ObeyGC2 practitioners are disturbers of the status quo. If the “powers that be” do not hate us, we may not be truly representing God’s Kingdom.
Don’t be deceived into thinking that you will be praised and honored because you are following Jesus and doing what He commanded. It definitely didn’t work out that way for Him. People who should be encouraging and supportive for the sake of the Kingdom will oppose you and do things which seem horrifyingly evil. Cheer up! That is actually a sign you are on the right track. By the way, there is no neutral party in the cosmic battle. If you aren’t on God’s side, you’re against Him. When “push comes to shove” there will be no one neutral about your efforts for His Kingdom either.
Luke 23:20-31
20 Wanting to release Jesus, Pilate appealed to them again. 21 But they kept shouting, “Crucify him! Crucify him!”
22 For the third time he spoke to them: “Why? What crime has this man committed? I have found in him no grounds for the death penalty. Therefore I will have him punished and then release him.”
23 But with loud shouts they insistently demanded that he be crucified, and their shouts prevailed. 24 So Pilate decided to grant their demand. 25 He released the man who had been thrown into prison for insurrection and murder, the one they asked for, and surrendered Jesus to their will.
26 As they led him away, they seized Simon from Cyrene, who was on his way in from the country, and put the cross on him and made him carry it behind Jesus. 27 A large number of people followed him, including women who mourned and wailed for him. 28 Jesus turned and said to them, “Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for me; weep for yourselves and for your children. 29 For the time will come when you will say, ‘Blessed are the barren women, the wombs that never bore and the breasts that never nursed!’ 30 Then
“‘they will say to the mountains, “Fall on us!”
and to the hills, “Cover us!” ‘
31 For if men do these things when the tree is green, what will happen when it is dry?”
Matt 5:10-12
10 Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
11 “Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. 12 Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
John 16:1-4
2 They will put you out of the synagogue; in fact, a time is coming when anyone who kills you will think he is offering a service to God. 3 They will do such things because they have not known the Father or me.
Matt 24:9-10
9 “Then you will be handed over to be persecuted and put to death, and you will be hated by all nations because of me.
Matt 12:30
30 “He who is not with me is against me, and he who does not gather with me scatters.
