(Text and Audio)
Title: The Extent of Commitment
How many of you are familiar with the NBC show “Fear Factor?” Can someone explain the basic premise behind fear factor?
What is the motivation behind doing these crazy, often disgusting, often dangerous things? Why do these people put themselves through such misery, especially on national TV?
- Hyper Competitive
- Want the “fame”
- Money
Each of them, at some point, must say to themselves: the goal at the end of this ordeal will be worth it. This is worth going through because of what comes out of it.
(read/pray)
- The Warning Gets Even More Difficult
Up to this point, Jesus has indeed been extremely frank with his apostles. He’s warned them in detail what lies in front of them. Consider what he’s told them thus far:
- They are sheep in the midst of wolves. (v16)
- The Jews will abuse their God-given court system to beat and persecute the apostles. (v17)
- They will be brought before the Roman leadership as well. (v18)
And, now, it gets even worse. Families will turn against each other for the sake of the Gospel. Jesus gives three explicit illustrations that must have just made the apostles stomachs churn.
- Brother betrays brother
- Fathers betray sons
- Children betray parents
…all to the point of death! Think about that, because I doubt that any of us can truly wrap our minds around the gravity of that situation. Many of us have disagreements over faith within our families. That’s “normal” for us. But imagine a world where it was illegal to be a believer. And believers had to meet in secret for fear of the governments. And brothers turned brothers in when they found out that one of them was a Christ follower, knowing that it would mean their death!
Fathers would send their own sons to death for hatred of Jesus.
Children would do the same to their parents for the sake of Jesus.
Friends, my question is simple: What could possibly be worth enduring such hardship for? What could possibly be the reward to endure such potential pain, loss, betrayal, suffering, shame, and even death?
I think scripture actually gives us a very personal answer to this hard question. About 4 years after Jesus speaks these words to his first 12 apostles, two of these apostles, Peter and John, have these prophecies fulfilled. They are arrested by the Sanhedrin, their own people, the Jews, and they are commanded by the chief priests not to speak or teach in the name of Jesus.
In Acts 4:20 Peter and John respond by saying, “Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you more than to God, you judge. For we cannot but speak the thing which we have seen and heard.”
In other words Peter and John say, “Do what you have to do. We are prepared for anything, including death. Our Lord told us this day was coming, and nothing would give us more honor and joy than to die for his name.”
How much is the cross of Christ worth to you? The question is not, nor has it ever been: What will you endure for his name’s sake? That is far, far to simple a question. The question is, and always has been: Is there anything you won’t endure for His name’s sake?
For me, I can’t envision a worse horror than Silas turning me in to the authorities because I believe in Jesus, knowing that it would mean my death. I literally cannot think of a situation that would bring me more emotional pain that that one.
But if God gets glory, I welcome it.
- All People
I have just one more short point before closing this morning: Jesus goes on to say that for his name’s sake we will be hated by all people. At first glance, that word “all” concerns me. Doesn’t Paul tell us to live peaceably with “all men as much as it depends upon us?” (Rom. 12:18).
Aren’t we called to love sinners? To share the truth with them, and try to show what Christ has done for us? How can these two things be?
And, on a much more personal note. I consider myself pretty bold in my faith. I’m a fairly vocal guy. And I have hundreds of friends and acquaintances that I believe would tell you this about me: “Ben Roby certainly doesn’t believe what I believe, but I respect him. I think he’s fair, honest, and introspective.” But that doesn’t sound like hate, does it?
So, for these reasons, I think we need to know what Jesus is saying when he says “all people will hate you for my name’s sake.”
I think the answer is found later in Jesus’ warnings. I don’t want to give up too much about upcoming sermons, but later in this chapter, in 10:35, Jesus will continue this line of instruction about all people hating the apostles and he quotes Micah 7 where the prophets warns us in 5-7 “Do not trust in a friend; do not put your confidence in a companion; guard the doors of your mouth from her who lies in your bosom. For son dishonors father, daughter rises against her mother. Daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law; a man’s enemies are the men of his own household. Therefore, I will look to the Lord; I will wait for the God of my salvation; my God will hear me.”
The point of Jesus’ statement is thus:
- All types of people can/will turn on you (Jews, Gentiles, Politicians, family members, etc.)
- Don’t trust in your man-made bonds of family and friendship because you will be shocked at what a dividing topic the name of Christ can and will become.
I’ll ask that you trust me for now on this one. When Jesus goes into more depth later in this chapter, I promise that I will as well.
Close:
The last thing that Jesus says in verse 22 we must not misunderstand. “But he who endures to the end will be saved.” This isn’t Jesus saying, “If you can put up with all this, I will save you.”
What he is saying is, “I have saved you. And you will know this about yourself, and about your brothers and sisters because you will endure these things to the end.”
How do we know who God’s elect truly are?
Simple.
The Elect are those who endure until the end.