R U Down 4 Making Enemies?

Everyone loves having friends, most people don't like DRAMA, and almost no one wants to make enemies. As Christians sometimes we have to put people on blast, call people out and make some enemies. All week we have focused on the Hebrew people who were ready to kill Moses by stoning. At that time due to misplaced aggression Moses had a few thousand enemies.

In our text tonight we look at two Preachers who made some enemies just because they were doing the work of God. Lets look at Acts 16: 16-24
One day, as we were going to the place of prayer, we met a slave-girl who had a spirit of divination and brought her owners a great deal of money by fortune-telling. ¹⁷While she followed Paul and us, she would cry out, ‘These men are slaves of the Most High God, who proclaim to you a way of salvation.’ ¹⁸She kept doing this for many days. But Paul, very much annoyed, turned and said to the spirit, ‘I order you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her.’ And it came out that very hour.

19 But when her owners saw that their hope of making money was gone, they seized Paul and Silas and dragged them into the market-place before the authorities. ²⁰When they had brought them before the magistrates, they said, ‘These men are disturbing our city; they are Jews ²¹and are advocating customs that are not lawful for us as Romans to adopt or observe.’ ²²The crowd joined in attacking them, and the magistrates had them stripped of their clothing and ordered them to be beaten with rods. ²³After they had given them a severe flogging, they threw them into prison and ordered the jailer to keep them securely. ²⁴Following these instructions, he put them in the innermost cell and fastened their feet in the stocks.

Here we see that Paul was upset by the rantings of this young girl. He was not even going to do anything but because of her constant ranting he healed her and got himself and Silas in a huge amount of trouble.

Friends as Christians we must look closely at Pauls example and understand that we have to be DOWN 4 making Enemies. When you do the right thing, go against the grain, witness for God there are people who will turn on you. When you stand up for Christ and what you believe in we make enemies. Paul was ok, nobody in the city cared that he was there preaching and teaching until he healed someone. Then the people turned on him, beat him and placed him in jail. All for doing the right thing. Paul displayed holy boldness and true power from the Holy Spirit.

As you reflect on this text tonight ask yourself are you down 4 making enemies for doing the right thing. Remember being a Christian is not easy , but as Christians we are called to DO the Right Thing. Even if it means confronting our friends, family members and loved ones.

Until Tommrrow, Love Pastor J.