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Why People Persecute Believers

Text: John 16: 3-4

WHY PEOPLE PERSCUTE BELIEVERS

Jesus sought to prepare the Disciples for suffering in a number of ways. They would need all the help they could find to endure much hardship.

“And these things they will do to you because they have not known the Father nor Me. But these things I have told you, that when the time comes, you may remember that I told you of them. And these things I did not say to you at the beginning, because I was with you.”

John 16:3-4

1. “And these things they will do to you”

a. Put the believers out of synagogue.

b. Kill the believers if they could.

2. “Because they have not known the Father nor Me”

a. The persecutors did not know the Father nor Jesus.

b. The following things are implied:

i. They remain steeped in their sinful ways.

ii. They have not known the salvation God and Jesus promised.

iii. They remain ignorant of God and Jesus.

iv. They are carnal and evil.

3. “These things I have told you, that when the time comes, you may remember that I told you of them”

a. Jesus had given clear words of forewarning.

b. The hard times will come.

c. There will be severe trials.

d. You may remember that I told you of them.

i. They would remember what Jesus had said to them.

ii. They would draw encouragement and strength.

iii. They would obtain insight and wisdom and be able to cope.

4. “And these things I did not say to you at the beginning, because I was with you”

a. The earlier years were for the Disciples in stabling their faith in the Lord.

b. His presence with them gave them both courage and confidence.

c. He prepared the Disciples for fiery trials for He would not be physically present with them.

经文：约翰福音 16：3-4

信徒为何会遭受逼迫

耶稣以不同方式预备门徒面对苦难。他们需要取得一切的帮助来忍受艰难。

“他们这样行，是因未曾认识父，也未曾认识我。我将这事告诉你们，是叫你们到了时候，可以想起我对你们说过了。我起先没有将这些事告诉你们，因为我与你们同在。”

《约翰福音 16：3-4》

1. “他们这样行”

a. 把信徒赶出会堂

b. 甚至杀害信徒

2. “是因未曾认识父，也未曾认识我”

a. 逼迫信徒的人并不认识天父或耶稣

b. 这也意味着：

i. 他们继续沉浸在罪恶中

ii. 他们不知道上帝与耶稣所应许的拯救

iii. 他们依旧不认识上帝与耶稣

iv. 他们仍是邪恶、属肉体的

3. “我将这事告诉你们，是叫你们到了时候，可以想起我对你们说过了”

a. 耶稣已经明确地预先警告门徒

b. 艰难的时候将会来临

c. 他们会面对严峻的试炼

d. “可以想起我对你们说过了”

i. 门徒会想起耶稣曾对他们说过的话

ii. 他们能从祂的话取得鼓励与力量

iii. 他们也能从中取得深入的见解与智慧，来应付试炼

4. “我起先没有将这些事告诉你们，因为我与你们同在”

a. 较早的几年是让门徒稳固对主的信心

b. 主的同在给了门徒勇气与信心

c. 但主即将离世，所以须预备门徒应付前头火炼的试验