May it please God to bless us
together this morning as we consider his word. Let's turn to the Gospel
of Matthew, chapter 10, and we'll read the last part of verse 22. The Gospel of Matthew, chapter
10, the last part of verse 22. But he that endureth to the end
shall be saved. We are no doubt aware that there
are many people that carry out endurance tests or things to
prove how strong they are and how able they are to endure many
difficulties and hardships. And there are many occasions
we read of in the press today of people doing these things
of endurance. The whole Church of God is really
in a situation of endurance. Because as we live in this earth
and live in this world today, there are many difficulties. Sometimes, naturally, in an endurance
test, people face storms and difficulties and winds and great
oppositions. obstacles, when it's just the
same really with regards to a spiritual life. There are storms which
come upon us and I suppose more or less incessantly as we journey
through life we're not really ever allowed to just settle down. A true believer is one on a journey. journey through a wilderness
and there's not very many situations to comfort us and to encourage
us in a natural way. And therefore we may recognise
that our spiritual life is one of enduring. Now the great promise
here is, but he that endureth to the end shall be saved. And of course we will not be
able to endure just by ourselves, because we're very insufficient
and we're very feeble. But the people of God, they have
someone who greatly assists them, who helps them, who strengthens
them. And that person is, of course,
the Lord Jesus Christ. So as we journey on through life,
may we be encouraged to think that the Lord is with us, and
he will help us, and he will help us to endure, so there will
be that time when we get safely to the end of our journey, to
be saved, to end up in glory, to be found with the Lord Jesus
Christ for eternity. Now the Lord Jesus he spoke many
words of wonderful encouragement and wonderful advice. And when
he commenced what we commonly refer to as the Sermon on the
Mount, and when we come down to the 11th verse we're told,
Blessed are ye, and this is quite surprising really, blessed are
ye when men shall revile you and persecute you, and shall
say all manner of evil against you falsely for my sake." We
should therefore expect, in our enduring path, to come across
situations which are like this. And the Lord encourages us in
it because it is an indication that we are amongst the Church
of God, because the Lord goes on and says, Rejoice, and be
exceeding glad, because for great is your reward in heaven, for
so persecuted they the prophets which were before you. So in
our enduring position, we should anticipate that there will be
situations in our life like this. Reviling us persecuting us and
say all manner of evil against us and note this falsely Falsely
and That can be quite upsetting when people speak against us
falsely when in fact we haven't done the things perhaps that
they are accusing us of and We may say well why then? Should
we rejoice? Well, I'll tell you why. Because
this is precisely what happened to the Lord Jesus Christ. He
was spoken against falsely. He lived a perfect life. He was
spoken against falsely. And therefore, if you and I are
real disciples, true disciples, we should expect a similar experience
a similar pathway. And therefore, as we come into
it, to think, well, this is very unjust. Not to think that way,
but to rejoice and be exceedingly glad, because here we have the
evidence that we are amongst those who are a follower of our
Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, and there is to those who walk
this way, who are saved, a grand and glorious reward in heaven. Our rewards are not on this earth.
We look, don't we sometimes, for rewards on this earth and
we look for great prosperity and wonderful prospects and when
things don't always work out as we anticipate. We should remember
such words as this and to be encouraged in our spiritual life
to think there is. by the grace of God a reward
in heaven, that which God gives to us. And therefore we should
remember, but he that endureth to the end shall be saved. And
in this chapter we read here the words of the Lord Jesus.
He spoke to the twelve disciples as they went forth, were sent
forth, and he warned them of what they were to expect. And he tells them, they're sent
forth as sheep in the midst of wolves. Well, we can understand
that analogy, can't we? Wolves are very evil, they're
very aggressive, perhaps a better word, aggressive in their life,
and they will attack many other animals, sometimes will attack
humans. And therefore, a sheep is a pretty
harmless animal naturally, doesn't have very much ability to resist,
attack. And so here the Lord gives us
this picture that we are to be a sheep in the midst of wolves,
be therefore wise as serpents and harmless as doves. To be wise in the walk that we
live in this earth, to be wise and And to be harmless. Harmless as doves. Doves, as
we know, are a very harmless bird. A very loving bird. They don't attack other birds.
And we are to be like that. But beware of men, for they will
deliver you up to the councils. And they will scourge you in
the synagogues. Well, that's not a very pleasant
thing to anticipate, is it? To be attacked. You should be
brought before governors and kings for my sake, for a testimony
against them and the Gentiles. We should never forget that the
Lord calls his people to be a testimony in this world, to shine forth
and not be darkness, but to be light. And therefore we have
such a description. When they deliver you, take no
thought what or how you shall speak, for it shall be given
you in that same hour what you shall speak." And that's a very
encouraging thought, isn't it? As we perhaps may be wrongly
accused to think the Lord gives us suitable words to speak. And it's good to have confidence
in Almighty God, rather than confidence in man. Man is very
limited in his ability, however clever he may be, but we have
a God who is almighty, who does come and give counsel. And so beware of men, but they
shall deliver you up, take no thought how or what ye shall
speak, for it shall be given you in that same hour what ye
shall speak. For it is not you that speak,
but the Spirit of your Father which speaketh in you. It's very
different when the Lord gives us grace and helps us in this
world at the present time to realise that it is, and it's
very humbling isn't it, I think the Lord speaks, the Lord helps
us in our time of need. And then we're warned, and the
brother shall deliver up the brother to death the father the
child and the children shall rise up against their parents
and cause them to be put to death and you shall be hated of all
men for my name's sake so it's not a very rosy prospect naturally
is it but remember but he that endureth to the end shall be
saved now the Apostle Paul encourages us that as we walk in this world,
that we're in a battle. This world is a battleground. We're in a war. It's warfare. And it's not an
easy position to be in. And so when Paul writes to his
son in the faith, Timothy, he encourages him and tells him
really what to expect. In expecting a difficult situation,
he tells him, but thou hast fully known my doctrine, manner of
life, purpose, faith, long-suffering, charity, patience, persecutions,
afflictions, which came unto me at Antioch, at Iconium, at
Lystra, what persecutions I endured, but out of them all the Lord
delivered me." And so he gives such encouraging words to his
son in the faith, Timothy. And previously he told him also
to endure hardness as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. And all God's people are soldiers. And therefore we are to endure
hardness. We perhaps don't like to think
that the Christian path is one like that. But don't forget there
is a good end. Don't forget there is a wonderful
inheritance to be found at last. There is a glorious eternity
in heaven with the Saviour. We need to remember these things
so that it might have a good balance and effect upon our thoughts
as we travel along to look beyond this world. This world is not
our rest, this world is not our home. Not only then should we
expect opposition physically, but we should also expect opposition
in a spiritual sense, as we wrestle against principalities and powers. And the Apostle James, he knew
something of this potential. He tells us, blessed is the man
that endureth temptation. It's not just physical opposition.
there are many temptations. The devil lays for our feet. And so here, James tells us,
blessed is the man that endureth temptation, for when he is tried,
he shall receive the crown of life which the Lord hath promised
to them that love him. So, you and I can expect times
of Temptation it may be very severe and the important consideration
is that you and I may be tempted with very different things and
I say that because The the devil knows what are our individual
weaknesses and What might be your weakness might not be mine
and vice versa? I? the situation is we do have
weaknesses and the devil endeavours to tempt us to indulge in such
weaknesses and therefore we're told to endure these difficulties and be able
to recognise that these temptations will come. It will not be an
easy path. It will be a difficult path.
It will be a hard path. Blessed is the man that endureth
temptation. We have this warning, don't we?
Naturally it's easy to give in to temptation. Sometimes we allow
ourselves, as it were, to be tempted because we think, well,
of course that's my besetting sin. That's something which is
peculiar to me and I allow myself to indulge in such a situation. Well, we're not enduring, are
we? If we allow ourselves to be tempted
like that. And so here we have this statement,
let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God. For God cannot be tempted with
evil, neither tempteth he at any man, but every man is tempted
when he is drawn away of his own lust and enticed. So there is an enduring such
temptation. Remember, he that endures to
the end. And we might think we might have
been able to resist a temptation And we might be thankful for
it, and it's right to be thankful for it. But my friends, it won't
stop there. The devil is never asleep. He's always active. He's always
looking for an opportunity to come into our lives and to tempt
us. Remember then these words, but
every man is tempted when he is drawn away of his own lust
and enticed. We can't blame other people,
can we? It's our own lust and we're enticed. And then the word
goes on to say, then when lust is conceived it bringeth forth
sin and sin when it is finished bringeth forth death. Well these
are good words of the Apostle James to warn us in our spiritual
life as we travel on and therefore to endure unto the end. Not to just endure one temptation,
but indeed to endure unto the end. You know the Apostle John
when he wrote to the seven churches, many words he was given, many
words that the Lord spoke to him to encourage him, And we
should recognise that these truths are recorded for our encouragement. And we're told, as in the writings
of the churches in the second chapter, we're told, I know thy
works, and tribulation, and poverty, but thou art rich. And I know
the blasphemy of them which say they are Jews, and are not, but
are the synagogue of Satan. Fear none of those things which
thou shalt suffer. Behold, the devil shall cast
some of you into prison, that ye may be tried, and ye shall
have tribulation ten days. Be thou faithful unto death,
and I will give thee crown of life. He that hath an ear, let
him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches. And therefore
we should anticipate and expect the assaults of the devil as
he may come and endeavour to tempt us and turn us away, turn
us out of the way, turn us to listen to him, listen to those
things which attract our natural heart, our natural mind. We're all left to ourselves,
we're all carnal, we're all earthy. That's why there is this continual
battle between our natural life and our spiritual life. Our natural
life says you can indulge in that, the spiritual life says
you cannot. And so we battle on. And so here
we have the endurance. But he that endureth to the end
shall be saved. Now, the great blessing is, if
you and I are founded on a good foundation, that means if we
have a good root. And how important it is that
we do possess a root, is it not? And that root is it growing into
a good ground, that ground which the Lord has prepared, and that
ground which is not going to suddenly change, but to have
that root which is in the Lord Jesus Christ. And you know we
read when the Lord gave the parable of the sower. It's a wonderful
parable that was. And he speaks these words. This
is in the account in Mark, there are various slight differences.
But he tells us this, And these are they likewise which are sown
on stony ground, who, when they have heard the word, immediately
receive it with gladness and have no root in themselves, and
so endure but for a time. There's just a little endurance.
Afterward, when affliction or persecution ariseth for the word's
sake, immediately they are offended." Well, have we just endured for
a little time? Are we like those who received
the Word of God on stony ground? It's been good seed. It hasn't
been bad seed. It's been good seed. but it's
fallen on our hearts as stony ground. And initially we receive
it with gladness. See, such words are very testing
to our liveliness spiritually, aren't they? We might receive
it with gladness. You might receive things with
gladness this morning. Then you might go home and tomorrow,
things are very different, you forget all about them. And then
what happens? Difficulty occurs, affliction,
persecution, and you become offended because of the truth and the
reason there's no real root. Well, what a blessing it is if
you and I do possess root, and that root which goes down and
doesn't shrivel up, and we don't find it's destroyed, But it's
that which God has given to us. And so then there is that enduring. But, he that endureth to the
end shall be saved. It's a wonderful promise, isn't
it? A wonderful promise as we realise there is this endurance
then as we press on. Well, the Apostle Peter, he knew
what it was to endure, didn't he? My friends, we are thankful,
we should be very thankful that we have such great truths recorded
in the Word of God to encourage us in this day and age in which
we live, so that we are not left just to think, well surely I'm
unusual. No, we can think that we are
amongst those who endure. And again the Apostle Peter,
he really homes in on the things which we mentioned already, He
tells us in the 2nd chapter of the 1st epistle, 19th verse,
For this is thank-worthy if a man for conscience toward God endure
grief, suffering wrongfully. You see, if we do that which
is good and right, for this is thank-worthy if a man for conscience
toward God endure grief, suffering wrongfully. Peter is surely saying
here, that if our conscience speaks to us, we are to obey
that conscience. And even if we are caused upon
to endure grief because we are suffering wrongfully, the Apostle
goes on, for what glory is it if when you be buffeted for your
faults, ye shall take it patiently, Well, we should do, shouldn't
we? And if we've done wrong things, and we're buffeted because of
them, and we take it rightly, well that's good. But, the apostle
goes on, but if, when ye do well, and suffer for it, ye take it
patiently, this is acceptable with God. And he draws this wonderful
analogy. For even hereunto were ye called,
because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example,
that ye should follow his steps, who did no sin. Neither was guile
found in his mouth, who when he was reviled, reviled not again. When he suffered, he threatened
not, but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously,
who his own self bear our sins in his own body on the tree,
that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness,
by whose stripes ye were healed. So, when we are found in this
enduring path, remember the blessed example of our Saviour, the Lord
Jesus Christ. And you see, when we're able
to consider Him, as the Apostle tells us in the Hebrews, to consider
Him and to recognise what He endured, why should we, as His
disciples, expect to get off scot-free? Surely we should expect
to walk with the Saviour, and as the Apostle tells us, to enjoy
fellowship with his sufferings. And therefore in this enduring
path, which we might naturally think is so difficult and hard,
if the Holy Spirit draws near and shows us that we are a true
disciple of the Saviour, And that the evidence of that discipleship
is in the pathway that the Holy Spirit of God is leading us in.
And it's leading us to that path of union and fellowship with
the Lord Jesus Christ. And to believe then that in this
enduring path we shall at last be saved and be found with the
Saviour forever and ever. So what a blessing it is to be
granted a Christ-like spirit. Patience. Patience. Yes, it's
not something which comes naturally, does it? We're often impatient. What a blessing it is when God
gives patience. The Apostle James homes in on
this same point, and he says in the fifth chapter, Behold,
we count them happy which endure. Then he directs us to Job. Ye have heard of the patience
of Job, and have seen the end of the Lord. The Lord is very
pitiful and of tender mercy. If we think perhaps our life's
very difficult, consider God's servant Job. And remember, he
was wonderfully blessed, and then he went through an amazingly
difficult period, and he had to endure. He had to endure many
conversations with his friends who didn't really understand.
But there was a deliverance at the end. The deliverance was
when God came. When God addressed him, what
a difference that made. Did he answer against God? No.
He acknowledged that what God said was right. And he tells
us, wherefore I abhor myself and repent in dust and ashes. Now what a wonderful favour that
is. when the Spirit of God causes
us to walk perhaps an enduring path to bring us down in our
own estimation, so that before God we abhor ourselves. We think, what a wretched person
I am, what a foolish person I am, what a sinful person I am, and
we abhor ourselves and repent in dust and ashes. We're loathing
in our own estimation, and then it is that Christ is raised up,
and he's high and exalted in our estimation. And so we read,
the Lord is very pitiful and of tender mercies. Yes, he remembers
that we are but dust. Isn't that wonderful to think?
Our great and glorious Savior, as he looks upon us in all our
failures, and indeed how many failures they are, and yet to
realise, yes, this God, he gives us that patience. And so the Apostle also, he spoke
about patience when he wrote to the Thessalonians, he said,
We are bound to thank God always for you, brethren, as it is meet,
because your faith groweth exceedingly, and the charity of every one
of you all toward each other abounded, so that we ourselves
glory in you in the churches of God for your patience and
faith in all your persecutions and tribulations which ye endure,
which is a manifest token of the righteous judgment of God,
that ye may be counted worthy of the kingdom of God for which
ye also suffer." Well, how clear it is, isn't it? That the path
of the true believer is not an easy one. It's one of tribulation,
opposition, affliction, but there is to be that enduring. You see that we are held up We're
supported by Almighty God. And what a blessing it is that
the Lord gives us that grace to hold on our way in the midst
of many temptations to indeed be steadfast. Steadfast. That's the great test, isn't
it? That you and I might indeed be steadfast in the things of
God. For we are made partakers of
Christ if We hold the beginning of our confidence steadfast unto
the end. Why he said today, if you would
hear his voice, harden not your hearts. And sometimes the Lord
speaks to us in this way and tells us this is the way. This is the way that the Lord
has ordained for us. It's a pathway of instruction,
a pathway of teaching and it's a pathway which leads us away
from self and leads us to the suffering saviour. That's why
it is a pathway of enduring. Remember the devil is always
there trying to turn us away and making statements to us where
surely this is not fair, surely you shouldn't have to walk a
path like this, surely there must be an easier solution. Well, it's a blessing to be able
to come and to submit ourselves under the mighty hand of God. Yes, because the Lord is dealing
with his people, dealing with you and me, as his children,
as his sons and his daughters. And therefore, the Word of God
is true. The words of Jesus are true.
Remember here, he's speaking to his twelve disciples and warning
them of the situation which they are to encounter. But there is
a prospect of a glorious victory at the end. Not because of what
we have done, but what the Saviour has done. Because he has paid
the price for our sin. He has died upon the cross of
Calvary, so that we are complete in him. but he that endureth
to the end shall be saved." There's no doubt about it. The Word of
God is true, shall be saved. Therefore may we encourage ourselves
as we journey on through this life with much opposition, many
times of temptation, to realise that this is the path of the
true believer. But what it makes us do is look
out of ourselves Because we are miserable failures to look to
the Saviour who is not a failure, that One who has succeeded, that
One who has finished the work His Father gave Him to do, that
One who has obtained the prize, He's gained the victory, He's
run the race. And therefore may we be found
looking to Him as that great and glorious God, believing that
it will, by his grace, be well with our soul, and that we shall
be saved with everlasting salvation. Amen.