https://assets-cdn2.dropwave.io/086174f0-efbe-400f-a3e9-b91549a26ab7/media/Exaudi Domine (Sunday within the Octave of the Ascension) AD 2026.mp3

Alleluia! Christ is risen!

++ JESU JUVA ++

In the Name of the Father and of the + Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

All who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution (2 Timothy 3:12). There’s two key words in that verse: ‘all’ and ‘will.’ All who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution (2 Timothy 3:12). Persecution will come. You desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus. Persecution will come to you. If you aren’t prepared for it, then it will cause you to fall away.

Your Lord Jesus wants you to be kept firm in His Word and faith until you die. That’s why He tells of persecution before it comes — in order to prepare you for it. Again today’s Gospel comes from the night our Lord Jesus is betrayed. Not only as a warning of what is to come, but that His Word will sustain you through your suffering. In this way, Jesus gives courage and strength to face persecution and suffering that comes for the sake of Christ.

This Sunday is one of waiting. It’s the time between our Lord’s ascension (observed this past Thursday) and the coming of the Holy Spirit on Pentecost, which we celebrate next Sunday. Even so, Jesus is with you now in the midst of your trials.

Why does persecution come — and from whom?

How does the world respond to our preaching? On account of our sin, there was no way to God, no path to the Father. But we preach Christ crucified: God in His infinite love and mercy has sent His only begotten Son into the world to bleed, suffer, and die. On the cross, Jesus wins full and free forgiveness for every person who has ever lived. Jesus died for you. How does the world respond? With hostility: So you think you’re the only ones who’re right? How arrogant! You’re saying we need your religion to go to heaven?

Or what about when the church exercises the gift whereby God has put this Gospel into the mouths of men to preach this Gospel in the Church and before the world? Then the world replies: Women can’t be pastors? That’s sexist and oppressive!

Or when the church upholds marriage as the God-ordained lifelong union of one man and one woman — When God designs that the blessing of children should come only within this union — then the world responds: How dare you say your view of marriage is the only one? You’re so judgmental and intolerant!

And the time will come, Jesus says, when bigotry and hatred against Christ and His followers will not be satisfied with such measures, but will not even shrink back from murder itself.

Even though the world speaks this way, they want you to think there’s morally neutral ground — a place where God’s Word has no say. Or that it’s ok for you to believe God’s Word — so long as you don’t say out loud what God says. Why does the world hate you? Because they don’t know the Father. They don’t know Jesus. The world hates you because they do not know God. That’s what Jesus plainly says: And these things they will do to you because they have not known the Father nor Me (John 16:3).

Even so, the world apart from God can still be very religious and sincere. Consider how zealously Saul persecuted the church before Jesus confronted him. How eagerly and thoroughly he sought out Christians to arrest. Religious sincerity isn’t the same as truth. It’s possible to be sincerely wrong. So persecution against the Church most often comes from those who are most certain they are right. This also means that persecution can come from within the church.

Jesus speaks to His apostles: They will put you out of the synagogues (John 16:2). They will be cast out of their communities; they will be mistreated. Friends — and even their families — may even seek to kill them. You, also, will be mistreated — even by those closest to you. The persecution you face may even come from your spiritual family. Sometimes they turn against you.

When this happens, the temptation is to be silent. — to not lose the relationship. — to harm your own faith in order to preserve outward peace. But it is better to be hated on account of Christ than to be liked for compromising God’s Word.

Do not be surprised.

Beloved, do not think it strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened to you (1 Peter 4:12). Saint Peter says to expect trials and persecutions. The relative freedom and peace that the Church has enjoyed in the West is an anomaly in church history. We shouldn’t expect this peace and cultural toleration to last forever.

[The danger of persecution]

If you aren’t prepared, you will stumble. Falling away from the faith doesn’t usually happen all at once. Usually a Christian doesn’t come reliably to church every week, believe and confess the creed with faith — and then one day walk out the door and instantaneously deny the faith. Denying the faith doesn’t happen suddenly. Rather, falling away is falling away. It happens gradually. It takes time. It happens slowly. The Christian accommodates evil. He gradually concedes the truth. He gives in to little lies.