Matthew 24:9-14 Mark 13:9-13 Luke 21:12-19


Matthew 24:9-14
9 “Then they will deliver you to tribulation, and will kill you, and you will be hated by all nations because of My name. 10 “At that time many will fall away and will betray one another and hate one another. 11 “Many false prophets will arise and will mislead many. 12 “Because lawlessness is increased, most people’s love will grow cold. 13 “But the one who endures to the end, he will be saved. 14 “This gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all the nations, and then the end will come.
Mark 13:9-13
9 “But be on your guard; for they will deliver you to the courts, and you will be flogged in the synagogues, and you will stand before governors and kings for My sake, as a testimony to them. 10 “The gospel must first be preached to all the nations. 11 “When they arrest you and hand you over, do not worry beforehand about what you are to say, but say whatever is given you in that hour; for it is not you who speak, but it is the Holy Spirit. 12 “Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child; and children will rise up against parents and have them put to death. 13 “You will be hated by all because of My name, but the one who endures to the end, he will be saved.
Luke 21:12-19
12 “But before all these things, they will lay their hands on you and will persecute you, delivering you to the synagogues and prisons, bringing you before kings and governors for My name’s sake. 13 “It will lead to an opportunity for your testimony. 14 “So make up your minds not to prepare beforehand to defend yourselves; 15 for I will give you utterance and wisdom which none of your opponents will be able to resist or refute. 16 “But you will be betrayed even by parents and brothers and relatives and friends, and they will put some of you to death, 17 and you will be hated by all because of My name. 18 “Yet not a hair of your head will perish. 19 “By your endurance you will gain your lives.
Jesus continues to warn His disciples about the way things will be at the time leading up to His coming.  There is eternal hope in the Gospel and there is help from the Lord along each step of the way.  We are called to rest in Him and testify for Him no matter the circumstance we might face.  It is not our job to predict the future.  Our calling is to tell others about Jesus and advance the Gospel no matter how difficult the circumstances surrounding us may become.  His promise is to help us, protect us and to save us.  Our eternity is secure.  The days leading up to eternity may be difficult, but God will provide along each step of the way.  We can trust Him fully as we serve Him faithfully.

TRIBULATION WILL INCREASE: As the disciples seek to follow the Lord, they will experience the same things that Jesus experienced.  They will be persecuted.  People will physically hurt them.  Religious leaders will exclude them from the synagogues so they will be ostracized from their own communities and even their own families.  Charges will be brought against them like criminals.  It will be a time of great suffering.  Kings and judges will stand over them in trials just like they did with Jesus.  Following Jesus means doing and experiencing the same thigs He did.  God calls us to follow His footsteps.  When difficult of dangerous situations become a part of our path; we need to recognize God is with us and will help us through His Spirit, just as He helped His Son.  Following Jesus does not only mean suffering as He suffered, but also experiencing the grace He experienced through the help of the Spirit.

TESTIMONIES WILL ADVANCE: Persecution and suffering have repeatedly been used throughout history for the advance of the Gospel.  This same principle will be true at the coming of Jesus.  Those who follow Christ will be persecuted and taken before authorities.  This will be frightening, but it will also be a golden opportunity to advance the Gospel.  The Holy Spirit will speak through these disciples to bring people to Christ.  What Satan intends to use against the body of Christ will actually be used to advance the kingdom.  God is going to reach all nations with the Gospel.  This is the mission He is determined to accomplish.  Persecution is one of the means He has used, is using and will use in the future to reach the nations.  We need to view persecution for the perspective of the advancement of the Gospel at every stage in history.

TREACHERY WILL OCCUR: Perhaps the greatest source of suffering for followers of Christ is the abandonment and even the condemnation of family members.  It is one thing to be persecuted by the government or people from other cultures; but it is very hurtful when we are attacked by those closest to us.  However, the promise of God is still true and guarantees that his followers will be protected, and He will be with us no matter what.  God knows about every hair that might fall from our head.  He is vitally concerned with he well-being of His own.  As difficult as I might be to have a family member turn against us, it is a great comfort to know that the Lord will never leave us alone.  He is always with us and has promised to provide grace and strength to face any circumstance.  Our focus must be on guarding our hearts from growing cold in this process.

APPLICATION: In the face of persecution we can trust the Lord to give us strength and equip us to be used of Him.  The most difficult circumstances we can imagine are not beyond His control or His ability to use for His own glory and the advance of the Gospel.  Before His return, circumstances will be very difficult for His disciples, but He will faithfully provide for and use us to accomplish His will.

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