Christian! There's Persecution In Jesus

I’ve broken away from the norm here and will not bring you a new verse of the hymn, Jesus Calls Us O’er The Tumult. Instead, we are looking at these words of Jesus, spoken to His disciples, which are words addressed to you and me also. These have set me in deep thought. I’m asking, whether or not the words of this text, as quoted below, hold true for every single follower who has obeyed Jesus and has left all for His sake and the sake of the Gospel.

Assuredly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brother or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or lands, for My sake and the gospel’s who will not receive a hundredfold in this time – houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands, with persecutions – and in the age to come, eternal life. Matthew 19: 29 NKJV

Perhaps, like me, our eyes and minds fix to the first part of this promise, that of receiving a hundredfold in return for what we have left, for Jesus’ sake. However, we seem not to see, believe, accept or want, that which accompanies this lavish promise of a hundredfold return. The phrase, added at the end, says, with persecutions.

Now does this mean we will respond, like the nearest-kinsman, who made a promise that he would redeem that which needed redemption? However, after he heard the end phrase, which said that he would receive, that which was foreign to him, he backed off. I wonder, are we okay and happy to receive the hundredfold, but when we hear of receiving persecutions, we back off?

Sometimes we do not like to face the truth, and I wonder if we are not following Jesus as He desires; not because we do not want to follow; not because we are full of greed and do not want to surrender all to Jesus; not because we have too much worldly wealth, and as that rich young ruler, simply find what Jesus asks to be ridiculously impossible; not because we have seen an alternate way and have decided to go that way instead. No! Nothing of the sort. But we, and I know it for myself, often find suffering – persecution, name calling, ridicule, ostracism, and slander – to name a few, too much to bear, in our frail, mortal bodies. Let’s be realistic about this, for you, like me, need great help with persecutions.

For one thing, when I gave up all, to follow Jesus, it never included persecution, for I was not living a life where I was being persecuted. And no doubt, the same obtains for you. You may have had no persecution, per say, to give up. You may have family yes, and a few earthly possessions, like a pet, a car, a house, friends and suchlike, but no persecutions to give up. And now when you and I are promised a hundredfold of what we gave up, we are to receive, along with them, suffering or persecution.

I don’t know if you have ever spent any time pondering this, or whether or not you have asked the Lord about it. As for me, I have been made to see much more than I previously did. These persecutions could not have been there before, for they are the direct result of one who has truly given his or her life to Christ, forsaking all else. How can I ever suffer for Christ’s sake and the Gospel's sake, when I have not left all, to follow the Way, the Truth and the Life?

Jesus has already told His disciples upfront of the privilege of suffering for Him, He who is perfect peace. These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world. John 16: 33 NKJV. Jesus has also made this word most public and plain. Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake. Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you. Matthew 5: 10 – 12 NKJV

Jesus, wants us, all His disciples, to know that suffering for Him or being persecuted for His Gospel’s sake, is a golden privilege. Blessed are all who are persecuted.