The sufferings of Jesus are not just a nice symbol of love and sacrifice.  They are also a part of the life of everyone who follows Jesus, in some way or another.  If Jesus suffered hatred from the world, why should we be exempt?  Those who loved the teaching of Jesus, would also love the teaching of the apostles.  But those whose selfish natures are insulted by the command to repent and believe the gospel of Christ (Mark 1:15), will resent those who preach to them.

It is natural to try to eliminate an unwanted message by getting rid of the messenger, or at least by making life so difficult that the messenger goes away (Mark 12:1-9).  But such persecution can never alter the message, or God’s claim of sovereignty over every person.  Of course, when people do repent of their sin and submit to the Lord Jesus, they come to know God the Father and they receive the Holy Spirit.  Those who do not know Him have no love for Jesus, or His teaching; and some will persecute His people.

Persecution is a daily reality for many believers today.  Paul told Timothy that, “ … everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted” (2 Timothy 3:12).  They have the smell of Christ on them (2 Corinthians 2:15-16) and their lives show the evidence that they have been with Jesus (Acts 4:13), they know Him.

Knowing God is not just a matter of education.  Religious people can know facts about Jesus, but still persecute His followers, because they do not know Him or the Father.  Refusing to submit their lives to the command of Jesus, they often find true believers a personal threat - disturbing their sense of ‘being in control’.  We should not be surprised but neither should we stop witnessing about the grace of Christ in our lives.  Even persecutors need to see lives committed to Christ and transformed by Him; it gives the message that they can be too.  Hearing it, some will believe and be saved.  So do not stop being Christ’s light in the darkness, because the darkness can never put out the light.