Jesus warned his apostles that they would come under severe persecution for following Him. He warned them that the cost would be significant for obeying his command and for making disciples of all nations. His warnings were not "light" in nature, but were to the point, accurate and instructive. Jesus was not just warning them so that they would understand and know the cost, but he was warning them so that he could instruct them in what to do in those moments - when the pressure to abandon the call was fierce, when the desire to sacrifice for the kingdom was minuscule and when the threat of their lives was upon them. What should they do? Jesus said that this was their opportunity to "bear witness."
Jesus says,
"They will lay their hands on you and persecute you, delivering you up to the synagogues and prisons, and you will be brought before kings and governors for my name's sake. This will be your opportunity to bear witness." Luke 21:12-13 (ESV)
"Bear witness" is translated from the Greek word martyrion which means to provide direct knowledge about a person or event, that which serves as testimony or proof. One example that is given in the Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament about this word martyrion is that of "a spoken statement which serves as a testimony." We are called to "bear witness" - to speak a statement of testimony about Jesus Christ our Lord - in the heat of opposition and in the most difficult of times.
The threat of death and imprisonment was not a good excuse to stop telling people the truth about Jesus Christ. No, in fact, the threat of death and imprisonment is the opportunity to "bear witness" to the truth about Jesus Christ and to bring glory to his person and name regardless of the perceived response. We see this lived out in the lives of Peter and John in Acts 4:13-22 (ESV). They say to those threatening them, we have but one option and that is to testify to what we have seen with our own eyes and heard with our own ears concerning this very one whom you tell us to quit speaking about.
What does this reality say to the vast majority of the church of the twenty-first century? We will not bear the burden of Jesus and of evangelism to give testimony of the name of Christ in an environment of peace and freedom much less in the midst of threatening, beatings and persecution. What are we willing to sacrifice? Will we be stirred up towards obeying our Lord who instructs us in the center of persecution and chaos to "bear witness?" If we will not be faithful when there is peace and freedom then how will we be faithful when we are "delivered up even by parents and brothers and relatives and friends and some of us are being put to death (Luke 21:16)?"
Two simple words from our Lord that we are to remain faithful to when surrounded by persecution and turmoil "bear witness." Give a testimony to Jesus as the Son of God sacrificed for sinners. Call on men, women, boys and girls to give their lives for Him and serve Him until the death or warn them of perishing. That's what He wants for us and for our children. He wants a life of faithfulness that He can reward and bless and be glorified through.
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