Persecution and the Christian Faith
Dr. James Smith
Matthew 10:16-10:25
1 February 2004
Last week we continued our series on the 2nd Discourse or Sermon of Jesus concerning Missions in Matthew 10.
And we discovered several important missiological principles so far in our study.
- Our hearts must burn and break and our guts “churn” for the lost.
- The harvest is an image of end time judgment and this harvest is coming whether we are ready or not or we like it our not.
- There are four (4) vital and practical aspects of any missionary
endeavor.
- The Arena
- The Tasks
- The Material Support
- The Impact
This morning we continue our study into Jesus missionary discourse by looking at Matthew 10:16-25.
This passage concerns the inevitablility of persecution upon believers who are active witnesses of Jesus Christ.
Now many people have varying ideas concerning what persecution exactly is and isn’t.
Webster defines persecution simply as “oppressing or harassing another by means of ill treatment.”
And our text alludes to this, this morning. Such oppression and harassment would be unavoidable in preaching the good news of Jesus Christ.
In fact, Jesus promises suffering to his 12 apostles and makes it clear that suffering is necessarily connected with those who follow Him.
And that is what makes verse 16 so significant. Notice here that despite the fact that He calls his apostles “sheep,” He still commands them to go out of the sheep pen and into wide open fields where wolves and other wild animals live.
Any shepherd will tell you that if you allow your sheep to graze in open and unprotected areas, you will inevitably lose some to wild dogs, coyotes and wolves.
I myself experienced this at a young age, when my little nanny goat was shredded and eaten by a pack of wild dogs. Imagine my horror, as a little kid, to find my goat in bloody pieces.
And yet the great shepherd Himself, Jesus Christ, still sent His sheep into the fields to continue the mission that He himself had begun.
Now from the early church until today, many have characterized Christianity as a faith for old ladies, children, the sickly and the weak.
And if we are really honest, many believers have played into these stereotypes by insulating themselves from the world’s fields and gathering themselves into what I call “Christian ghettoes.”
I remember, several years ago, on a hunting trip with my father’s Elk’s lodge, a group of Christians came through the camp.
One guy I was with, complained that these Christians had no business at a hunting lodge since they weren’t “man enough” to carry a gun or complete a day in the woods without getting the “sniffles.”
Christian meekness should never be confused with weakness and so Jesus offers a clear warning to the believers that different tools and assets are required.
Innocence to sin is to be maintained, but it must be coupled with the shrewdness and “street smarts” that we find among the snakes of this world.
In Matthew 10:17-23, Jesus tells His apostles to “beware” because they would experience both external threats as well as internal threats of persecution.
These external threats would include people from religious institutions that do not appreciate or accept the goods news.
External threats can come from local authorities as well as national governments as well. Jesus calls them “wolves” and He knows that some of His sheep will be consumed by them.
External persecution in the United States and Canada is unusual compared to many places in the world. And yet, how many people clamor each year to silence the gospel in a variety of ways.
How many local towns no longer have nativity scenes because of lawsuits or you may recall the recent removal of the 10 commandments monument from the courthouse in Alabama.
When I was in college, an atheist protested against a dormitory bulletin board that had Jewish menorahs and Christmas symbols on it and he made it a campus wide issue. I debated with this guy and it made the front page of the school newspaper . . . more importantly, the bulletin board stayed.
Far, far, far more graphic examples of external persecution can be found all throughout history. Take for example this serious example of oppression from early twentieth century China.
“’By imperial command, exterminate the Christian religion! Death to the foreign devils!’ In June, 1900 crazed mobs bannered this terrible proclamation as they rampaged through cities of northern China, looting and burning churches and the homes of missionaries and Chinese Christians.
They were led by bare-chested fanatics called, ‘Boxers’ who brandished long-curving swords and cried for the heads and hearts of Christians and missionaries.” Countless believers ears, lips, noses and heads cut off and their hearts were cut out as well.
“As the blood flowed, newspaper headlines abroad screamed, ‘Chinese massacre missionaries’ and a shocked world asked why?”
Jesus promised his followers that they would be handed over to councils and dragged before government officials. I wonder how often we wrestle with these hard sayings of Jesus.
Jesus also promised His sheep that they would experience internal threats of persecution as well.
And such internal threats could be even more painful and difficult for the believer who would truly follow Jesus.
I, like many of you, was told by my parents that I could be anything I wanted when I grew up. When I declared that I wanted to become a pastor and perhaps a missionary, they said . . . “You need to keep your options open.”
Well, they have since “come around” and have become important supporters of my various ministries over the years.
But take a much, much more significant example from our own midst. About 4 years ago, we were privileged to see a young Chinese woman come to faith in Jesus Christ.
Her acceptance of the Christian faith came at the intense hostility of her husband who wanted nothing to do with Christ and wanted his wife to renounce her new-found faith.
At her baptism, which was a wonderful time, an active Christian brother came to me irate, saying, “What kind of man doesn’t show up to his wife’s baptism?”
I simply responded, “One who does not believe in Jesus and who is hostile to the gospel.
Jesus warned his apostles later in Matthew 10:34-39 that his words bring not only peace, but a sword and that the Christian message can divide families.
So what can we surmise from Jesus’ counsel on persecution in Matthew 10:16-25?
Well, verses 24-25 hold important keys for us.
- As Jesus’ disciples and bondservants, we are reminded that we cannot and should not expect our lot in this life to be any different from His.
- And if the enemies of Jesus likened Him to the Devil, can we honestly expect that we will be held in greater esteem then our Master and Lord?
In Matthew 10:16-25, Jesus sent His disciples out into the danger zone with full knowledge of what could happen.
And yet Jesus believed that the potential benefits far outweighed the dangers. Jesus expected that His disciples, both then and now, to continue the mission that He had begun.
Jesus has given us our marching orders and we dare not stay in the camp any longer. The good news is to be proclaimed despite the risks.
Jesus said, “whoever does not take up the cross and follow me is not worthy of me.” And He also said by way of encouragement, that “those who lose their life for my sake will find it.”
Let’s Pray
