Matthew the apostle shared how Jesus told His disciples, “ Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be you therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves.” Jesus continued, “But beware of men: for they will deliver you up to the councils, and they will scourge you in their synagogues. And you shall be brought before governors and kings for my sake, for a testimony against them and the Gentiles. But when they deliver you up, take no thought how or what you shall speak: for it shall be given you in that same hour what you shall speak. For it is not you that speak, but the Spirit of your Father which speaks in you. And the brother shall deliver up the brother to death, and the father the child: and the children shall rise up against their parents, and cause them to be put to death”, and in chapter ten and verse twenty-two of his book, Matthew shared how Jesus told His disciples, “you shall be hated of all men for my name's sake” where we read:
And you shall be hated of all men for my name's sake: but he that endures to the end shall be saved.
The verse reads, “And you shall be hated of all men for my name's sake:” Matthew began with the words, “and you shall be” which means “and the disciples of Jesus would exist as” “hated” or “loved less and detested” “of all men” or “by each, every, the whole and everyone of the people whether male or female” “for my name's sake” which means “on behalf of, for the sake of, on account of everything which Jesus' name covers and everything the thoughts or feelings of which is aroused in the mind by mentioning, hearing and remembering in Him”. Matthew shared how everyone will “detest” Jesus' apostles because the represent Him and everything for which He stands
The verse goes on to says, “but he that endures to the end shall be saved.” Matthew continued with the word, “but” which means “nevertheless, nonetheless, notwithstanding and moreover” “he that endures or “the disciple of Jesus who remains, tarries, does not recede or flee” “to the end” which means “till the termination, limit at which a thing ceases to be, the last in succession or series and till the goal, aim or purpose” “shall be saved” or “will be kept safe and sound, rescued from danger, destruction and peril”. Matthew shared how Jesus told His disciples that they who “continue without receding” till the accomplished task will be “rescued, safe and secure”.
When we think through Matthew's words in this verse, we see at least two more warnings from Jesus. First, His disciples would be “hated” by people, and secondly, they were to “continue” through all the difficulties they would encounter. God loves people, and although they shall certainly face hardship for “His name's sake”, He desires to have an eternal relationship with them through His Son Jesus Christ. The disciples of Jesus would be “hated”, even as He was “hated”, but they were to continue, continue continue until their final task was complete. Therein would lie their “salvation” that will last for all eternity.
Next time Matthew shares how Jesus told His disciples how it would be, “when they persecute you in this city, flee into another”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.
Until
tomorrow…there is more…
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Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms
Volumes I and II" and the new novel "Elizabeth County"
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