Mark 13:9-13-- The Door of the Kingdom

"But be on your guard; for they will deliver you to the courts, and you will be flogged in the synagogues, and you will stand before governors and kings for my sake, as a testimony to them. The gospel must first be preached to all the nations. When they arrest you and hand you over, do not worry beforehand about what you are to say, but say whatever is given you in that hour; for it is not you who speak, but it is the Holy Spirit. Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child; and children will rise up against parents and have them put to death. You will be hated by all because of my name, but the one who endures to the end, he will be saved."

Jesus had just warned his four disciples against false signs and indications of the end—the destruction of the temple and of the authorities of Israel.  Now he is warning them about the persecution they must endure.  In preparation for the end, Jesus’ gospel must be preached to all the nations—which could mean to the Jews spread out throughout the world, but it could also mean the Gentiles who need to hear of God’s word.  

In response to this preaching—for Jesus and against the temple and the authorities— many will come against the followers of Jesus and persecute them.  The kind of persecution Jesus mentions is particularly political and legal—arrested, flogged in the local courts, put on trial before Gentile leaders.  But not only will the police and leaders be involved in the persecution, but also one’s family and neighbors—they will all betray them to the authorities to be arrested.  

The disciple of Jesus has only three defenses—the truth of the gospel (especially the revolutionary message of the unworthiness and destruction of the Jewish authorities), the Holy Spirit who will tell them how to defend themselves, and the perseverance of the disciples.  Only if they remain with Jesus through all the persecution and rejection will they gain the blessings of God Jesus spoke of.

Many people wonder why the innocent suffer.  Jesus didn't.  He told his disciples that suffering was the natural result of living a good, loving life.  The world which operates on punishment doesn't want mercy, and doesn't want to be reminded that the unmerciful will perish.  It will attack those who attack their attacks.

The most important thing, Jesus says, is endurance.  That we need to persevere in the truth of Jesus' gospel, remain with Jesus, no matter what gets thrown at us.  This is not an easy task.  It isn't easy to love our enemies when our enemies try to destroy us.  It isn't easy to forgive when people do such unforgivable things to us.  But loving and enduring through suffering is the path of Jesus.  To enter the kingdom we must pass through the door of suffering.