the gospel. But it's totally different to be mocked for how you try to get the message out.
To be blunt, I think it is totally fair when the world derides Christians for picketing abortion clinics and protesting homosexual legislation, especially when signs are carried that communicate non-biblical and harsh messages.
The passing of bills for or against is not the issue. Gay marriage is not the problem. Abortion is not the problem. Sin is the problem.
And the only solution for sin is the atoning sacrifice of Jesus.
The only solution for the homosexuality and gay marriage issues is to help all people understand their worth as children of God, showing them that their ultimate significance and purpose in life is found only in a relationship with Jesus.
The solution is not to picket outside a Planned Parenthood (especially one in Warsaw that doesn't perform abortions). The solution is to support pregnancy centers that will practically help women dealing with unplanned pregnancies, especially those that seek to share the Gospel with those they help.
I cut this out of my sermon because it detracts from the overall direction of the passage, but this blog is my soapbox and I felt like sharing a pet peeve of mine that I won't be getting into on Sunday. If you are going to paint a target on your back, please make it a Gospel-shaped one, and not one of your own design.
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