Recreate Church, Pastor Michael Shockley—Service, August 4, 2024

When Faith Feels Offended Today, Michael discusses how believers should respond when they feel something important has been disrespected.  Today, Michael encourages some perspective.    Should we be shocked when lost people act like lost people?  Yet we seem so surprised when folks who don’t understand God don’t respect the glory of God.  We shouldn’t be, potentially, as they truly don’t understand God.  It should shock us if believers disrespect God, but not so much when lost folks do. So, what should we do if folks talk ill of God?  It should bother us, but how do we respond?  Jesus was mocked, beaten, spit upon, and could have called twelve legions of angels, but He did not.  Roman soldiers crowned Jesus in mockery and robed Him in humiliation, yet he wore the purple robe of a king.  They bowed before him in pretense; someday, every knee will bow to Him.  They intended it in mockery, yet they unintentionally showed the truth in Jesus and His ministry.   You cannot devalue the truth in the Word of God. No matter how much He is mocked, God is mocked; anything that suggests mockery, the misuse of it, is quietly a testament to the power of that name. We get so torn up by outsiders not understanding or mocking our faith; but unbelievers act like unbelievers, only. Today’s core statement is “Don’t be provoked by mockery; be motivated to pray.” Mark 15:17-18 (CSB Bible Notes) The soldiers used makeshift substitutes for the robe . . . crown, and scepter of a king. Purple was a royal color. 15:18 Hail, King of the Jews was a mocking corruption of the greeting, “Hail, Caesar.” Today’s verses can be found in Mark 15: 16. Scripture quotations marked CSB have been taken from the Christian Standard Bible®, Copyright © 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. Christian Standard Bible® and CSB® are federally registered trademarks of Holman Bible Publishers.