12 “But before all this, they will lay hands on you and persecute you. They will deliver you to synagogues and prisons, and you will be brought before kings and governors, and all on account of my name.
It seems so strange that when Jesus talks about the persecution that the disciples will go through, he says they will be handed over to synagogues and prisons. Usually people get turned over to law enforcement authorities. If they have violated a law, it is to that legal authority that they have to account for their actions. That is exactly what Jesus is saying. They will stand before those in the synagogues because the laws violated will be religious laws. The persecution the disciples will face is directly connected to their faith. But this is not just true for the disciples. In the end times, we will all face persecution on account of our faith. So what is the purpose of this persecution? How will the Lord use evil in our lives for our good and His glory? The next verse holds the key. We will have opportunities to witness, to tell of God’s grace and plan. Persecution does not happen without opportunities for positive outcomes. There is no such thing as a dead end in the life of a Jesus-follower. Persecution is just opportunity with lots of negative pressure. In our everyday life, there are many opportunities that we miss. We are so busy, that we don’t bother noticing the open doors. Each of us has a sphere of influence, people that we can touch in a positive way. I might not be able to go to India and reach the one billion people there, but I can through my giving help a ministry saving girls out of child prostitution. I can’t save them all, but I can play a part in saving some. I have people I talk to every week. What am I doing to influence them, to witness to the grace and kindness of the Lord? As our country turns away from being a ‘Christian’ nation, to a nation based on some other principles, I must be a person based on Christian principles that grow out of my relationship with the Lord. There are times of difficulty coming. Our faith will be challenged by the authorities. How will we stand? Will our witness stand true?
The Arnold Journey 