Evangelism Part 34: Enduring Persecution
Matthew 10:17-23 April 21, 2024
Introduction
Chuck Swindoll tells the story of codfish in the early 1900s, which was big business in the
Us, with demand all over the county for the cods flavor and use in so many dishes.
When codfish was caught or farmed in Alaska or Main or wherever, it would need to be
prepped and shipped around the county for consumption. They found that merely killing
it and freezing it before it was shipped would strip it of its taste and freshness. So they
experimented with shipping them alive in massive tanks. But that proved even worse as
it was more expensive, still lost its flavor, became soft and mushy, and lost its familiar
texture. This proved to be a major hindrance to the consumption of codfish in the parts
of the country farther from the source. Though it was a delicious and useful fish when
immediately caught, they did not know how to keep it fresh for the long journey to its
final destination.
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 Prophesied
Prophetic text to apostles and to us
o Recapitulation – layers of a prophecy that have multiple fulfilments
Apostles experienced persecution, many disciples throughout history have
experienced persecution, persecution will be normative at the end of the
age
Main goal of prophecy is usually readiness – especially prophecy about the end times.
o How do we know part of this prophecy of persecution is about the end? V23 –
“before the Son of Man comes”
1) Jesus’s resurrection
2) coming judgment upon Jerusalem in AD 70
3) Second Coming of Christ at the end of the Age
Scripture is clear that increasing/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.”
Parallel = Luke 21:17-19 “17 You will be hated by all for my name’s sake. 18
But not a hair of your head will perish. 19 By your endurance you will gain
your lives.”
Parallel = Mark 13:13 “And you will be hated by all for my name’s sake. But
the one who endures to the end will be saved.”
o See also Daniel 8:23-26, 2 Thessalonians 2:3-12
Revelation 13:5-10 “5 And the beast was given a mouth uttering haughty
and blasphemous words, and it was allowed to exercise authority for forty-
two months. 6 It opened its mouth to utter blasphemies against God,
blaspheming his name and his dwelling, that is, those who dwell in heaven.
7 Also it was allowed to make war on the saints and to conquer them. And
authority was given it over every tribe and people and language and nation,
8 and all who dwell on earth will worship it, everyone whose name has not
been written before the foundation of the world in the book of life of the
Lamb who was slain. 9 If anyone has an ear, let him hear: 10 If anyone is to
be taken captive, to captivity he goes; if anyone is to be slain with the
sword, with the sword must he be slain. Here is a call for the endurance
and faith of the saints.”
Revelation 14:12 “Here is a call for the endurance of the saints, those
who keep the commandments of God and their faith in Jesus.”
Persecution Endured
Regardless of what interpretation(s) we think best of Matthew 10:23, the underlying
warning and exhortation of Matthew 10:22 (and many other texts referring to the
coming of the end) remains the same: endure until the end.
o Jesus is NOT saying our endurance will earn salvation. Christ is saying that the one
who endures to the end will prove by their endurance that he or she is a genuine
disciple who is truly born again.
Endurance is a fruit of faith in Christ, produced by Holy Spirit
Continuance in our faith is a verification of being a real Christian.
Theologians call this the perseverance of the saints. The following
Scriptures also emphasize perseverance: Matthew 24:13; John 8:31;
Romans 2:6-7; 1 Corinthians 15:1-2; Colossians 1:21-23; 1 Timohty 4:16;
Hebrews 2:1-3; 4:14; 6:11-12; 10:39; 12:14; James 1:22-24; 1 Peter 2:20; 2
Peter 1:10
From Sermon: Endurance: The Resilient Virtue – Romans 5 | Lifeway
o On a consumer flight from Portland, Maine, to Boston in the summer of 1987, the
pilot heard an unusual noise near the rear of the aircraft. Henry Dempsey turned
the controls over to his copilot and went back to check it out. As he reached the
tail section, the plane hit an air pocket, and Dempsey was tossed against the rear
door. He quickly discovered the source of the mysterious noise. The rear door had
not been properly latched prior to takeoff and it fell open. Dempsey was instantly
sucked out of the jet.
o The copilot, seeing the red light on the control panel that indicated an open door,
radioed the nearest airport requesting permission to make an emergency landing.
He reported that Dempsey had fallen out of the plane and requested that a
helicopter be dispatched to search the area of the ocean.
o After the plane had landed, the ground crew found Henry Dempsey [hanging
upside down and] holding onto the outdoor ladder of the aircraft. Somehow, he
had caught the ladder and managed to hold on for 10 minutes as the plane flew
200mph at an altitude of 4,000 feet. What is more, as the plane made its
approach and landed, Dempsey had kept his head from hitting the runway, a
mere 12 inches away. According to news reports, it took several airport personnel
more than a few minutes to pry the pilot’s fingers from the ladder.
Endure defined
o From the two Greek words:
Hypo (pronounced hoop’-oh) meaning, under
Menō (pronounced men’-oh) meaning to remain
together make hypomenō meaning to persevere or endure, to remain
steadfast and fortified in place – often with patience and through suffering
o Henry Dempsey would say it is just holding on for dear life.
How to Endure from Matthew 10:
o V19-20 – Know truth and walk by the Spirit
In Soviet days, East German Communist authorities summoned fifteen-
year-old Wilfried Gotter to a closed room and pressured him to join the
army as a Communist. Wilfried was a committed Christian who wanted no
part of Communism, but how could he withstand the authorities? “I was
given a word from God,” he later said. “It was Colossians 2:8: ‘See to it that
no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which
depends on human tradition and the basic principles of this world rather
than on Christ.'”
The teenager quoted this verse to his interrogators and they seemed totally
disarmed. They had no answer to that verse and they let him go. “In that
moment,” Wilfried said, “I really experienced what it says in the Bible — that
when you are led before the authorities, you shouldn’t be concerned about
what you are to say.”
Wilfred went on to become one of the leading pastors in East Germany
throughout the Soviet occupation and has continued to faithfully served
the Lord.
Romans 8:5-6 “5 For those who live according to the flesh set their minds
on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set
their minds on the things of the Spirit. 6 For to set the mind on the flesh is
death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace.”
o V21-v22 – expect reviling, false accusations, and persecution
Not just expect, but practice enduring through the suffering we face in this
life
James 1:12 “Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial,
for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which
God has promised to those who love him.”
Most suffering will not be related to persecution, but we can still
develop the quality of endurance through the refining of the Spirit
for when we do face persecution
Grow in the community of faith
Romans 15:5-6 “May the God of endurance and encouragement
grant you to live in such harmony with one another, in accord with
Christ Jesus, 6 that together you may with one voice glorify the God
and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.”
o V23 – allow your pride to be killed (flee)
The story is told of a young naval captain on his first command of a
battleship. He was in a stormy sea with heavy cloud cover, but was
determined complete his orders on schedule. On the horizon he saw the
light of another ship and immediately radioed the vessel, “Alter your course
ten degrees.” The reply quickly came back, “No, you alter your course ten
degrees.” Angered, the Captain responded, “Alter your course, I am a
destroyer.” Unfazed, the response swiftly follows, “Alter your course, I am a
lighthouse.”
Proverbs 22:3 “The prudent sees danger and hides himself, but the simple
go on and suffer for it.”
o V23 – remember that God is sovereign and Christ is coming again
Do not become callous/uncaring/apathetic/discouraged
Galatians 6:9-10 “9 And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in
due season we will reap, if we do not give up. 10 So then, as we have
opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who
are of the household of faith.”
Temporal vs eternal
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.”
o Hold the things of this world loosely
Grow in faith and hope
Hebrews 12:2 “looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our
faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross,
despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of
God.”
Conclusion
This brings us back to codfish. Apparently, as they were experimenting with how to keep
the codfish fresh while getting it to its final destination, it occurred to someone to ship
the codfish together with one of its natural predators. The ornery predator would chase
the cod all over the tank; and wouldn’t you know, when the cod arrived at their
destination they were just as fresh as the day they were taken out of the ocean. In fact,
some thought they were even better than before as their need to constantly endure the
chase of their predator kept them from ever getting soft and tasteless.
Recognize that we have a predator that would love to take us out of this world. While
we do not fear him, we are called to endure and persevere as we go through the trials,
tribulations, and even persecution that can be faced in this life.
One day we will reach our final destination and our desire should be to be able to stand
before the Lord, trained and refined in the crucible of this life. But by God’s grace, let us
not be mushy, stale, tasteless people who the Lord spits out of his mouth like those of
Laodicea who were useless to him because of the grew comfortable in their wealth and
prosperity (see Revelation 3:16).
Instead, let us ask the Lord to teach us to endure and persevere under trial unto the
end.
o Lord, teach us to 1) rely on your Spirit, 2) not back down from trials but practice
perseverance as we face the tribulations of this life 3) grow in humility, and 4)
grow in our faith in your sovereign plan, recognizing the fleeting nature of this life
and the hope that is to come.
Amen. Amen.