Matthew 10:17-42
The
Disciples Prepare For Persecution - Should
We?
10:17
"But beware of men, for they will hand you over to
the courts and scourge you in their synagogues;
18 and you will even be
brought before governors and kings for My sake, as
a testimony to them and to the Gentiles.
19 "But when they hand you
over, do not worry about how or what you are to
say; for it will be given you in that hour what you
are to say.
20 "For it is not you who
speak, but it is the Spirit of your Father who
speaks in you.
21 "Brother will betray
brother to death, and a father his child; and
children will rise up against parents and cause
them to be put to death.
22 "You will be hated by
all because of My name, but it is the one who has
endured to the end who will be saved.
23 "But whenever they
persecute you in one city, flee to the next; for
truly I say to you, you will not finish going
through the cities of Israel until the Son of Man
comes.
24 "A disciple is not
above his teacher, nor a slave above his master.
25 "It is enough for the
disciple that he become like his teacher, and the
slave like his master. If they have called the head
of the house Beelzebul, how much more will they
malign the members of his household!
26 "Therefore do not fear
them, for there is nothing concealed that will not
be revealed, or hidden that will not be known.
27 "What I tell you in the
darkness, speak in the light; and what you hear
whispered in your ear, proclaim upon the housetops.
28 "Do not fear those who
kill the body but are unable to kill the soul; but
rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul
and body in hell.
29 "Are not two sparrows
sold for a cent? And yet not one of them will fall
to the ground apart from your Father.
30 "But the very hairs of
your head are all numbered.
31 "So do not fear; you
are more valuable than many sparrows.
32 "Therefore everyone who
confesses Me before men, I will also confess him
before My Father who is in heaven.
33 "But whoever denies Me
before men, I will also deny him before My Father
who is in heaven.
34 "Do not think that I
came to bring peace on the earth; I did not come to
bring peace, but a sword.
35 "For I came to SET A
MAN AGAINST HIS FATHER, AND A DAUGHTER AGAINST HER
MOTHER, AND A DAUGHTER-IN-LAW AGAINST HER
MOTHER-IN-LAW;
36 and A MAN'S ENEMIES
WILL BE THE MEMBERS OF HIS HOUSEHOLD.
37 "He who loves father or
mother more than Me is not worthy of Me; and he who
loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of
Me.
38 "And he who does not
take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of
Me.
39 "He who has found his
life will lose it, and he who has lost his life for
My sake will find it.
40 "He who receives you
receives Me, and he who receives Me receives Him
who sent Me.
41 "He who receives a
prophet in the name of a prophet shall receive a
prophet's reward; and he who receives a righteous
man in the name of a righteous man shall receive a
righteous man's reward.
42 "And whoever in the
name of a disciple gives to one of these little
ones even a cup of cold water to drink, truly I say
to you, he shall not lose his reward."
This
is the Word of the Lord ... It is meant to change
the way that we think, and the way that we live.
Commentary
by Bob Pardue
Jesus Prepares His
Disciples For The Coming
Persecution
Within the past couple of
years, we have had several visitors come and speak
about Christian persecution in different parts of
the world including Viet Nam, China and
Africa.
Examples of Christian
Persecution
China
A young woman from China in
her early 20's published a Christian newsletter and
was forced to walk a stone floor barefoot all night
until her feet were bleeding and leaving tracks on
the floor.
Then, after she was finally
released from jail, she was put to work making
Christians decorations to be sold in America.
Ironic?
Viet Nam
These men visited our church
and told of how their Bible study had to be held in
secrecy and how one of them was taken out and
beaten by police when he was discovered.
Africa
This visitor from a small
country in Africa has to remain nameless because
his family is still living in this African
nation.
He told the story of how he
was arrested after his country was taken over by
Muslims. Refusing to convert to Islam, he was hung
from the ceiling upside down and boiling hot oil
was poured on the bottom of his feet. He stood firm
in his belief but had to flee to the United
States.
These are just the people I
am personally aware of but there are millions of
persecuted Christians around the world.
Jesus Prepares His
Disciples For Persecution
The things Jesus proclaimed
in verses 17 and 18 came to pass just as he
predicted. The disciples depended upon Christ to
see them through these times of hardship from
religious leaders, governments and even friends and
family.
They used this persecution as
an opportunity to tell more people about Jesus
Christ and the salvation he offers.
Jesus said in verse 22;
"You will be hated by all because of My name,
but it is the one who has endured to the end who
will be saved."
The disciples lived through
this persecution but were saved by the grace Christ
offered. He offers us this same salvation but he
never promised that the road will always be
easy.
No matter what is on the news
about other countries being tolerant to religious
beliefs, Christian persecution is happening on a
daily basis.
So, the question is; "What
will I do as I understand that the persecution will
continue? Will I keep my faith and tell others
about Jesus?"
Will you?
Love In Christ
- Bob
If you have never made the
commitment to receive the love and life-changing
experience of Jesus Christ, please take a moment to
go
here and take the
first
steps to salvation.
Other
Bible Study Verse For Living ...
Matthew
10:1-16
- Jesus
Sends Out The Twelve Disciples
Verses about preparing for Christian
persecution are from New American Standard
Bible
Comments are welcome. Please email
me with any questions or comments you
may have.
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