1. The Blood of the Martyrs

2. Suffering Is Unavoidable God’s People Will Suffer (2Tim. 3:12) However, the manner and degree to which they sufferis unknown and differs from time to time. Suffering May Call for the Shedding of Blood (Heb.12:4) God delights in this ultimate sacrifice (Ps. 116:15)

3. A Jewish Precedent The OT Response to God’s Servants Matt. 23:34f – Abel to Zechariah; Genesis to 2 Chronicles Heb. 11:35b-38 – Climactic Examples of Faith Mark 12:1-12 – Rejection and Murder

4. Same Old Story in the New Testament The Martyrdom of Jesus Illegal Trial Illegal Condemnation Illegal Capital Punishment All for No Cause Jesus Ensures the Same Response to His Disciples The Nature of It?Matt. 10:28-34 The Reason?John 15:18-16:4

5. New Testament Martyrdom John the BaptistMatt. 14:3-12 The Book of Acts StephenActs 7:52, 54-60 After Stephen’s DeathActs 8:1-3; 9:1 James, the Son of ZebedeeActs 12:1-3 The Book of Revelation AntipasRev. 2:12f The Souls of the Martyrs Under the Altar of God Rev. 6, 17, 20

6. Fox’s Book of Martyrs Peter – Crucified Upside Down Jude (Thaddeus) – Crucified Bartholomew – Filleted Alive and then Crucified Simon the Zealot – Crucified Andrew – Crucified on an x-shaped cross Thomas – By a Spear Matthew – By a Halberd Matthias – Stoned and then Beheaded Philip – Crucified Paul – Beheaded Luke – Hanged James, Jesus’ Brother – thrown off the Temple, stoned, and clubbed Mark – Dragged through the city for two days

7. “Faithful Until Death” Tacitus on the Persecution Under Nero The Martyrdom of Polycarp Ignatius “Now I begin to be a disciple. I care for nothing, of visible or invisible things, so that I may but win Christ. Let fire and the cross, let the companies of wild beasts, let breaking of bones and tearing of limbs, let the grinding of the whole body, and all the malice of the devil, come upon me; be it so, only may I win Christ Jesus!” As he heard the lions roaring, he said. “I am the wheat of Christ: I am going to be ground with the teeth of wild beasts, that I may be found pure bread.” “The seed of the church is built on the blood of the martyrs.” Justin Martyr – “You can kill us, but you cannot hurt us!”

8. Practical Applications For Us Persecution Will Come So Be Prepared This will involve various forms of mistreatment, some small, some not so small We cannot allow this to separate us from God Suffering is temporary, has a goal, and brings a blessing

9. Will you go the distance? Will you be faithful until death? Will you confess Jesus no matter the consequences?