How to gain the Blessing of God (Part 8)
Blessed Are the Persecuted (Matt 5: 10-12)
Up until this point, we’ve looked at all this internal righteousness that Jesus has been talking about. But now things take a change of direction slightly because he says.
10 Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 11 “Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. 12 Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
(Matthew 5: 10-12)
Alright, clearly these people are being persecuted, we know what that means. But what we need to focus on are the two reasons they are being persecuted,
Firstly, for righteousness’s sake, verse 10, and secondly, for my sake, verse 11. That is always the pattern of persecution, if you try and do or say what is right, they put you down and if you try and credit Jesus for what you say or do they will put you down also. If you do what is right today your very presence is a source of irritation to people. Try driving on the road at the correct speed limit on a single lane road and just see how many people will come right up behind you and try and hassle you into going faster, you become just an irritation to them.
The other thing is, he says is that they will persecute you for my sake. Today in the world many Christians are persecuted for just believing that the only way to get to heaven is through Jesus Christ. That’s what Jesus means when he says they will persecute “for my sake”. Tell people that they should trust in Jesus. Tell enough people that and people will say all kinds of not so nice things about you. Matter of fact, Jesus said you’re going to be reviled and falsely accused for his sake, which means you’re going to be, mocked and even sometimes insulted and discriminated against.
Let me just pause here and ask you a question. Do you remember what was the last beatitude we looked at? “Blessed be the peacemakers”. Now he follows this by saying blessed be the persecuted is there possibly a connection here?
In my case, I think the worst verbal attack I’ve ever received in my life was when I was attempting to make peace between two groups of people. A leader of one of those groups I was trying to reconcile, railed me for about 20 minutes and called me everything under the sun, including, proud arrogant and unrealistic, he got so angry at one point he was screaming and spraying me with spit as he spoke. Fortunately, at the same time his shouting acted as a sort of hair dryer at the same time. If you’re going to follow Jesus Christ, it’s going to happen in one form or another. Jesus was very clear that this is what we should expect to happen. Let me quote to you from two other passages scripture where Jesus said this.
18 “If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. 19 If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you. 20 Remember what I told you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master. If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also. If they obeyed my teaching, they will obey yours also. 21 They will treat you this way because of my name, for they do not know the one who sent me.
(John 15: 18-21)
Another passage that says the same thing
Everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted,
(2 Timothy 3: 12)
In fact, this whole second chapter of 2 Timothy goes into this in some depth, but what want both passages point out is that those who live godly lives often suffer. Alright, that the situation many of us will have to go through but what’s the blessing, what do you get for this? Well, look at what Jesus is quoted as saying again here back in Matthew.
Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
(Matthew 5: 12)
This is really helpful it tells us to rejoice, and it also tells us what our response to all of this should be, and then it reminds us we will have our great reward in heaven.
There are two reasons that are given as to why we should rejoice. Number one, you're in a great company, they persecuted the prophets, and the great men and woman of faith in the Old Testament before you. Secondly, and you will gain a great reward. What is the reward? I don’t know entirely; I just know that he promises us a great reward. We can trust that the reward will be worth receiving and we can trust that he will keep his promise to us, therefore our response has to be that we rejoice and be exceedingly glad.
We need to keep in mind all the blessing promised so far in these beatitudes all of which we will receive in the full measure once we get to stand before the Lord in heaven. Some people get focused on what they will get right here and now but that not even the half of it, that’s not it at all. As Christians we try and live a life of peace and bring peace and blessing to others, yet the part of the response of the world to that will be we will be persecuted. That’s the picture being painted here. Jesus’ list all these attributes and characteristic we are called to develop, and he tells us about the blessing and rewards that we will receive whilst at the same time reminding us that with have to hold alongside that in tension the fact that persecutions will come. He says the attitude required is a pure heart, the attitude is to be peaceable, to actually seek peace in our lives and seek to bring peace between other people, but by doing that we will ironically get persecuted? As tough as it is, we can’t be driven by the criticism of even the gossip or slander of others. We also don’t have to try to answer all the criticism levelled against us. Our job as believers is not about pleasing people, it is about pleasing the Lord. Doing the best, we can to develop the characteristics of the follower of Christ described in this whole passage. If in the end we get it wrong sometimes, no matter 10 legions of angels will carry us home and we can still stand before God in the righteousness of Christ. On that day any bad stuff said about us will not amount to anything.
So, aim to be pure in heart, humble, merciful, and be aware of your own shortcomings and always hunger and thirst after righteousness and seek the path of peace in everything you do. Then your great reward can be to stand before the Lord one day and inherit the blessings of a child of God.
I want to paint a final picture for you and then I’m going to wrap up the beatitudes next time before we go on to the next passage. Two children were asked to produce a painting that would depict peace. One painted a scene of a quiet lake nestled in a valley between two hills. There was no wind blowing to ripple the still water. Nothing that could disturb the tranquillity. The other child painted a picture of a enormous waterfall, with a huge oak tree was hanging over the roaring edge of the water fall. The tree’s branches where being beaten and tossed by a savaged wind and the tumbling water. Under the arch of one of those limbs, dangerously near the turbulent water was a tiny Sparrow nursing her chicks. Surrounded by the roar and the danger of the wind and the waterfall was the sparrow, still and undisturbed, protecting her chicks.
That is the biblical picture of peace, and this is the picture Jesus is painting here. If I have a pure heart, if I’m seeking peace, then the storms of life can rage outside, and the winds can blow, and the rain can fall, but I can still have peace with God. The storms of life will no longer have the power to do damage. It doesn’t mean you won’t be buffeted but nothing can happen that in anyway can threaten to rob you of the eternal peace you have with God, given as a gift of grace through Jesus Christ Gods son.
Before I close, this important passage of scripture I would like to do one more thing. I’ve now gone through all 8 beatitudes. Next episode we will pick up the text and begin to work through the rest of the sermon on the mount, but as we close this section, I want to make two observations. We got through a lot of important these last nine or ten days.
I said at the beginning a lot of people can name a few of the 10 commandments, and some Christian can name most if not all of the 10 commandments. But I wonder if you were asked to could you stand up and name all eight of the beatitudes and also explain what the mean, and what the blessing are that we will receive if we develop these Godly characteristics. In fairness the 10 Commandments are probably easier to remember.
1. Don’t kill.
2. Don’t lie.
3. Don’t steal.
4. Don’t swear.
5. Don’t commit adultery.
6. Don’t have any Gods before Him.
7. Don’t worship false idols.
8. Don’t covet what other people have.
9. Respect you parents.
10. Keep the Sabbath.
Probably more profound and far reaching are what Jesus teaches here. So, I’m going to try and make it as simple as I possibly. There are two great things you need to walk away with from this passage with.
Number one. Jesus is describing internal righteousness. As we go through the rest of the Sermon on the Mount that’s going to become more and more clear, even though I would say He made it unmistakably clear here in the beatitudes, which is the introduction to his whole sermon. All of them, all the beatitudes in the final analysis, have to do with having the right internal attitude. However, the last one about being persecuted sounds like it doesn't fit in, but if you look at it carefully, when the persecution happens it only happens on the outside, you are still blessed within. God blesses believers now internally but rewards them later, externally. Those who are dependent upon him spiritually, are meek and gentle and don’t show pride and having a continual, intense desire for internal righteousness, show mercy, have internal purity, make constantly efforts to live in peace with others and to make peace between others, and who rejoice in all circumstances are continually blessed internally. In spite of any turmoil that might be raging around us.
But there is a second thing I want to talk about. The second one is very critical. There is simply no doubt in my mind that in this passage, what Jesus is really after is that if you manifest those characteristics and develop those attributes in your life, so you will be blessed, but remember the blessing will be ultimately fulfilled in the Kingdom in the future. You may experience it partially now, but it will be completely fulfilled in the future. If you remember, these are internal attitudes that will get rewarded internally today but will be rewarded eternally in every way you can imagine later.
God will bless those who are dependent upon him by giving them the Kingdom of God. God blesses those who spiritually mourning their own sin and the sin of the world today, but he will also comfort them later. God blesses the meek by giving them an inheritance of the earth which will happen when Christ returns to rule on the Earth. God blesses those who have a continual, intense desire for internal righteousness with partial righteousness instinctive and intrinsic righteousness now and complete imputed righteousness later. God blesses those who show mercy by being merciful to them at the judgment seat of Christ. God will bless those who have internal purity, singleness of heart, and unmixed motives when they stand before him as honoured servants. God blesses peacemakers by proclaiming them God-like in the Kingdom. God bless his disciples who are persecuted by gifting them the Kingdom of heaven and a great reward in it.
Here’s my conclusion. In the Olympics games of the World Cup, or the Superbowl of life, don’t just be a spectator. Be a participant, don’t just rest on the fact that through Christ you have been made right with God, be a participant, be a disciple, develop these Godly characteristics and then you won’t have to settle for silver God will present you with gold and a crown of life.