FAITHFUL TO THE FINISH

 

A faithful preacher of the Word is assured that, sooner or later, he will face opposition. It can become fierce. It will be painful. You may be fired. My grandfather’s life was once threatened by a man with a pistol after a sermon he preached at a tent meeting many years ago.   He was not a man to back down. I pray that I will not. 

What does the future hold for those who will hold fast to the Word of God?  This text points to those who will seal their testimony with their blood. It may not be that we will pay the ultimate price, but we must be prepared to do so. Certainly, there have been our brothers across the centuries who have. There are those who are imprisoned, have been tortured, and facing execution in some places today. I am not a prophet, but it does not seem that things are going to get easier.  The winds of this world system are blowing hard in our faces, and the current of our culture that we swim against is strong.

Preacher, you may not face that extremity right now, but some of us are encountering power brokers in the church—those who are wolves in sheep’s clothing, seeking to devour us. We may know the sting of criticism and the lies of accusation. These dragon spawn haunt our dreams at night and make things difficult each day. 

Do not take matters into your own hands. Do not allow the hurt to become hate. Bitterness will only harm your testimony. It will be a cancer to your ministry. What did these martyrs do?  They cried out to God. Vengeance belongs to Him. Now, that does not mean such opponents in the church should not be confronted. Nor does it mean that church discipline need not be exercised—if the people are willing.  All I am saying is that we dare not meet fire with fire, and act in carnal ways to achieve spiritual purposes.

God is sovereign. The text speaks of this persecution continuing until a divinely ordained number of these preachers died. Remember that ultimately God is in control. He may not remove us from difficulty, but he was reward us in eternity. A robe was given and a rest was granted. 

Old Isaac Watts wrote this hymn:

Am I a soldier of the cross,

A follow’r of the Lamb?

And shall I fear to own His cause,

Or blush to speak His name?

Must I be carried to the skies

On flow’ry beds of ease,

While others fought to win the prize,

And sailed through bloody seas?

Are there no foes for me to face?

Must I not stem the flood?

Is this vile world a friend to grace,

To help me on to God?

Sure I must fight if I would reign;

Increase my courage, Lord;

I’ll bear the toil, endure the pain,

Supported by Thy Word.

Thy saints in all this glorious war

Shall conquer, though they die;

They see the triumph from afar,

By faith’s discerning eye.

When that illustrious day shall rise,

And all Thy armies shine

In robes of vict’ry through the skies,

The glory shall be Thine.