Of Whom the World Was Not Worthy: Following in the Footsteps of Heroes

The following message from Pastor Greg Laurie is made possible by Harvest Partners, helping people everywhere know God. Hey, I want to hear from you. Would you consider emailing me? You can reach me at Greg at Harvest dot org. Again, that's Greg at Harvest dot org.

And you can also make me one of your friends on Facebook and drop me a comment. Coming up today, Pastor Greg Laurie points out an important dynamic about the opposition some of us face as believers. The Bible says all that live godly in Jesus Christ will suffer persecution. Please let's make sure we get persecuted for the right reasons. Jesus did not say, blessed are you when men revile you and persecute you and say all men are of evil because you're just obnoxious and mean.

Let it be because you're a godly man, a godly woman. When we look into scripture to see how our spiritual ancestors changed their culture, it's inspiring and we can learn from their examples. And that's what we're doing in Pastor Greg Laurie's current series called World Changers. We're seeing what separates those leaders from the crowd and how we can follow in their footsteps. Coming up today on A New Beginning, Pastor Greg points out that some escape their persecution while others endure.

Today we'll learn to be ready for both. Let's grab our Bibles and turn to Hebrews 11 and you're not going to be hearing me say that for much longer because we're almost done with this series called World Changers. So Hebrews 11.

The title of my message today is, Of Whom the World Was Not Worthy. Hebrews 11 verse 33. By faith these people overthrew kingdoms. They ruled with justice. They received what God had promised them.

They shut the mouths of lions. They quenched the flames of fire and they escaped death by the edge of the sword. Their weakness was turned to strength. They became strong in battle and put whole armies to flight. Women received their loved ones back from death.

So if you're taking notes, here's point number one. World Changers are indestructible until God is done with them. World Changers, or let me insert a different word, Christians, believers, saints, us, you, me, we are indestructible until God is done with us. You know angels are very involved in the life of the believer. The Bible says that they're ministering spirits sent to minister to those who are the heirs of salvation. But angels are super undercover. They're like God's secret agents.

You don't even know what they're doing or when they're doing it. They're just doing the work God has called them to do. Sometimes you wonder, do we have guardian angels?

I don't know. But Jesus did say, speaking of children, He says don't look down on the little ones. I tell you, in heaven their angels are always in the presence of my Father. Their angels. That's interesting. So it makes one wonder, maybe kids have guardian angels.

I don't know. But I know we all have angels around us and God's going to send His angels to deliver you and you're indestructible until God is done with you. So stop freaking out about the duration of your life or what if this happens or what if that happens. And just say, I'm going to do what I can with the time God gives me and He's going to take care of me until He calls me home.

Number two. World changers are never alone. Or I could just say Christians are never alone as well. Verse 34. They quench the power of fire. Of course our mind immediately raises to the friends of Daniel, also in the book of Daniel. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. The king, Nebuchadnezzar, erected a giant statue of himself covered in gold. And said everyone worship this statue or you'll be thrown into a furnace of fire.

And they'd strike up the idol theme song. And everyone bowed and there like three sore thumbs stood out, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. And in they were thrown.

The king's thinking that's the end of them. And then he looked and he couldn't believe his eyes as he saw three shadowy figures and then a fourth walking about like it was a Sunday stroll in the park. And the king says wait I threw three into the furnace and there's a fourth one who looks like the Son of God. I believe it was Jesus Christ walking around with Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in the furnace of fire. Maybe you're in a fiery trial right now. But the Lord was with them and the Lord's with you. God walks with us through our trials. Jesus said lo I am with you even at the end of the age. So when they survived the fiery furnace the king changed his tune.

How did they do it? The key to their courage and calmness in the fire was their companion. And who was that companion? It was the Lord who was with you as well.

Number three. World changers apply their faith and they pray. World changers apply their faith and they pray. Verse 35.

Women receive their loved ones back from the dead. This is probably a reference to Elijah and or Elisha. Both who raised the dead. God led the prophet Elijah to storm into the court of Ahab the king of Israel ruling with his wicked wife Jezebel. And give the decree that it will not be rain on the land but according to my word. And then the Lord directed Elijah to go to a widow who was very poor. He said I want you to go and stay with her.

So he shows up. Man would you give me a place to stay. I can take the apartment over the garage. And I would really appreciate it if you could give me some food. She is like I don't really have that much food.

I have just enough for me and my son. Just go ahead and let's see what God does. And every day when she would prepare food there was always enough for her and her son and the prophet. And so this is a wonderful illustration of how when we give to the Lord God gives back to us as well. But one day her son got sick. And then he got worse. And then he finally died. Her life as she knew it effectively ended. Now she has not only lost her husband. She was a widow. But she also has lost her son. And she accused Elijah why did you even come to my house. Things were better when you weren't here. He didn't rebuke her. He just took the limp body of her dead son and prayed for him and raised him up again.

Here is your boy back. Listen. Even death doesn't stop a world changer. Now we shift gears in our study on world changers to a second group.

They are a little different from the first. They too had faith. They too trusted God. But they didn't get through their fires. And their red seas did not part from them.

They did not have their dead restored. In fact this group of world changers suffered greatly. And honestly many of them died. So we read this and we say well they were losers. No they weren't.

They were winners too. You see the first group of world changers glorified God through escaping like Daniel. Shadrach, Meshach, Abednego. And the second group of world changers glorified God by enduring.

Listen. I don't determine what things are going to come my way in life. I don't determine what challenges, what hardships, what difficulties will come my way.

All I determine is how I will react to those things when they come. Let's look at this second group now. Hebrews 11 verse 35. Others were tortured refusing to turn from God in order to be set free. They placed their hope in a better life after the resurrection. Some were jeered at and their backs were cut open with whips. Others were chained in prison. Some died by stoning. Some were sawn in half. And others were killed with a sword. Someone about wearing skins of sheep and goats and they were destitute and oppressed and mistreated. Of whom the world was not worthy.

That is why I gave that title to this message. Of whom the world was not worthy. In other words they were too good for this world. Wandering over deserts and mountains.

Hiding in caves and holes in the ground. These people earned a good reputation because of their faith. And none of them received all that God had promised for God had something better in mind for us so that they would not reach perfection without us. Point number four. You may not like this one. World changers are often not appreciated and instead are often persecuted.

Let me say that again. World changers or Christians are not often appreciated and instead are often persecuted. According to Jewish tradition the prophet Isaiah was sawn in half with a wooden saw.

There is a reference to someone being sawn in half. Persecution is alive and well folks all around the world. Our Christian brothers and sisters suffer. They suffer in nations like North Korea and China and Russia and of course Islamic countries that treat them horribly. Even execute them if they profess faith in Christ. ISIS is known for atrocities that are on the level of what Old and New Testament believers face. It is a horrible thing. Persecution is happening. And the Bible says all that live godly in Jesus Christ will suffer persecution. That is a promise we rarely claim.

Right? When is the last time you asked for that promise to be fulfilled? We will claim promises of protection or promises of provision. But when is the last time you said, Lord you promised if I live a godly life I will be persecuted so bring it on. No you don't pray that.

Nor do I. Why? Who wants to be persecuted? Persecution can show itself in many ways. It can be physical. It can be the taking of a life. The threatening of a life. It can come in other ways. It can be verbal. It can be people mocking you or marginalizing you or insulting you because of your faith in Jesus Christ.

But it is going to come. But here is what Jesus says you should do when you are persecuted. He said, Blessed are they, or happy would be a better translation, happy are they which are persecuted for righteousness sake for they are just like the prophets that went before them. Happy are they that are persecuted for righteousness sake. Please let's make sure we get persecuted for the right reasons. Far too often we are persecuted for the wrong reasons. Jesus did not say blessed are you when men revile you and persecute you and say all men are of evil because you are just obnoxious and mean. Because if you are that you are getting persecuted for being obnoxious and mean. Let it be because you are a godly man, a godly woman. But persecution will come and it came to these believers.

What do we do with the pain we carry with us over trials and persecutions of the past? Well Pastor Greg has some good encouragement for us in just a moment. Hearing about listeners whose lives have been changed because of the radio ministry of A New Beginning is so encouraging.

A New Beginning, what a perfect name. Pastor Greg and staff, I'm a proud mother of two and a fairly new born again Christian. I struggled with drug and alcohol addiction for many years but have been sober for some time now. I thought I had become close to the Lord but late last year something happened to me. Something I still to this day can't even put my finger on except to say I was completely attacked by darkness. My world as I knew it seemed to turn upside down. I felt completely alone and it felt like I had no one to turn to.

Even now just thinking about it, tears flow down my cheeks. In my absolute determination to stay out of my own head and the negative thoughts that seemed to be flooding it. I turned on the radio and began listening to your program. It was as if the Lord was speaking directly to me through you.

Your words were quenching a thirst I didn't even know I had. Sermon by sermon I began to feel God's undying love for me. I really believe that you all played a huge role in saving my life and bringing me closer than I ever could have imagined to the Lord. I want to say thank you with all of my heart.

I feel like you all are my family and I will forever have a place in my heart, in my mind and on my radio. How have these daily studies in God's Word encouraged you? Why not drop Pastor Greg an email and let him know? Send it to gregatharvest.org.

Do it today while you're thinking about it. Again, that's gregatharvest.org. And now Pastor Greg continues his message on the perseverance of the world changers in the Bible who faced persecution for their faith in God. We look at the first part of Hebrews 11 and look at how God delivered people. There was suffering involved but ultimately they were delivered.

Joseph faced some difficulties but he got out of that prison and was put into a position of great authority. David was preserved by the Lord and yet now we're reading about people being sawn in half and beheaded and tortured. And we say, wait a second. This doesn't seem fair. It's not fair. We're like little children.

It's not fair. I have five grandkids and I've found one thing. If I buy them a gift it has to be even Steven.

Right? Now the girls, you know it's simple if I get them a necklace. I get them all the same necklace. I don't even vary a little. Because if I get one necklace that's different somehow in their minds that's the better necklace.

It might even be less expensive. That's the better one. So they're all the same. All the same color.

The same. But then I have a grandson. I can't get him that so I have to get him something kind of equal to. And you know the kids now they know what the price tags mean. They look. They know value you know. And if I get something for one that they perceive as favorites as them. Papa they say that's not fair.

And we say the same thing to God. Lord that's not fair that that person gets that and I don't. You know Lord why? Why don't I have that? Why am I single when all my friends are married? Why can't my wife and I conceive children when others have so many? Why did my child go prodigal when another's child did not? Why do I have this horrible illness when all of my friends are so healthy?

Why did my child die? The list goes on. And by the way I'm speaking now from experience. I understand these questions. You know we don't know why things happen to us. And sometimes it's said oh you should never ask God why. That's a lack of faith.

No it isn't. Ask away. Ask God why.

Don't expect an answer but ask if you like. Even Jesus cried out from the cross my God my God why have you forsaken me? You know I look at my life and God blessed us with two boys.

And one is in heaven and one is here on earth serving the Lord. And we are very proud of Jonathan who is not only walking strong with Christ but he is a pastor at our church now. So we are thrilled by that. But yet we wish our other son was with us right now. And I think sometimes people want me to say you know it's great.

We love the way it turned out. No I am not happy with it actually. And if I could change it I would change it in a heartbeat. But you know what I don't get to make that decision. So are you saying you are disappointed with God?

Absolutely not. My faith in the Lord remains and it grows stronger each and every year. I trust Him. And I look to Him.

It doesn't mean I like it. But I know He is in control. And I know His plans for me are better than my plans for myself. And I know one day all of my questions will be answered. Because you know I will say we have suffered. We have lost a child. But then I will meet parents who have lost children. And by the way I meet many of them all the time.

I mean if I do any post on my Facebook page I will get so many responses it is mind blowing. And I have people come up to me and they will say we lost a child. We want to talk to you. And I don't feel like I have the answers for these folks. But I think at least to some degree I understand a little bit of what they are going through.

And I will listen to them. But you know what I am not in the explaining business anymore. I was in the explaining business in my 20s when I was starting out in ministry. I was an awesome 20 year old pastor. I had long hair. I was skinny.

I could eat whatever I wanted. And I had the answer to every question you had. I had a verse and I would give it to you and tell you why you should trust God.

Now in my 40s without hair and more years than that I am not in the explaining business anymore. Now I feel like I am more in the trusting and praying business. I am trusting that God will answer those questions one day and I am praying for strength. And that is what I share with other people. No we don't control our circumstances.

We control our reaction to our circumstances. You see going back to people that God touched like the son of the widow that Elijah raised up from the dead. Or the daughter of the woman who came to Jesus. Or Lazarus.

Or anybody else. They were raised from the dead. Or they were sick and they were healed.

That is great. But guess what? They still died. Poor Lazarus had to die twice.

That is kind of a lousy deal if you ask me. Oh great I get to die twice? Yeah. Because everybody dies.

You see that happens. And so it doesn't mean that God is not in control. It means that there is a beginning, middle, and end to this thing that we call life.

Coming back to an earlier point. We are indestructible until God is done with us. But when God is done with us we are out of here. So it really is not helpful to stress out about when that day is. It may be a long ways away. It may be closer. But listen if you have put your faith in Jesus Christ you don't have to be afraid of even death because Christ conquered death at the cross when He rose again from the dead.

Yeah. The angels are there protecting us. But the angels will also usher us to heaven when our day is done. We read about Lazarus who died. And the Bible says the angels ushered Him into God's presence.

I love that. So the Lord will finish this work He has begun. Look at verse 35 and we will close. They place their hope in a better life after the resurrection. There is a better life coming folks if you put your faith in Jesus. We call it the afterlife.

And if you know Christ in a personal way you know that you will go into His presence and you will live on and on and on forever. And God will restore what you lost on this earth. Whatever you have lost He will make it up to you. He will more than make it up to you.

But until that day walk with Him. Let me close in asking this. Are there some of you here that don't have this relationship with God? Are there some of you listening right now to me that can't say with certainty that you will go to heaven when you die? Wouldn't you like to change that? Wouldn't you like to know with certainty that your sin is forgiven? Wouldn't you like to have a second chance in life? Wouldn't you like to be sure that when life ends you go right into God's presence?

You can have it by believing in Jesus Christ who I said died on that cross for you and then rose again from the dead and now stands at the door of your life and He knocks. And He says if you will hear His voice and open the door He will come in. You say well how do I open the door? Is there like a little door in my heart? Read a little door. Like that?

No. It's a metaphor. But the idea is that Christ will come and live inside of you. That's what really being a Christian is. You have Christ in you. You'll never be alone in life again. And He'll come into your life right now if you'll ask Him. We're going to close in prayer and I'm going to extend an invitation for you to believe in Jesus and have your sin forgiven and know with certainty you'll go to heaven when you die. Let's all pray. Father thank You for loving us so much. You sent Jesus to live that perfect life.

Then to die that perfect death on the cross and to rise again from the dead. I pray for any here that do not yet know You. Help them to come to You now and believe we would pray.

Amen. Pastor Greg Laurie with an important prayer. And if you'd like to make a change today in your relationship with the Lord Pastor Greg will help you do that in just a moment before today's edition of A New Beginning concludes. If you missed any of the insight Pastor Greg brought us today you can catch up by hearing the program online. Just go to harvest.org. There you can download a permanent copy of the message on MP3 or order a CD. Again that's harvest.org.

Or call us anytime 24-7 at 1-800-821-3300. The study is titled Of Whom the World Was Not Worthy. And then we're so happy to make available a new resource for the holiday called The Jesus Storybook Bible A Christmas Collection by gifted children's author Sally Lloyd-Jones who's joining us today. She has such a wonderful way of making scripture come alive for kids.

Pastor Greg. Sally if you were to just sum everything up about telling a child a story what is the secret for a parent listening right now of engaging their child and sharing a Bible story with them and in particular the Christmas story? Well the first thing that comes to my mind is to be together with the child in wonder before the story because we're all God's children whether we're two or we're 92. And I think a child really responds when you treat them with respect and you don't talk down to them especially when you come with them before a Bible story and you're both going to be spoken to with the expectation that God's going to speak to both of you. So I think that's a really good way of doing it where you're just together reacting in the moment to the story and going wow I wonder what that would have been like rather than coming with some kind of agenda that you've got to teach the child. So in other words I'm giving you permission not to come with any kind of sense that you've got to have it all together. You just come with the child and see what God does.

Excellent advice from Sally Lloyd-Jones, a prolific children's author who knows what she's talking about. And you can order this resource to look at with your children with awe and wonder as you rediscover the story of Christmas, the story of the birth of Jesus as a rival on planet Earth. It's called The Jesus Storybook Bible A Christmas Collection featuring stories, songs, and reflections for the Advent season and we'll send it to you this month for your gift of any size to help us continue to teach God's word and proclaim the gospel through a new beginning.

Yeah, that's right. It's such a rich resource. The artwork is beautiful. Sally's text is engaging and it's interactive. Plus you press one button and hear a sample of Christmas music.

And you can press another and hear a short reading from British actor David Suchet. Everything was ready. The moment God had been waiting for was here at last.

God was coming to help us. Well, we'll be glad to send you The Jesus Storybook Bible A Christmas Collection to thank you for your donation. You choose the amount. Our mailing address is A New Beginning, Box 4000, Riverside, CA 92514. Or call 1-800-821-3300. We can take your call anytime 24-7. Again, dial 1-800-821-3300.

Or go online to Harvest.org. Well, Pastor Greg, just before we go, would you mind praying with the person listening who wants to make a change today in their relationship with the Lord? I'd be happy to, Dave. You know, as you've been listening to this today, maybe you've heard another voice. By that I mean, yeah, you heard me say a few things, but you heard God's voice speak to you. Deep in the recesses of your heart, and it suddenly dawned on you, this is what I need. Or to state it more accurately, this is who I need. I need Jesus, and I want Jesus.

But maybe you don't know how to make that connection. Let me help you. Pray this after me right now if you want Jesus Christ to come into your life. Lord Jesus, I know I am a sinner, and I am sorry for my sin, and I need your forgiveness right now. Would you come into my heart and my life as Savior, as God, as friend?

I choose to follow you from this moment forward. Thank you for calling me and accepting me and forgiving me. In Jesus' name I pray.

Amen. I know that was a relatively short prayer. Maybe you felt something as you prayed it.

Maybe you felt nothing. That doesn't really matter. Because God's word says, these things we write to you that believe on the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life. It doesn't say, so you may think you have it, or you may hope you have it if God's in a good mood.

No, that you can know it. And I want you to know, if you pray that prayer in a minute, Jesus Christ, the Son of God, has come into your life. So congratulations. You're now a Christian. Now continue to follow the Lord. And to help you as you follow the Lord, we'd like to send you some resource materials we call our New Believers Growth Packet.

It'll answer many of the questions you might have, and get you started off right in your new relationship with the Lord. So get in touch and ask for it. We'll send it free of charge. Write a new beginning, Box 4000, Riverside, CA 92514. Or call 1-800-821-3300.

We're here 24-7 to take your phone call, again at 1-800-821-3300. Or go online to Harvest.org and click Know God. Join us for Harvest at Home at Harvest.org. Well, next time, Pastor Greg brings us the finale to his World Changers series. It's a study called The Secret to Being a World Changer. Hope you'll tune in next time for A New Beginning with Pastor Greg Laurie. This is the day, the day when life begins. The preceding message from Greg Laurie was made possible by Harvest Partners, helping people everywhere know God. Sign up for Pastor Greg's free daily email devotions at Harvest.org.