Evangelism Part 33: The Coming Persecution
Matthew 10:17-23 April 14, 2024
Introduction
According to the January report of World Watch List 2024, an annual report published
by Open Doors, a Canadian NGO which supports Christians worldwide, around 365
million Christians are subject to “high levels of persecution and discrimination”. This
compared to 340 million in 2021.
o They define persecution as any hostility experienced as a result of one’s
identification with Christ. This broad definition includes (but is not limited to)
restrictions, pressure, discrimination, opposition, disinformation, injustice,
intimidation, mistreatment, marginalization, oppression, intolerance,
infringement, violation, ostracism, hostilities, harassment, abuse, violence, ethnic
cleansing and genocide.
o Under this definition 1 in 7 Christians are persecuted worldwide, including 1 in 5
in Africa and 1 in 7 in Asia. This compared to 1 in 8 worldwide in 2021. The
number of countries ranked as conducting “extreme” or “very high” persecution
has risen from 23 in 2015 to 55 in 2023.
o You can see the top 20 countries with the most extreme and pervasive
persecution of Christians on the screen behind me. Notice that most all of these
are in Africa and Asia. Notably, India and China – some of the largest economic
powers in the world – are both in the top 20 and our neighbor to the South,
Mexico is 38 th . Nigeria, one of the most Christianized nations in Africa, is in the top
10 and has the most reported martyrdoms of any country, with over 4000 in
- (though many martyrdoms go unreported in the 10-40 window).
Recap Matthew 10 thus far.
Matthew 10:16-23 “16 “Behold, I am sending you out as sheep in the midst of wolves,
so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves. 17 Beware of men, for they will deliver
you over to courts and flog you in their synagogues, 18 and you will be dragged before
governors and kings for my sake, to bear witness before them and the Gentiles. 19
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. 20 For it is not you who
speak, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you. 21 Brother will deliver brother
over to death, and the father his child, and children will rise against parents and have
them put to death, 22 and you will be hated by all for my name’s sake. But the one who
endures to the end will be saved. 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.”
Persecution Classified
“Persecution” (Gk. diōkō) (pronounced dee-o’-ko) chasing, fleeing, pursuing, driving
away
o Connotation is pursuing someone with the objective to do harm – physical harm
in particular
Matthew 5:10-12 “10 “Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 11 “Blessed are you when others revile you and
persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. 12 Rejoice
and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets
who were before you.”
o Notice double blessing for those who are persecuted (only quality that is doubly
blessed)
o Notice that persecution is differentiated from 1) reviling (Gk. oneidizo) – hurl
insults, literally to cast in one’s teeth, to throw abusive words in the face of the
opponent; and 2) false accusations – both of which we will readily face and are
difficult to endure – but are not persecution in the biblical sense
No one likes to be insulted, no one likes to be mocked and denigrated, no
one likes to be falsely accused and have their honor attacked, no one likes
to be cancelled and left out of the public discourse, and while these things
will be experienced by the follower of Jesus and they are not pleasant to
experience, they are not persecution.
o Dr. Voddie Baucham “I don’t believe we are facing persecution in the west. In
fact, I think its an insult to persecuted Christians to say that we’re facing
persecution in the west, because we’re not.” Persecution of Christians in the West | Voddie
Baucham (youtube.com)
o Dr. Voddie Baucham “There’s a difference between persecution and suffering.
Make no mistake about it, persecution is a form of suffering, but everybody
suffers. Life is suffering. That’s just a product of the fall. We suffer and we die.
Persecution is different than just plain old suffering or just plain old death.
Persecution is a suffering that we endure at the hands of our adversary,
specifically because of his hatred for our Lord, and Master, and Savior, Jesus
Christ. And what that means is that while suffering is something that is inevitable,
and every man will suffer, it is not so with persecution. Persecution can be
avoided; all you have to do is compromise. So, persecution is suffering with a
choice; it’s suffering with an option; it’s suffering that you don’t have to go
through if you just stop preaching. If you just stop believing, or, at least, just say
that you’ve stopped believing. If you just stop going that way and go this way. If
you just stop pressing on this particular point. If you just stop raising this
particular issue. If you just stop putting the em-PHA-sis on that syl-ABLE. But
those who are persecuted have this in common: they come to a place where
faced with that choice, and given that option, that say, “I can’t”.” Voddie Baucham |
Difference between suffering and persecution (youtube.com)
Suffering is something that every believer will endure, but in our text in Matthew 10,
Jesus is specifically saying that as we share our faith, preach the gospel, and proclaim
that the kingdom of heaven is at hand, we will eventually face persecution.
o Presently, I would agree with Voddie’s assessment, we are not really facing
persecution yet in the west. The Lord is giving us an opportunity – and has given
the Christians in this county and opportunity for many decades – to share the
gospel without the reality of physical persecution coming upon us.
There are, of course, instances of true persecution. And this window of
freedom to preach the gospel will close…the lack of persecution in this
country will certainly change in the future, perhaps in our lifetime … and if
things keep going the way they are, perhaps sooner rather than later.
What do we do while the Lord has blessed us with primarily only having to face the
reviling and false accusations of those who would come against the church?
o Be thankful for the season of peace the Lord has given us
o Boldly share the gospel while we can
o Don’t be a victim – walk in the blessing of suffering for Christ when it comes
Here is where our “rights” as American citizens and our calling as followers
of Jesus can make things messy and complicated. Our freedom of speech
and the nature of social media – where everyone can have a voice with very
little consequence – can create an opportunity for Christians who are
reviled and falsely accused and otherwise made to suffer a loss of their
“rights” can lead to a victim mentality and an outcry and complaint about
those “rights” that loses the message of the gospel.
1 Peter 3:9, 13-17 “9 Do not repay evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on
the contrary, bless, for to this you were called, that you may obtain a
blessing…. 13 Now who is there to harm you if you are zealous for what is
good? 14 But even if you should suffer for righteousness’ sake, you will be
blessed. Have no fear of them, nor be troubled, 15 but in your hearts honor
Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone
who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with
gentleness and respect, 16 having a good conscience, so that, when you are
slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ may be put to
shame. 17 For it is better to suffer for doing good, if that should be God’s
will, than for doing evil.”
o The story is told of the second century Christian leader Tertullian who was once
approached by a man facing hostility and pressure in his workplace. The man “I
have come to Christ, but I don’t know what to do. I have a job that I don’t think is
consistent with what scripture teaches. What can I do? I must live.” To this,
Tertullian replied, “Must you [live]?”
As Christians in the most prosperous and free country this world has ever
known, it is easy to fall into this same mindset – “I’ve got to live, I’ve got to
have my freedom, my rights.” But with Tertullian, I would encourage us to
evaluate if that’s actually true. Is that what Christ calls us to? If we are
honest when we read scripture, the only conclusion we can come to is, no,
of course not – I am called to give up my rights, my freedoms, and my very
life for the sake of the Gospel. I am called to serve my King and proclaim His
kingdom and face whatever reviling, accusations, and, ultimately,
persecution that will come.
I am to be wise as a serpent and gentle as a dove as I face it…but I endure it
when it comes knowing that this is part of the worship and service that is
owed to my Savior and Lord.
o John MacArthur put it this way, “Our Lord made it clear from His earliest
teaching, and His opponents made it clear from their earliest reactions, that
following Him was costly. Those who entered His kingdom would suffer for Him
before they would reign with Him. That is the hard honesty every preach,
evangelist, and witness of Christ should exemplify. We do the Lord no honor and
those to whom we witness no benefit by hiding or minimizing the cost of
following Him.” Happy are the Harassed, MacArthur sermon on Matthew 5:10-12,
McArthur New Testament Commentary Matthew 1-7, p223.
And I would add that we do the Lord no honor when we protest, bicker,
wine, and complain about the cost of discipleship we endure because of
some perceived “rights” we think we have. Philippians 1:21 “To live is
Christ and to die is gain” should be the mindset the Lord is growing in us as
we mature and learn to serve Him more and more fully, regardless of the
suffering and loss of rights we may face.
This doesn’t mean that we should rush headlong into suffering and persecution. As the
first verse in this section makes clear, we are to be wise as serpents and gentle as doves
as we face those who would oppose us. And we are to remain cautious as we go
forward proclaiming the kingdom.
Persecution Cautioned
Jesus specifically promises that we will eventually face persecution when we are actively
and boldly sharing our faith…v17 will deliver you, v18 will be dragged…, v19 when they
deliver you, v21 brother will deliver brother…children will rise against parents, v22 will
be hated v23 when they persecute you
o Parallel passage in Luke 21:10-13 (Jesus’ end times prophecy in Luke) “10 Then he
said to them, “Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. 11
There will be great earthquakes, and in various places famines and pestilences.
And there will be terrors and great signs from heaven. 12 But before all this they
will lay their hands on you and persecute you, delivering you up to the synagogues
and prisons, and you will be brought before kings and governors for my name’s
sake. 13 This will be your opportunity to bear witness.”
2 Timothy 3:12 “Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will
be persecuted”
2 Cor. 4:8-9 “8 We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven
to despair; 9 persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed”
Galatians 4:28-29 “28 Now you, brothers, like Isaac, are children of promise. 29 But just
as at that time he who was born according to the flesh persecuted him who was born
according to the Spirit, so also it is now.”
Back to v17, “Beware” (Gk. prosecho) literally to hold to; to attach oneself to. Referred
to mooring a ship or to tie something up. Figuratively, to pay careful attention and
remain alert as if on guard against something.
o While we are not to play the victim or be surprised when we face suffering and
persecution, we also should be on the lookout for it so that we can wisely
navigate our way through or away from it.
Notice v23, “when they persecute you in one town, flee to the next”
o We are called to boldly share the gospel, to winsomely proclaim that the kingdom
of heaven is at hand. When we recognize the onset of real severe persecution we
do not intentionally subject ourselves to it if we can avoid it for the sake of
continuing to share the gospel.
Nor should we ever back down from sharing truth in order to avoid
persecution. We do not compromise truth and nor do we proclaim any
salvation but that of faith by grace in Jesus Christ.
This is why Christ calls us to endure to the end (v22)…eventually, as
we live “out loud” for the gospel, the opponents of Christ will find us
and seek to shut our mouths. We must persevere and continuing to
press on with the gospel.
In fact, scripture is clear that increasing and pervasive persecution is a sign of the close
of this age.
o Matthew 24:9-14 “9 “Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and put you to
death, and you will be hated by all nations for my name’s sake. 10 And then many
will fall away and betray one another and hate one another. 11 And many false
prophets will arise and lead many astray. 12 And because lawlessness will be
increased, the love of many will grow cold. 13 But the one who endures to the
end will be saved. 14 And this gospel of the kingdom will be proclaimed
throughout the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will
come.”
Notice again the call to endure. As the lawlessness increases and the love of
many grows cold, we are to endure in sharing the gospel until either our
lives are taken or the Lord returns.
2 Corinthians 4:16-18 “16 So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting
away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. 17 For this light momentary affliction
is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, 18 as we look not
to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are
seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.”
Conclusion
Understand what persecution is. Be thankful that we do not yet face it to any
widespread degree. Seize this gift of freedom to proclaim truth by doing so winsomely
and wisely. Do not play the victim when we face reviling and false accusations, walk in
the blessing of suffering with Christ. And when persecution finally arrives on our
doorsteps, remain the promises of our God as we endure to whatever end we may face.
Amen. Amen.