Love your enemies
But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you…
Selflessness
Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.
Encouragement
For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through endurance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.
The strength of persecution
Indeed, we felt we had received the sentence of death. But this happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God, who raises the dead. He has delivered us from such a deadly peril, and he will deliver us again. On him we have set our hope that he will continue to deliver us, as you help us by your prayers. Then many will give thanks on our behalf for the gracious favor granted us in answer to the prayers of many.
Solution to persecution
“I will go to the king, even though it is against the law. And if I perish, I perish.”
The source of persecution
Then Haman said to King Xerxes, “There is a certain people dispersed among the peoples in all the provinces of your kingdom who keep themselves separate. Their customs are different from those of all other people, and they do not obey the king’s laws, it is not in the king’s best interest to tolerate them.
The process of persecution: 4. Mistreatment
For it has been granted to you on behalf of Christ not only to believe in him, but also to suffer for him…
The process of persecution: 3. Injustice
In his humiliation he [Jesus] was deprived of justice.
The process of persecution: 2. Disinformation
Blessed are you when people…falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me.
The process of persecution: 1. Opposition
Consider [Jesus] who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.