PERSECUTED FOR CHRIST'S SAKE

 ANCHOR OF LIFE DAILY DEVOTIONAL GUIDE For FRIDAY, 3RD MARCH, 2023.

Author: PASTOR DR. SAMUEL AYORINDE – General Overseer

Anchor of Life & Redemption Ministry Int’l

Topic: PERSECUTED FOR CHRIST’S SAKE

MEMORIZE: "You will be brought before governors and kings for My sake, as a testimony to them and to the Gentiles.” Matthew 10:18.

SCRIPTURE READING: Matthew 10:16-28.

“16 Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves. Therefore be wise as serpents and harmless as doves. 17 "But beware of men, for they will deliver you up to councils and scourge you in their synagogues. 18 "You will be brought before governors and kings for My sake, as a testimony to them and to the Gentiles. 19 "But when they deliver you up, do not worry about how or what you should speak. For it will be given to you in that hour what you should speak; 20 "for it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father who speaks in you. 21 "Now brother will deliver up brother to death, and a father his child; and children will rise up against parents and cause them to be put to death. 22 "And you will be hated by all for My name's sake. But he who endures to the end will be saved. 23 "When they persecute you in this city, flee to another. For assuredly, I say to you, you will not have gone through the cities of Israel before the Son of Man comes. 24 "A disciple is not above his teacher, nor a servant above his master. 25 "It is enough for a disciple that he be like his teacher, and a servant like his master. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebub, how much more will they call those of his household! 26 "Therefore do not fear them. For there is nothing covered that will not be revealed, and hidden that will not be known. 27 "Whatever I tell you in the dark, speak in the light; and what you hear in the ear, preach on the housetops. 28 "And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.” 

EXPOSITION:

All these verses relate to the sufferings of Christ's ministers in their work, which they are here taught to expect, and prepare for; they are directed also how to bear them, and how to go on with their work in the midst of them. This part of the sermon looks further than to their present mission; for we find not that they met with any great hardships or persecutions while Christ was with them, nor were they well able to bear them; but they are here forewarned of the troubles they should meet with, when after Christ's resurrection, their commission should be  enlarged, and the kingdom of heaven, which was now at hand, should be actually set up; they dreamed of nothing then, but outward pomp and power; but Christ tells them, they must expect greater sufferings than they were yet called to; that they should then be made prisoners, when they expected to be made princes. It is good to be told what troubles we may hereafter meet with, that we may provide accordingly, and may not boast, as if we had put off the harness, when we are yet but girding it on.

PREDICTIONS OF TROUBLE: Which The Disciples Should Meet With In Their Work:

(1.) They must expect to be hated, Mt 10:22. Ye shall be hated for my name's sake

(2.) They must expect to be apprehended and arraigned as malefactors (thieves).

(3.) They must expect to be put to death (Mt 10:21); They shall deliver them to death.

(4.) They must expect, in the midst of these sufferings, to be branded with the most odious and ignominious names and characters that could be.

Therefore, Look not for peace, but a sword. Christ came to give the sword of the word, with which his disciples fight against the world, and conquering work this sword has made (Re 6:4; 19:21), and the sword of persecution, with which the world fights against the disciples, being cut to the heart with the sword of the word (Ac 7:54), and tormented by the testimony of Christ's witnesses (Re 11:10). Christ sent the gospel, which gives occasion for the drawing of this sword, and so may be said that Christ sends this sword. He orders his church into a suffering state for the trial and praise of his people's graces, and the filling up of the measure of their enemies' sins.

THESE HARD THINGS CHRIST'S DISCIPLES MUST SUFFER, 

(1.) From men (Mt 10:17). "Beware of men; you will have need to stand upon your guard, even against those who are of the same nature with you"

(2.) From professing men, men that have a form of godliness, and make a show of religion. They will scourge you in their synagogues, their places of meeting for the worship of God, and for the exercise of their church-discipline: so that they looked upon the scourging of Christ's ministers to be a branch of their religion.  Paul was five times scourged in the synagogues, 2Co 11:24.

(3.) From great men, and men in authority. The Jews did not only scourge them, which was the utmost their remaining power extended to, but when they could go no further themselves, they delivered them up to the Roman powers, as they did Christ, John 18:30.  Ye shall be brought before governors and kings (Mt 10:18),

(4.) From all men (Mt 10:22). Ye shall be hated of all men, of all wicked men, and these are the generality of men, for the whole world lies in wickedness.

(5.) From those of their own kindred. The brother shall deliver up the brother to death, Mt 10:21

Jesus said, “If they have called the master of the house Beelzebub, how much more will they call those of his household! 26 "Therefore do not fear them. For there is nothing covered that will not be revealed, and hidden that will not be known. 27 "Whatever I tell you in the dark, speak in the light; and what you hear in the ear, preach on the housetops. 28 "And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.” Matthew 10:25-28.

PRAYER POINT: 

i. Lord, help us to endure persecution without compromising our faith in Christ.

ii. Lord, help the persecuting brethren to be comforted and overcome the torment of persecution as you helped the three Hebrews.

DAILY BIBLE READING IN A YEAR –  Joshua 13-15.

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ANCHOR OF LIFE is the daily devotional guide of ANCHOR OF LIFE & REDEMPTION MINISTRY (ALRM), written by PASTOR DR. SAMUEL AYORINDE. It is an extraction of God’s word designed to draw the sincere seekers closer to God on a daily basis through an insightful exposition and analysis of God’s Word.

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