Mockers

Mockers

The LORD, the God of their ancestors, repeatedly sent his prophets to warn them, for he had compassion on his people and his Temple. But the people mocked these messengers of God and despised their words. They scoffed at the prophets until the LORD’s anger could no longer be restrained and nothing could be done.

2 Chronicles 36:15-16

Oh, the joys of those who do not follow the advice of the wicked, or stand around with sinners, or join in with mockers.

Psalm 1:1

Do you know what it means to mock someone? Mocking is ridiculing something or someone. It’s being skeptical and critical, or making fun of something that’s important to someone else.

Some people mock faith in God. They see it as something for unintelligent or unsophisticated people. Some mock Christianity because they look at the lives of certain Christians and don’t see much difference from their own lives. They see that Christians struggle with some of the same sins they do, so they label all believers as hypocrites. Some people see faith as arrogant, saying, “So you think you’ve got a corner on truth?” Some see it as fanatical or over the top, suggesting that a little faith is a good thing, but there’s a danger of going off the deep end. Some see faith as something people use to impress others or to get what they want. Some people get a mocking tone when they see a believer suffering, and ask, “What good is God if he doesn’t keep that from happening?”

The day will come when people who mock God will discover that they missed the most valuable truth in the universe. On that day you’ll be glad that you stood up for Jesus, but you won’t feel any pleasurable sense of “I told you so.” There will be no joy in seeing those who arrogantly and foolishly made fun of God enter a reality completely without God. It hurts when someone mocks what is precious to us, but we can follow the example of Christ, who chose to love and forgive those who mocked him. Rather than being sensitive about what hurts us, we can allow our hearts to be broken by the reality that the mocker has not yet seen God for who he truly is.

DISCUSSION STARTERS

Have you ever heard someone make fun of God or Christians (either in real life or on TV)?

Jesus said that God blesses us when people mock us because we follow Jesus (see Matthew 5:10-12). What form do you think this blessing will come in?

How would you answer or respond to some of the mocking attitudes toward God or Christians mentioned above?