Dear Christian friends:

Sometimes Christians give up faith in God and fall away. Once they came to church and served God. But now stopped! No more! That can happen to you and me, too.

Jesus knows sometimes we will be very surprised, and shocked when someone bothers us and persecutes us when we serve Jesus. He knew His twelve disciples will get surprised and shocked after He ascended into heaven. He wants to prepare them to expect such trouble and be ready for it when it happens. Jesus wants to do that for us. He warns you so that you:

He warns about the troubles we will have, surprising, shocking troubles and persecution from church people. Read John 16:1-4, "These things have I spoken unto you, that ye should not be offended. They shall put you out of the synagogues: yea, the time cometh, that whosoever killeth you will think that he doeth God service. And these things will they do unto you, because they have not known the Father, nor me. But these things have I told you, that when the time shall come, ye may remember that I told you of them. And these things I said not unto you at the beginning, because I was with you."

Jewish Church leaders were chief persecutors of Jesus and later they also persecuted His apostles. Church history will show you the same. Who persecuted Martin Luther? Spanish Inquisition, John Huss, Joan of Arc.

How about today? Controversy in our own Synod. The strict narrow minded, legalistic people are persecuting the liberal, kind, like Jesus members. (Give some examples) We are shocked! Feel maybe better to quit the church if people do mean things like that. Give up faith, too much trouble all the time. Jesus warns us to expect such things to happen and not let that confuse us.

He promises to send the Holy Spirit to comfort us and encourage us. Read John 15:26-27, "But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me: And ye also shall bear witness, because ye have been with me from the beginning." The Holy Spirit will encourage us to continue on like Jesus.

How did Jesus do? Did He give up faith when God let Him die on the cross? No! He prayed for His enemies, "Father forgive them for they know not what they do." When ready to die He said, "Father into your hands I give My Spirit."

The Holy Spirit reminds us and encourages us to suffer and be patient like Jesus. Then we will not become angry or bitter or give up our faith in God. We will, like Jesus, pray for our enemies and try to help them see their mistake and change.

Many moderates and liberals are doing that for those who have been persecuting them and forcing them out of office.

If we do like Jesus says here and listen to the Holy Spirit and speak what He has told us about love and kindness and forgiveness maybe we can change many and save our Synod.

Amen.