Jesus' Manual on Persecution Part II Matthew 10:16-25

Matthew 10 and the Call to Prepare for Persecution

Last week we began the sermon from Matthew chapter 10 verses 16 through 25 Titled Jesus manual on persecution. At this time I encourage you to turn there with me in Matthew chapter 10 verses 16 through 25.

And if you're using a red Bible in the fuse is on page 969. And I want us to begin by reading this text again these sobering words. From the Lord Jesus Christ behold, I Am sending you out as sheep in the midst of wolves.

So be wise as serpents and innocent as doves beware of men. For they will deliver you over to courts and flog you in their synagogues. And you will be dragged before governors and kings for my sake to bear witness before them and the Gentiles.

When they deliver you over do not be anxious how you are to speak or what you are to say. For what you are to say will be given to you in that hour. For it is not you who speak but the spirit of your father speaking through you.

Brother will deliver brother over to death and the father his child and Children will rise against parents and have them put to death and you will be hated by all for my name's sake. But the one who endures to the end will be saved.

When they persecute you in one town. Flee to the next for truly I say to you you will not have gone through all the towns of Israel before the Son of Man comes. A Disciple is not above his teacher nor a servant above his master.

It is enough for the disciple to be like his teacher and the servant like his master. If They have called the master of the house Belzebul, how much more will they malign those of his own household? And here's our big idea prepare yourself for inevitable mistreatment from the world.

Prepare yourself for inevitable mistreatment from the world as I said one Sunday ago. This text is very relevant to our time as American Christians living in the 21st century in the history of our country.

We are not used to facing opposition. From the government, but the events of the last several years and especially the last year. Things have changed so this text in Matthew. We should we should feel it some where I almost feel like if you know five ten years ago.

You wouldn't feel it's like you feel today. Until you actually see it for yourself. So last week we saw three instructions. That are there to prepare ourselves for inevitable mistreatment from the world.

That Jesus says every believer will face. Remember the Apostle Paul wrote in second Timothy 312 all who desire to live a godly life In Christ Jesus will be persecuted. Not might be but you will be Persecuted.

So here are the three instructions. We saw last Sunday. You are living among hostile people. They hate you because they hate Jesus and. The third instruction is that we are to live wisely and righteously with opposition lurking.

The Perseverance of the Saints in the Face of Persecution

Here's our fourth instruction. We're gonna see four five six and seven today. Here's the fourth instruction. Your sincere faith is shown through enduring trouble. By the way, your outline is in the bulletin if you'd like to look there your sincere faith is shown through enduring trouble.

But read what Jesus says about our witness through persecution in verse in verse 22. He says you will be hated by all for my name's sake. But the one who endures to the end will be saved. Here Jesus highlights the importance of endurance in the face of persecution.

This describes an important doctrine of the Christian faith. And that is the the doctrine of the perseverance of the Saints. What the perseverance of the Saints teaches. Is that all who are genuinely believers will?

Remain believers all the way to the end. So so anybody who's been given the Holy Spirit at the beginning at conversion. Cannot lose your salvation. God will bring you to the finish line. Ephesians chapter 1 verses 13 and 14 says when you heard the word of truth the gospel of your salvation and believed in him.

We're sealed with the promised Holy Spirit who is the guarantee of our inheritance. Until we acquire possession of it. So once you receive the Spirit, you don't lose the Spirit. Jesus also says in John chapter 10 verses 27 and 28 my sheep hear my voice and I know them and they follow me.

I Give them eternal life and they will never perish and no one will snatch them out of my hand. But there's a flip side to this. Because there's people who are in the Christian community who do not remain Christians.

The one who does not persevere was never saved in the first place. This is what the Bible teaches. The Apostle John describes this opposite experience of the apostate who falls away. In 1st John 2 19 he wrote they went out from us.

But they were not of us. For if they had been of us, they would have continued with us. But they went out that it might become plain that they all are not of us. If you are his you will always be his and This will show in your life.

Those who do not endure to the end show they were never truly his. This is the clear teaching of the Bible. Perseverance, however, it's a team effort between the Holy Spirit and you. God gives us certain means of grace that keep us in the faith.

These are Bible reading. Prayer. Christian fellowship. The Lord's Supper is another one that we took part in today one where you you examine yourself when you come together. The Holy Spirit works through all of these means of grace to bring us all the way to the finish line.

These means of grace prepare you to endure the trials of life. Because you will face trials in life and you may be facing a severe trial right now. In this context Jesus is Saying that genuine believers will be able to endure Opposition you'll be able to endure persecution specifically as The Holy Spirit works in your life.

He prepares you for this as I've shared before 16th century or such. I should say that 17th century Puritans used to say when seas are calm mend your sails. Because something's around the corner something's coming your way.

When seas are calm mend your sails. You will face opposition from the government or from other unbelievers. It's not an if it's it's a when and if you haven't experienced it yet you will. So you have to prepare yourself.

During these times the Holy Spirit prepares you now, I believe the Holy Spirit is preparing our church right now. It's interesting the timing of what we're going through. We're going through Matthew. And we're look where we find ourselves.

God's providentially leads us here. So this preparation is what makes you ready to face it when it comes as the Holy Spirit prepares you and sustains you through it. You will endure. And this is why Jesus is able to say the one who endures to the end will be saved.

True believers do not live for this world. They are willing to be mocked. Inconvenienced or even harmed physically if it means being faithful to Christ a true believer Not only lives for Christ, but is willing to die For Christ if that were his will for you.

You can see how Christianity is not a cherry on the top of your life. Jesus must be everything to you if he is everything to you. Then you're real and if he's not you're not. And You won't be ready when persecution comes in the parable of the sower.

When the seeds are planted the the one who continues to grow Even in the face of adversity is the fourth seed. But there's one seed that when adversity comes it just withers away. When it when time of testing.

Came. Okay, so that so that is the fifth instruction that He prepares you to face it and you will endure if you are real. Here's the fifth instruction. He designs for you to proclaim his lordship. So the Lord will be glorified through the opposition that we face.

Proclaiming Christ’s Lordship Before Governors and Kings

Let's look at this in verse 18 Jesus says and you will be dragged before governors and kings from for my sake to bear witness before them and the Gentiles. Now Jesus is talking to his disciples, but we know that he has in mind all of his disciples including Eureka Baptist.

But obviously in the immediate context he's talking about what the experience will be for his disciples. He told them earlier in verse 17 that they will flog you in their synagogues. He's talking about the Jewish leaders who oppose him.

And because they oppose Jesus they oppose his followers. Then as we just read they will be brought before kings and governors and The reason they will not before them is because of Jesus. The Jews hated Jesus because he was not the Messiah of their imagination.

He also did not compliment the outward obedience of the Jews. In fact, he called them out in ways that were highly offensive to them. He called them hypocrites whitewashed tombs Sons of hell to name a few.

It was inevitable That this sharp Rhetoric was going to get Jesus in trouble. The fact that Jesus called them out and they did not receive his teaching meant that the Jewish leadership Largely rejected him.

There's a few who embraced Christ Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus. But most of them outright Rejected him and by rejecting him they rejected God. What Jesus said about himself and what he said about them sent the Jewish leaders into a frenzy and They plotted to kill him.

And of course, we know how the story goes. He was crucified. But we know how wonderful the story is though, right that Jesus died on the cross for our sins. God used that to bring us salvation. He was raised gloriously from the dead.

And what Jesus did is he sent his Followers out to share the gospel Everywhere, they went to all the nations of the earth. But their first mission Was to share the gospel to the Jews and what acts explains is that the disciples mission was a very difficult one to the nation of Israel his own people.

There were some Jews who believed but most rejected Jesus as the Messiah and Savior of the world so the common Israelites and the leadership largely rejected him this Messiah. They long awaited for he comes on the scene and they say we don't want him.

What Jesus is telling his disciples is that their experience would be similar to his in verse 17. He tells them that they would be delivered over to courts and be flogged in synagogues. And as we see in the Apostle Paul's ministry, he first preached to the Jews.

But then after that he brings it to the Gentiles. What Jesus tells the disciples in verse 18 is that they would stand before governors and kings eventually. Now, we know the church history records that Peter and Paul are martyred under the reign of Nero by a Gentile ruler.

The Apostle Peter who would have been among the ones let Jesus say this. He was also martyred as I mentioned by Nero and the and the other disciples also. Were martyred except for John, of course, he was exiled to Patmos.

Think about as they're listening to Jesus we need to put ourselves in their shoes here. Think of think of how much they would have trembled. Thinking this is our future. We're gonna go through this. Now we live in a world where most of the governing authorities over us are unbelievers.

Now some by God's common grace rule with righteousness and justice, but others do not. Christians are a serious threat to these people because they don't want any authority over them. To say that we bow only to Christ is offensive to some governing leaders.

Think about what's happening in North Korea right now. It has for many years to say that Jesus is Lord to King Jung-un would probably get you killed. And last week I mentioned that opposing the secular agenda in America that functions like a religion may get you in trouble.

In America right now. It may not get you killed. But you may be harassed or silenced as we as we have seen. If you speak God's truth against the lies of the secular agenda that may very well find you in hot water.

In fact, we had a pastor in Osceola not too far from here. Who just got in trouble because he spoke out against something it it's gonna happen. There's no way to avoid it. So do we buckle in fear and run away with our tails between our legs, or do we say something?

And do it with gentleness and respect yes. But we still need to say something and as I said last week you will be called all kinds of things that you are not. This is what happened to the early Christians.

But as followers of Christ we must not compromise our convictions in the public square. We should be willing and ready to boldly proclaim. Jesus is Lord to the surrounding Lord to the surrounding world.

There is no one on earth that is above him and every day. What every knee will bow to him one day as Philippians 2 10 and 11 says? Every knee will bow every tongue will confess that Jesus is Lord to the glory of God the Father.

People should know we are Christians. For both our character and our proclamation. We need to speak. The gospel we need to tell people who Jesus is what he has done on our behalf. It's been popular in recent years to say Live like Jesus and if necessary use words, maybe you've heard that.

But my concern about that quote is that we can be comfortable never using words. We need to proclaim Christ. Even if there's opposition, it's even harder today than it was 10 15 20 years ago. But we need to do it.

I remember when I was in college. We had a chapel speaker. This was a Christian College. He preached at our Chapel and What he said was he says we just need to hum the tune tune we just need to hum the tune which means live the Christian life and People will ask you about your Christian faith, and then you can share the gospel.

And I was thinking well, yes some of the time it works that way. But what if they don't ask? We need to speak. So the question we need to ask ourselves is this do people know that you are a Christian.

The second question is do people know who Jesus is? And what he has done. He went to the cross he rose from the dead and Nobody can be indifferent to that news. Do people know? This news. But what Christ has done on our behalf.

We are to proclaim Christ as Lord and Savior and there's no other who holds these titles. In a world where people say you can believe whatever you want. It's becoming more and more popular. Even in a place like St. Croix Falls in Polk County.

It's been this way a long time and in the cities, but it's it's reached out here more and more. We must boldly proclaim Jesus as Lord before our unbelieving friends family and even to the ones most daunting.

Like those in authority over us. Who could take us with a hate crime for saying something that is deemed offensive by the unbelieving world? So prepare yourself for inevitable mistreatment from the world and the fifth instruction is that he designs for you to proclaim his lordship.

The Holy Spirit Gives Words in the Hour of Trial

Here's the fifth instruction. From from the Lord Jesus. He says the Holy Spirit will give you the words to say. Let's look at this in verses 19 and 20. When they deliver you over. Do not be anxious how you are to speak or what you are to say.

For what you are to say will be given to you in that hour. For it is not you who speak but the spirit of your father speaking. Through you the Lord tells us to rely on him in everything. Including what we are to say in the previous point.

We learned that we are to speak God's truth boldly in the face of opposition. Here we are told that the Holy Spirit will guide us in our words the whole Christian life is one. Where we are called to do everything in God's power including how we speak.

As the Apostle Paul wrote in Colossians chapter 1 verses 28 and 29 Him we proclaim warning everyone and teaching everyone with all wisdom that we may present everyone mature in Christ for this I toil.

Struggling with all his energy that he powerfully works within me. Now while we are to do everything in the Spirit's power all the time Jesus highlights here this special importance of carrying this out when we face opposition and.

The moment will come where we are to speak. When we are facing this opposition Jesus tells us that the Holy Spirit will help us with what to say. Now. This doesn't mean that we do no work here. When we talk about the Spirit's work we always have a part to play.

We need to build strong convictions. Through these means of grace. Bible reading prayer. Sitting under the preaching of the word and living out what God teaches us. When we do this God's Word comes out of our mouth and transforms our life with power.

Are we people? Who are full of the Spirit? Where his power is noticeable where it's pulsing out of us. That's what God designs a Christian to be. Jesus tells us. That he will help us that the Holy Spirit will help us.

And when this happens God's Word comes out of our mouth and transforms our life with power. The great 19th century British preacher Charles Spurgeon. Charles Spurgeon. He was called the Prince of Preachers.

He loved John Bunyan who lived two centuries before him and in the 17th century John Bunyan was a Christian pastor who was jailed for Preaching the gospel and they said if you keep preaching the gospel You're in jail.

Guess what? He kept preaching they sent him to jail, but he didn't waste his time there because he wrote the Pilgrims Progress which is The second most sold English book in the history of the world. It's only behind this book.

Pilgrims Progress is number two and Spurgeon read this book all the time. We went through Pilgrims Progress last year as a Sunday school class and Barb told us that Spurgeon read Pilgrims Progress every single year a cover-to-cover.

He read it about a hundred times at least and this is what Spurgeon said of Bunyan. Read anything of his and you will see that it is almost like reading the Bible itself. He had read it till his very soul was saturated with Scripture and and though his Writings are charmingly full of poetry yet.

He cannot give us his Pilgrims Progress. Without continually making us feel and say why this man is a living Bible. Prick him anywhere. His blood is Biblion. The very essence of the Bible flows from him.

He cannot speak without quoting a text. For his very soul is full of the Word of God. Then he tells his church. Which was the tabernacle in London. Spurgeon said I commend his example to you beloved John Bunyan was as I mentioned he was put in prison and He could not help but speak the Word of God to people and they told him you can have freedom.

He said I don't care. I'm gonna speak the Word of God and he did and it got himself in serious trouble. But we could see how just like the Apostle Paul. He thrown in prison. Okay. Well, that's right. And let's be a blessing to the world and that's what he did.

He spoke the truth of God's Word before the authorities and it cost him. Like Bunyan and so many others. So many other faithful people down through the ages. We need to saturate ourselves with the Bible so that we are prepared to speak before others.

Like I said, it may be before common people who oppose you or it may be before those in authority who can fire you or Find you or put you in prison. It may be your boss at work where you think I can't say anything and if I do I'm gonna be in trouble.

You may be put in a position where you have to compromise faith. But you will not compromise because of your faithfulness to Christ, you know that he's gonna take care of you. May we hear the words of the Apostle Peter.

Who echoes the words of Jesus in 1st Peter 3 15? But in your hearts honor Christ the Lord is holy. Always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that you have.

Yet do it with gentleness and respect. That's our model right there. Never compromise. Speak the truth boldly, but do it with gentleness and respect as we prepare. The Holy Spirit will give us the words to say when the opposition comes so are we preparing.

Ask yourself that are we preparing? Prepare yourself for inevitable mistreatment from the world. And the sixth the sixth instruction is that the Holy Spirit will give you the words to say. And here's the seventh and final instruction from Christ.

He tells us do not let resistance dissuade you from. Continuing we'll see this in verse 23. When they persecute you in one town flee to the next. For truly I say to you you will not have gone through all the towns of Israel before the Son of Man comes.

So Jesus tells us here that as you go you will face persecution. But as you do as you face this opposition, you need to continue. We have already seen this in Matthew where Jesus tells us his disciples to share the gospel of the kingdom if you are welcomed.

He says if it's receptive keep doing it. If it's not then don't. We saw this recently in verses 11 through 15 of this chapter. In Matthew 7 6 Jesus said something similar. He said do not give dogs what is holy and do not throw your pearls before pigs.

Lest they trample them underfoot and turn to attack you. So you so if you are met with resistance if people give you a cold shoulder. Mock you slander you or even harm you physically. Move on to the next person.

If you were to get fired from a job because of your faith in Christ move on to the next job. I'm not saying try to get fired. Okay. But you might be put in this in a situation where you might you and if you have to compromise your faith.

Well, then you have to stand with Christ. He will take care of you. And it is true That we will face resistance and and to face resistance as a Christian is not a bad thing. It does not mean the Christian faith is false.

Again, I mentioned the parable the sower right people they face hardship for being a Christian and then they say well I don't I don't want to follow this then and then they jump ship. It's not a bad thing to face opposition and this is my concern about about some churches out there.

Who treat Christianity like it is the cherry on top of your life, right? You're not ready to face this. You're not ready to face and there's a lot of churches who are just denying that there even is persecution going on out there.

Because they don't they're not they're not built to prepare disciples to face it. I Is true that everything that happens to you is for your good, but sometimes this means pain. Sometimes this means opposition.

Romans 828 still true and we know that for those who love God all things work together for good. Sometimes it's it's a blessed. It's a blessed time in life other times. It's hardship. We are warned by Jesus and many others in the New Testament that this will come and when it does we should not be surprised.

This is why Peter writes in 1st Peter 4 verses 12 through 14. Do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you. So something strange were happening to you. But you are blessed. When it comes upon you I mentioned last week there's a pastor in Canada right now.

His name is James Coates. Please pray for him. He he's in prison right now solitary confinement. Because their their church is meeting on Sundays and the government has told him they can't meet. He's in prison right now.

This is Canada. It's not some far-off place. And we're not far from Canada at all. And I'm thinking of this man. He's blessed. God's hand is upon him and we should pray for him as he's there pray for his family as he's there.

He probably had no idea when he was in seminary that he'd be in solitary confinement. For preaching the gospel when they're told you can't do it. This is why it's important that we understand what it means to be a Christian in this life.

You will have trials and some of those trials are opposition from the unbelieving world now. It's interesting what Jesus says to the disciples. He says you will not have gone through all the towns of Israel before the Son of Man comes.

What does this mean? As the disciples may have been off the scene for almost 2 ,000 years and Christ still hasn't come back. What do they mean by this? There are four possible interpretations. One is that the coming is referring to Christ's resurrection.

He is sending them out and they will not have gone through all the towns when Jesus is raised from the dead. The second interpretation is that the coming is describing Pentecost. The Holy Spirit comes after the resurrection.

After Jesus ascended to heaven the disciples waited for the Spirit to come upon them and when he did and. And so that when he says here you have not gone through all the towns of Israel. He's referring to the Pentecost Event.

The third view says that the disciples will not have gone through all the towns of Israel until 70 AD. That's the year when the Romans destroyed the temple in Jerusalem. The fourth and final option is referring to the second coming of Christ.

So they will not have gone through all the towns of Israel until the Son of Man comes and it's referring to his second Coming. This is the view that I take. Because whenever Jesus talks about his coming he usually is referring to his second coming.

There is one exception in Matthew 16 28 where he tells his disciples that a few of them Would see him coming in glory at his coming and that and that's referring to the amount of transfiguration when he was glorified before them but in this passage Our text what Jesus is describing is the call to faithfulness for his disciples.

They are to go from town to town and this pattern of continuing in the face of persecution is to be followed until Christ returns. The disciples would not finish the task of reaching all the towns. Indicating that they would start the work and others would continue after them.

Taking the gospel to the whole world. In fact in the future Jesus knew that there would be a Gathering of Israelites at the end of the age that would be saved. The Apostle Paul wrote in Romans 11 26 that all Israel will be saved.

He's talking about this mass conversion of Israelites. Hardening has come over them right now, but there's this mass conversion coming in the future. And this is what the Apostle Paul did during his ministry as the book of Acts records.

He went from town to town. Being beaten in many of them and when he knew that his effectiveness Had run its course. He would move on to the next town and this is the model. Go to those who are receptive.

People aren't receptive move on to those who will be receptive to the gospel and this may happen to you. You may receive so much opposition that it is time to move on with the gospel to someone else who will listen.

And if the opposition is too strong there. Then you are to go on to the next place. So we continue the mission of the disciples. They started it. They went to all the towns. They proclaim the gospel and this is to be done until the word until Christ Breaks through the sky and comes to this earth gloriously.

Joy in Suffering and the Hope of Christ’s Return

So to summarize this sermon that's taken two Sundays to get through. Aren't you glad we took two Sundays? Prepare yourself for inevitable mistreatment from the world and what we've seen is seven instructions from Jesus.

And this is why I called this sermon Jesus manual on persecution. We could almost say Jesus manual on persecution readiness. First You are living among hostile people. He doesn't want us to be confused about that.

You are living among hostile people not everybody. Okay, so but many are. Second is that they hate you because they hate Jesus we might wonder. Well, why do they hate us? Well, that's why They hated him first.

They will hate you. Third is that we are to live wisely with opposition lurking. Fourth. Wisely and righteously that is fourth is that your sincere faith is shown through enduring trouble. Fifth he designs for you to proclaim his lordship.

And Sixth is that the Holy Spirit will give you the words to say. And seven and lastly do not let resistance resistance dissuade you from continuing. Keep going as you share the gospel. Now, I want to close by saying something about the Apostle Paul.

Paul is Maybe the greatest model next to the Lord Jesus on how to live this way how to press forward. Knowing the persecution will come in The midst of his sufferings. He said in 2nd Corinthians chapter 6 verse 10 that he was sorrowful from his trials.

Including his persecution yet always rejoicing. Isn't that incredible? So this isn't a life of misery. Right. So in the midst of the image in the midst of the pain, there's this fullness of joy that he carried with him.

This is what we need to remember. It's not like you are suffering and nothing good will come from it because there's joy as you go through it and Think of the joy in the future because this is only temporary.

Romans 8 18 promises that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory. That is to be revealed to us a day is coming when The experience of Psalm 16 11 will be the experience of every believer in your presence.

There is fullness of joy at your right hand our pleasures forevermore. That's that's the promise for believers. This is why we go through this. We're not going through this without a reward. That there's joy waiting for us and there's joy in the midst of it because Christ is always with you as you go through it.

So I know this two-week sermon has been intense. Okay, Jesus gives a grim report about what our life sometimes will be like in this world as Christians and the closer we follow Jesus the more opposition we will face as.

As 2nd Timothy 3 12 says all who desire to live a godly life in Christ. Jesus will be persecuted. And as we live godly lives we should expect to see opposition and my old pastor used to say he said we might not Experience a raised fist.

It might be a raised eyebrow. It might be that it might be mild but it's gonna be something and so we need to prepare ourselves for that. Now next Sunday as we continue our sermon series through Matthew Jesus is going to tell us how we should view our persecutors.

And we are gonna learn we should not fear them. At this time, let's bow our heads In prayer father in heaven as I mentioned a week ago. This almost sounds like alarmism. Especially if we're not experience experiencing anything right now.

We might think. My experience isn't this. Everybody likes me, but Lord. We know the words of the Lord Jesus are true. And all we need to do is look at history to see the truth of his words to see all the hardship.

That believers are that believers have faced and even in the present Lord believers face hardship and We should expect to see that in our own lives as We walk faithfully with you. We should expect to see that Lord.

This is the path of joy. We must always remember that. It's the path of joy, it's the best path. It's the only path that leads to life. It's the narrow path. Help us to remember that. So that when we do face some kind of opposition We would feel your hand upon us.

Realizing that we are blessed prepare us Lord. May we all grow strong in you in Jesus name Amen.