Grace Fellowship Church November 24, 2010 Pastor/Teacher Jim Rickard

Persecution and Thanksgiving

The Separatist Persecution in England: “But these things (persecutions) did not dismay them, though they did sometimes trouble them, for their desires were set on the ways of God, and to enjoy His ordinances; but they rested on His providence, and knew whom they had believed.”

A. Persecutions: In the mid 1500’s there were terrible persecutions by the Catholic Queen (Bloody) Mary of England. Many were tortured and burned at the stake due to refusal to abide by the State run church.

B. Those in Opposition: Two major groups of believers disagreed with the beliefs and practices of the Church of England.

1. One group wanted to stay in the church, but hoped to change its forms of worship: This group was called “Puritan” because they wanted to “purify” the church.

2. The other group did not believe the state church could be changed: This group was called “Separatist” because they wanted to separate completely from the Church of England

The Separatist are the group that came to America first, known as the pilgrims.

C. The Separatist: At the beginning of the 1600s, a group of Separatists began to gather at Scrooby in the northeastern county of Nottingham.

They wanted to worship in a very simple manner without all of the ritual and symbols which were used in the Anglican Church.

Differing religious views were not be allowed under the new king. Their congregation was against the law and as a result they were persecuted by imprisonment and torture.

D. Decision to Leave England:

In 1606, the Scrooby congregation led by William Brewster and a young William Bradford, joined 125 uncompromising separatists who tried to flee to Holland in search of religious freedom.

Being denied by King James to start their own church, being ridiculed by their neighbors, harassed by the courts, and forbidden to share the truths of salvation, they saw only one option: to flee to Holland.

Their request for passport to Holland was also denied, leaving them prisoners in their own land.

E. First Attempt to Leave for Holland 1607:

They secretly boarded a ship paying “the large expenditure,” but they had been betrayed. “King James’ local sheriff with his bailiffs appeared on the scene to arrest them.”

F. Second Attempt to Leave for Holland Spring of 1608:

The men had loaded the ship when the King’s officers arrived. The ship’s captain weighed anchor leaving the woman and children behind to be arrested.

G. Desperate at Sea: While at sea the men had to endure a terrifying storm that lasted up to seven days. Desperate, the Pilgrims turned to God who delivered them.

They endured many other troubles at land and sea. Yet, their cause became famous and caused many to look into the same.

Their godly carriage and Christian behavior was such as left a deep impression in the minds of many.

H. Holland : Bradford stated, “Yet I may not omit the fruit that came hereby, for by these so public troubles, in so many eminent places.”

I. Reasons for Leaving Holland: The main reason was concern for the children who were “drawn away [from Christ] by evil examples into extravagant and dangerous courses.”

A second reason was that Bradford and the Separatists wanted to spread the Christian gospel in some distant part of the world.

Heeding Prov 22:3a, “The prudent sees the evil and hides himself”, they left Holland.

J. Journey to America: On July , the Scrooby Pilgrims left Holland for Southampton, England.

They joined another group of English separatists and on Aug. 5, 1620, the Mayflower (80 passengers) and the Speedwell (40) set sail for Virginia, but the Speedwell was declared unseaworthy.

On Sept. 6, 1620, the Mayflower set sail with 102 passengers and 30 crew. They endured cramped conditions, rough weather, sickness and shortage of food.

K. Arrival in the New World: On Nov. 11, 1620, after 66 days at sea, they land at the tip of Cape Cod.

Bradford noted, “They fell upon their knees and blessed the God of heaven who had brought them over this vast and furious ocean.”

After enduring the hardships of the cruelest of winters, almost half of them perished.

Bradford gave thanks to God for sending them Squanto. “Thank you Lord for sending Squanto to us. We know your hand has been upon him throughout all of his trials, and that You have prepared him to be our guide and friend in a time of great need. Squanto is your living answer to our tears and prayers.”

Communion

Grace Offering

Grace Fellowship Church Wednesday, November 24, 2010 Tape # Thanksgiving and Persecution The Pilgrim Journey John 15:18-21; Prov 22:3 James H. Rickard Bible Ministries 2010