I asked the elderly lady across the street from us a few years ago, a devout Catholic woman, this question, “Who do you say Jesus Christ is?” She has not spoken a word to us since. Just down the street from us are at least two families that willingly live off the welfare system, a woman who attends a Charismatic church, who also for basically the same reason will not speak with us, but mentioned once that she wished her husband would be the Spiritual leader in their home. Having spoken to him in the past, I informed her that perhaps the reason he will not assume that responsibility is because he is not saved. That may be why they no longer engage us in conversations.
There is a family next door that yell at each other quite a lot, two lesbians across the street, an elderly couple that have attended the dead church just a few blocks away for over fifty years, one we attempted to attend for almost a year until we realized this truth, and another church just a few more blocks away that follow strictly the eleventh and twelfth commandments, always be polite and never offend. And that is just in our immediate vicinity.
“And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold.” (Matt. 24:12)
My friends, you do not need to go very far to find good people that are going to hell, you do not need to watch videos that continuously show how the wicked behave, just look out your window. It is starting to disturb me, all these videos that show how the wicked behave on YouTube, and all the incredulous statements made by those who are producing them, how did you expect the wicked to act, why are you so excited, why do you find what they are doing as detestable, were you expecting all of them to be polite and nice, caring and at least feigning a regard for your person?
Ask them who they say the Lord Jesus Christ is and you will see the truth of them.
“If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you.” (John 15:18) I confess I have failed at this miserably many times, I just had a conversation with a person today who several years ago would not even let me in his place of business for a time because I brought up the subject of the Masons and how they are against God, with the full knowledge that he is a highly esteemed member of that group. The conversations we have at his place of business now are amiable enough, unless I bring up Christ.
The wicked detest His grace and they hate the fact that He is Sovereign, and if you love your enemies, as you should, then at least occasionally those that you come in contact with on a fairly regular basis need to be reminded of His grace and Sovereignty. If that is the worst persecution you will ever face, feel blessed.
They live right across the street from you, right down the hall, you meet them at work every day, and most of them avoid you like the plague, because sooner or later something from the Scriptures will come from your lips, and they don’t need the Bible thumping Jesus freak telling them how they need to be saved.
“Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?” (Matt. 7:22)
In hell they will remember every word you ever said to them, and before you are glorified you will give an account for those words.
Let them hate you, remember, they hated Him first.
