Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness sake for they shall be called the children of God - Matt. 5:10 -12
It may seem strange that Jesus passes so quickly from peacemaking in the previous beatitude to persecution—from the work of reconciliation to the experience of hostility. But we come to learn from life's experiences following conversion that, however hard we try to live peacefully or to make peace through reconciliation, some refuse to live at peace with us. Indeed, as this beatitude shows, some take the initiative to oppose, revile, and slander us. We must live with and adjust to the fact that persecution is simply the clash between two value systems. The value system that the world offers and the value system of God. God has called us, selected us, to represent Him in this new value system and patiently enduring persecution as part of our witness and preparation for His Kingdom.
Persecution is as much a mark of discipleship as peacemaking. The world does not give up its hates and self-centered living easily. This brings opposition on disciples of Christ. Righteous people, those whose conduct is right in God's eyes, become targets of the unrighteous (cf. John 15:18-25; Acts 14:22; 2 Timothy 3:12; 1 Peter 4:13-14). Jesus, the perfectly righteous One, suffered more than any other righteous person has suffered. The Old Testament prophets foretold this, calling Him the Suffering Servant of the Lord (cf. Isaiah 52:13 to Isaiah 53:12).
Formally, Matthew 5:10-12 may contain a ninth Beatitude. Notice that within this passage, there is a change of address. At first, Jesus is speaking in a general third person form: " ...those who have been persecuted … theirs is the kingdom. "But, in Matthew 5:11, Jesus changes to the second person:" Blessed are you when…." This change from third person plural to second person plural shifts the conversation to direct address by the speaker. In other words, Jesus lets his followers know he is not telling them something that will be happening “out there” to some group of future Christians in some generic sense. He is telling them that this persecution will be happening “to you.” Jesus turns the conversation from general realities to specific application for the "you all" who are being addressed. Matthew 5:10-12, then, is the first place in the New Testament which offers an explanation of why followers of Christ will suffer persecution.
When people enter Jesus' kingdom they enter the new value system. They come under the rule of Jesus and, as his disciples, listen to his teaching and put it into practice. Their behaviour is not governed by a set of rules such as the law of Moses, but by the character of Jesus, who wants to reproduce that character in them. The Sermon on the Mount deals with the attitudes, behaviour and responsibilities of those who have come under the lordship of Jesus Christ.
In this particular Beatitude we are looking at the final conclusion on what a truly righteous person is like. It is the most decisive of Beatitudes because it, more than any of the others, will divide those truly living for God and those playing a game. This is the acid test of our Christianity.
You cannot respond in the manner Jesus describes here in verse 12 of being joyful in the midst of persecution unless your life is characterized by righteousness of the heart. This beatitude is not describing a characteristic, but rather the reaction of the world against those that are righteous. It is the poor in spirit, the mournful and the meek that hunger and thirst after righteousness. That hunger and thirsting bring about the characteristics of being merciful, pure in heart and a peacemaker. The striving of such a person is for things eternal which this world cannot understand. These are those that Jesus describes as laying up treasures in heaven rather than on earth where moth and rust destroy and thieves break in and steal (Matthew 6:20). Those that manage an outward facade of being good will have it melt away when the heat of persecution comes upon them. Their heart will be revealed and it will expose their true goal in life. They will say that God is not fair, He is not good, that He has let them down. They will then turn their backs on the Lord, deny Him, and do what ever is needed to escape the persecution.
Jesus is specific as to the cause of persecution. The important thing Christ emphasized is “for the sake of righteousness,” and "on account of Me" (vv. 10-11). If you are a disciple of Christ this is what is going to happen to you. The believer is persecuted because he is a certain type of person and because he behaves in a certain way.
Jesus will not compromise His standards to accommodate the world’s values. And neither can His true disciples. Thus we are thrown into a sharp conflict of values. The result is a cosmic spiritual warfare.
When you hunger and thirst for righteousness you will suffer for the righteousness you hunger after. This has been true in every age of Christianity. It is also true today.
Jesus' phrase in the beatitude, "for righteousness' sake," calls upon us to examine ourselves honestly before God both before and after we are opposed. In I Peter 4:12-16, Peter, like Jesus, perceives persecution as inevitable and therefore a Christian should expect it. Since a disciple is not above His Master, a follower can hardly expect to escape some form of what the Master received.
Human nature dislikes and is suspicious of anyone who is different. True Christianity brings on its own form of unpopularity. It has never been easy, in part because, regardless of where they live, Christians are different. A Christian presents the standard of Jesus Christ to the world. The world does not understand exactly why, but it irritates them, pricks their conscience, and separates them from the Christian. In some it leads to open anger, even rage. For instance, while calling it a virtue, worldly people think goodness is a handicap because they fear it will keep them from achieving their goals. At the same time, a truly good person will irritate them. Before long, their conscience disturbs them, and they react by persecuting the good person. The human heart is so deceitful that Jesus remarks in John 16:2, "They will put you out of the synagogues; yes, the time is coming that whoever kills you will think that he offers God service."
Peter also perceives persecution as a trial to overcome. A person's devotion to a way of life can be measured by his willingness to suffer for it. Therefore, since he writes of true Christians and not those merely in name, persecution will be a test. Compromising with God's standards will not elicit persecution because that leads to agreement with the world. Jesus says, "If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you" (John 15:19). Compromise will certainly ease the pressure, but God intends persecution to test the Christian's trust, loyalty, sincerity, courage, and patience.
Suffering for righteousness' sake is an honor leading to glory. In fact, Peter says that when one suffers persecution, the glory of God rests upon them. When Stephen was put on trial, his accusers "saw his face as the face of an angel" (Acts 6:15)! In such an instance, a persecuted Christian falls into the same category as Jesus Christ because all He suffered was for righteousness' sake. We therefore share in the same and should be unashamed.
However, we must be exceedingly careful we do not suffer because of our own misconduct. A Christian's life should be his best argument that he does not deserve what is happening to him. Jesus says in Matthew 5:11, "Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake." We hope that we suffer for our sins only rarely, but when we do, we are getting what we deserve. There is no glory in that. But even in this, all is not lost because it may lead to repentance, change, and growth.
We need to understand the connection between righteousness and persecution because not every sufferer or even every sufferer of religious persecution suffers for righteousness' sake. Many suffer persecution for zealously holding fast to what is clearly a false religion.
Some people become victims of their own character flaws and personality disorders. They foolishly take comfort in Matthew 5:10-12, claiming persecution when others merely retaliate against their displays of evil speaking, haughtiness, or self-centeredness. Such people are just reaping what they have sown.
Psalm 119:172 says, "My tongue shall speak of Your word; for all Your commandments are righteousness." This is a simple, straightforward definition of righteousness. God's commands describe how to live correctly. They teach us how to conduct relationships with Him and fellow man. This beatitude is written about those who are truly doing this. They will receive persecution because they are living correctly—not because they have irritated or infuriated others through their sins or because they belong to another political party, religion, or ethnic group.
The source of true persecution is Satan, and his target is God. Satan not only hates God, but he also hates all who bear His holy image in them by means of His Spirit. Satan works in and through people just as God does, and he incites them to do all in their power to vilify, destroy the reputation of, put fear in, or discourage God's children to cause their disqualification. He will do anything to get us to retaliate as worldly people do, because then we would display Satan's image rather than Jesus Christ's. Satan knows those who have the Spirit of God, and just as he tempted Jesus, he will also single out His brothers and sisters for persecution.
The righteousness needed to resist these pressures and respond in a godly manner goes far beyond that of a merely moral person. This righteousness requires that one be living by faith minute by minute, day by day, week by week, month by month, and year by year. It is a righteousness that is ingrained into a person's very character because he knows God. He is intimately acquainted with Him and His purpose rather than merely believing academically that He exists.
Following on the heels of this beatitude is another statement by Jesus on righteousness: "For I say to you, that unless your righteousness exceeds the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven" (Matthew 5:20). He focuses on a righteousness that is not merely legal, resulting from God graciously justifying us by Christ's blood, but one inculcated within the heart and mind by constantly living God's way. Such a person's righteousness comes through sanctification. He is striving to keep all the commandments of God, not merely those having to do with public morality. He has made prayer and study a significant part of each day, along with occasional fasting to assist in keeping humble. He is well on his way toward the Kingdom of God.
These are not normally things that one does publicly; his neighbors may never know much of this person's life. Nonetheless, Satan knows, and this person's living faith will attract Satan's persecution, the Devil's attempts to derail him from making it.
Though Christ died to take away the curse from us—He death does not take away the cross from us.
Before Israel got to Canaan, a land flowing with milk and honey, they had to go through a wilderness of serpents and a Red Sea. So the children of God in their passage to the holy land must meet with fiery serpents and a red sea of persecution. 'Yes, and everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution.' (2 Timothy 3:12). We have to put the cross into our creed.
In the sermon of the mount our Lord Christ turns himself directly to the apostles whom he was ready to commission and send abroad to preach: 'Blessed are you when men shall persecute you' (verse 11). 'So persecuted they the prophets before you' (verse 12).
Who will be persecuted? Those who are characterized as having Christian character will be persecuted. They are “righteous,” i.e. they are those who have a right standing before God based upon the death and resurrection of Christ. They are like Christ. They are persecuted because of the character and quality of their lives. They uphold God's standards of justice and refuse to compromise with paganism. In the process they are being conformed to the image and likeness of Christ.
Because of our identification with Christ we are "salt" and "light" and the world cannot tolerate that standard. Anybody who enters into fellowship with Jesus must undergo a shifting of values, It is like sprinkling salt into open putrid sores and shinning a light on to the corruption in a dark pagan world.
The gulf is between the disciples and the people. Jesus refused to be in tune with the world or to accommodate to its standards. Jesus did not fit into the politically correct crown. The world has always rejected the disciples of Jesus for the same values. Things have not changed. They are the unwelcomed guests in a world that is diametrically opposed to the values of Christ. Just like the first century apostles they are disturbers of peace by the world’s standards.
The New Testament is full of examples of persecution and how the early church dealt with her distinctiveness. Here are a few for you to checkout: Hebrews 11:33-38; 2 Cor. 11:23ff; Acts 6:8-15; 7:54-8:1; Jn. 15:18-25; 1 Peter 4:13, 14; Acts 14:22; 2 Tim. 3:12. Cross-reference these with other Scripture passages and I think you will be amazed at how major a theme this is in the Bible.
Jesus said this persecution is "on the account of Me." It is because you belong to Christ.
This persecution comes not because they deserve it. It is not because of power struggles with others. It is not because of selfishness, martyr complex, paranoia, or because they are hostile, critical, and judgmental and are now getting back what they have been giving out to others.
Our Christian character affects every aspect of our life: our work, social life, home, politics, etc. And we become salt and light in those crucial areas of our lives.
Jesus describes our attitudes by saying, "rejoice and be glad" (v. 12). The original word for "be glad" is from the verb agalliao - to jump for joy, i.e. exult. KJV: be (exceeding) glad, with exceeding joy, rejoice (greatly) This joy does not leave them when the circumstances in life change. We can translate it "exult, be glad, overjoyed, be exceedingly glad," or literally "jump for joy."
The apostle Paul demonstrated in his life that mature Christianity rejoices while being persecuted. Paul and Silas were in the inner dungeon in the Philippian jail after having been severely beaten with many stripes. Their feet were secured in stocks with chains on their feet and at midnight Paul and Silas were praying, and singing praises unto God. They were having a worship service in the jail! Jesus said, “For where two or three have gathered together in My name, I am there in their midst” (Matt. 18:20). They were rejoicing in His presence counting it a privilege and opportunity to suffer for Him.
Believers in the early church could rejoice and be glad because they were persecuted because of the Name of Jesus. The joy of the believer under fire is to be, not in spite of, because of persecution. It is a indication of true discipleship.
Rejoicing in persecution is completely contrary to the world’s way of thinking. Persecution is the evidence of genuineness. It has been described as the “certificate of authenticity” of the true believer. Jesus and the writer of Hebrews reminds us we are in good company––they killed the prophets before us. In the great hall of faith chapter the writer tells us of those who have walked by faith down through the centuries who "experienced mockings and scourgings, yes, also chains and imprisonment. They were stoned, they were sawn in two, they were tempted, they were put to death with the sword; they went about in sheepskins, in goatskins, being destitute, afflicted, ill–treated (men of whom the world was not worthy), wandering in deserts and mountains and caves and holes in the ground" (11:36-38).
Jesus said, "Rejoice and be glad, for your reward in heaven is great; for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you" (Matt. 5:12). If we are persecuted today we belong to a noble succession of believers. In the early church persecution for the true believer was widespread. If we have the privilege of being persecuted we are in good company. We are in a fellowship that is rejected by the world system. It is the badge of true discipleship.
Jesus went on to describe the penetrating power of the gospel in people who are transformed by it as likened to "light" and “salt" (5:13-16). "You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt has become tasteless, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled under foot by men. You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden; nor does anyone light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven."
Pure sodium chloride does not deteriorate. Jesus is emphasizing adulteration of character. It would be unthinkable for the disciples to lose their character just as for salt to become salt less.
Moreover, the world is absolutely dark spiritually; light penetrates and illumines that darkness. Jesus said told His disciples, "You alone are like the light of the world."
In the same way a small well-placed lamp lights every one in the one room house. Let your light shine before men. Our Christian life should be perfectly visible to all men, at work, at play, at home.
You ask, what has being the salt and the light to do with persecution? Everything. What is your light? It is our daily life style and witness. It is how you live out your Christian values. If you live Christ before a watching world there is a price to pay. The cause of persecution is salt and light. The world does not like salt rubbed into its open putrid sores and rottenness. It detests the Light of Jesus Christ exposing its corruption in a dark and wicked world.
Don't miss the important message in this beatitude of Christ. We live in a day where the emphasis is come on down cast your vote for Jesus. Come on sign up here today and we will guarantee you a life of your dreams. Christ will give you all your desires if you just come on and vote for Him today. One preacher even went to say," you will have a superb job, superb salary and a superb bonus." We have a prosperity plan for you. We will guarantee you with eternal security and joy and happiness and fulfillment.
Jesus promised none of the sort. He however did promise, "Blessed are those who have been persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when men revile you, and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely, on account of me. Rejoice, and be glad, for your reward in heaven is great for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you." Does that sound like an ad campaign and multimedia blitz?
Those who undergo persecution for God's cause and not for any fault of their own receive a blessing –– the kingdom of heaven is theirs.
The reward is not salvation. This is a blessing that is in store for those who follow Christ in persecution because of His righteousness. God sustains the persecuted with His grace today. But He also rewards them in the future for the persecution they endure in the present.
You are "blessed" because you submit to the will of God. Because of persecution you are being conformed to the image and likeness of Christ. Note in verse one this is the same underlying attitude and the same ultimate reward. "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven." Now Jesus says, "Blessed are those who have been persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. . . Blessed are you when . . . " Perhaps it is even a double blessing.
"Theirs is the kingdom of heaven" (v. 10). "Your reward in heaven is great" (v. 12).
What is my life and witness like when the heat is on? What are our reactions to the pressures of life? Do we compromise and give in? Do we stand alone? Do we face the battle? Are we prone to compromise and therefore become adulterated? Have we become worthless salt?
In many ways persecution is a token of true discipleship. Philippians 1:29, "For to you it has been granted for Christ's sake not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer for His sake, experiencing the same conflict which you saw in me and now hear to be in me." It's to be expected that there will be some measure of suffering if you're faithful to Christ.
First Thessalonians chapter 3 verse 3, "So that no man may be disturbed by these afflictions, for you yourselves know that we have been destined for this." Paul says "indeed we...when we were with you kept telling you in advance that we were going to suffer affliction, and so it came to pass you know. It is to be expected."
All the New Testament apostles and the New Testament writers would agree that even in the most tolerant environment, even in the most tolerant country, in the most tolerant time, the cross would never cease to be a symbol of derision, a symbol that brought out hostility and in some cases hatred and false accusation and even persecution.
In fact, the apostles probably would have urged that the absence of persecution was cause for alarm - enough to drive the believer to his knees to do his spiritual inventory. Always those who are obedient to the Lord of the kingdom, those obedient children of the kingdom who live the righteousness of Christ and who live out His Word in obedience will prove to be, to one degree or another, noxious to the satanic system around them and produce some forms of hostility.
I mean, if you want to escape persecution, you can do it. Just approve what the world does. Instead of disapproving it, just affirm it or ignore it. Accept the world's morals, the world's ethics, live as they live. Don't tell people they are sinners. Don't confront them with the fact that they are lost and without Christ, doomed to eternal judgment at the hands of Almighty God. Don't talk about hell. Don't preach and teach that Jesus Christ is the only way and only by faith in Him and not through some religious exercise, some ceremony, some self-righteousness can salvation be gained, but only by faith in Him. Don't separate yourself from the world system around you, go along with it, laugh at its jokes, enjoy its entertainment, smile when it mocks God, let them take His name in vain. Be ashamed to take a stand for Christ and you will escape some persecution.
But I warn you, that's a very dangerous perspective. Luke 9:26 Jesus said, "Whosoever shall be ashamed of Me and My words, of him shall the Son of Man be ashamed." If you're ashamed not only of Christ but of the words which Christ taught, that is to say the truth of God given to us on the pages of holy Scripture, if you're ashamed of that it may well be that you are one of whom the Lord Himself will be ashamed. That is to say you may not be a believer at all. The Lord may not even claim you. You're either not saved or you are certainly a far-gone disobedient child.
On the other hand, look for a moment at 1 Peter 1 verse 3, "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead to obtain an inheritance which is imperishable and undefiled and will not fade away, reserved in heaven in you."
That's just one of the great statements in all of Scripture, talks about what is ours in salvation...great mercy, born again, living hope, an inheritance imperishable, undefiled, will not fade away, reserved in heaven for us. "Who...verse 5...are protected by the power of God through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time." So we have salvation. We're protected in order that we might enter in to that full salvation that is set in heaven for us. "In this you greatly rejoice," verse 6, "even though now for a little while if necessary you have been distressed by various trials."
Why? Verse 7, "In order that your faith may be proven being more precious than gold which is perishable even though tested by fire may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ." The trials that come into our lives, including persecution, and trouble, and difficulty, are part of God's testing to prove the validity of our faith. If you live out your life and the fire comes, the fire will prove either you're genuine or you're not. If you're nothing but weedy ground in which the seed of the truth went down a little ways but the weeds choked it out, or if you're that stony ground where the plant went down a little ways and hit the rock bed and you died and perished without any fruit, that will show up under confrontation, persecution. That's what Jesus was saying. And you will wither and die. Our faith is tested and proven in persecutions.
There were apparently people, lots of people, in Peter's time, as there are now, willing to be identified with Christ as long as it didn't cost them anything. That was true in Jesus' day and He would have none of it . What Peter was saying is what Jesus was saying, if you say you belong to Jesus your faith will be tested.
Following Christ is not going to be easy in this world. Following Christ should effect your work. I mean, suppose a man in biblical times was a stone mason and his business was to fulfill a contract to build a pagan temple. Suppose he was a tailor and was asked to make robes for the priests of false gods. Suppose he worked for someone who was dishonest. You get the point, same today. There can hardly be any secular job in which some conflicts like these do not arise between business interest and loyalty to Jesus Christ.
Their loyalty to Christ could be very difficult in the work place. It could be very difficult and disruptive in their social life as it can today. In the ancient world if somebody was really sold out to the Lord, sold out to Jesus Christ, they would be in very great difficulty trying to sort through the social life that they were a part of up until their conversion. I mean, we all would understand that in the Jewish context, immediately they would be thrown out of the synagogue - which was tantamount to excommunication. They would be thrown out of their own families.
But even in a Gentile world there was a severe consequence socially for coming to faith in Christ. In the ancient world most of the...most of the festivals, most of the celebrations were held in the temple of some false god. Those were the public meeting places. Those were where the parties and the celebrations and the festivals went on. And in very few sacrifices to the false gods was all of the animal or animals burned. In fact, it was common in false religions to just singe the forehead of the sacrificial animal so that you could save all the rest to eat...a sort of symbolic singed sacrifice. Part of the meat went to the priests who ran the religion, and parts to the worshipers. And they would make a feast for their friends.
So when you went to offer something to your deity you singed it a little bit, gave some of the meat to the priests and then had a huge party for everybody.
Could a Christian go to such a party? I mean, that was a big question. Even an ordinary meal began with a cup of wine poured out in honor of the gods. Where did a Christian stand in that? You have to be prepared to be lonely in the crowd when you followed Christ. And as I said, it could also disrupt your home life. When a member of a family received Christ, the door was shut to him. Jesus said He came to bring a sword and separate family relations. Often people had to choose between the ones they held dearest and Jesus Christ, and when they chose Christ they were basically alienated from their families. The penalties which a Christian had to suffer were terrible beyond description. I mean, we can read in history and we are told about Christians who were thrown to the lions or burned at the stakes, but those were, in some ways, kindly deaths.
Well Jesus then tells us in this beatitude that this shouldn't surprise us. There will be persecution for those in His kingdom. That's the who. Let's look at the how.
How is this animosity going to be expressed? Well He says it there, couldn't say it more clearly, they're going to be persecuted. Really, from 100 to 300 A.D. Christians were pursued from place to place, hunted like wild beasts and put to death by diabolical inhuman means. And the Lord is simply saying you have to count the cost. Remember that, if you're going to become a Christian you need to know this.
There's an attitude being conveyed here. Blessed are those who have been persecuted, really kind of helps us to see more than just some kind of an act, this is a passive participle and it indicates a permissiveness. Blessed are those who have allowed themselves to be persecuted is the indication of the language. The idea is that they have willingly endured it. They don't run from it, they accept it. And it's a continuous, a passive perfect participle indicates continuous persecution. Blessed are those who have willingly allowed themselves to suffer continual hostility. Willingness is the issue. So we could say that blessed are the willing.
Persecution isn't always going to be intense. It's not always going to be there to the same degree. But these are those who are willing. If it comes, it comes. If we suffer, we suffer. If we suffer we shall also reign with Him.
But, you see, such a life reproves the ungodliness of men and provokes therefore their resentment. It is more of the enmity of the serpent against the holy seed of Genesis 3:15. And so, Jesus is saying we need to expect it.
That leads us from the how to the why. Why does it come on us? Well we've already hinted at it but turn to John 15. John 15 and this is a text that must be understood in connection with this beatitude. John 15:18, who's going to be persecuted? Those who are kingdom citizens. How are they going to be persecuted? With face to face confrontation and slander behind the scenes, all kinds of forms of persecution. And why? John 15:18 Jesus said, "If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love its own. But because you're not of the world but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you." There's the answer, they hate you because you're not part of their system. You confront it by your godliness and your righteousness. You rebuke it, you cause the world to face its sin. Verse 20, "Remember the Word that I said to you, the slave is not greater than his master. If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you. If they kept My Word, they'll keep yours also."
In other words, how people treated Christ is how they're going to treat you. Verse 21, "But all these things they will do to you for My namesake because they do not know the One who sent Me." They don't know God. They don't know Christ. And they don't like you because you rebuke them .. you rebuke them with your commitment to righteousness. Verse 22, "If I had not come and spoke unto them they would not have sin, but now they have no excuse for their sin, they've been unmasked and they don't like it. He who hates Me hates My Father also. If I had not done among them the works which no one else did, they would not have sinned."
In other words, the point He is saying is the things that I said exposed their sin. The things that I did exposed their sin. They had to face it. And as a result, instead of dealing with their sin they hated Me for it.
Let me tell you something, beloved. If you are righteous living in the midst of unrighteousness, if you rebuke sin by your holy living, your uncompromising living, and if you rebuke it openly and lovingly but confront it and rebuke it, either someone is going to acknowledge their sin and repent or they're going to hate you for that.
Verse 25, "They have done this in order that the word may be fulfilled that is written in their law. They hated Me without a cause." Oh they had a reason but it wasn't a just cause. "I'm telling you these things...chapter 16 verse 1...because I want to keep you from stumbling." I don't want you to be surprised when it happens to you. "They will make you outcasts from the synagogue. An hour is coming for everyone who kills you to think that he is offering service to God. And these things they will do because they have not known the Father or Me. But these things I've spoken to you that when their hour comes you may remember that I told you of them." I don't want you to be surprised when you're persecuted.
Who are going to be persecuted? Those who are in the kingdom. Why? Because they have a message that people don't want to hear, it's a message about sin and judgment and righteousness and salvation.
Now the "why" also must be carefully understood here. This is not just a sort of generic religious persecution that comes from people who don't agree with any or every view. But I want you to notice going back to the beatitude, "Blessed are those who have been persecuted for the sake of righteousness." And at the end of verse 11, "For My sake," or on account of Me.
I mean, even in Jesus' day some of the Galilean Zealots who were Jews who wanted to overthrow Rome had been persecuted, reviled, hated, and killed when they rose up against Herod or Rome. That's not the kind of persecution we're talking about here. This is qualified by the kind of persecution that comes to those who are Christians who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness, the righteousness of God, for My sake, for the sake of Jesus Christ
This is further defined for us in 1 Peter chapter 4 verse 14 . "If you are reviled......for the name of Christ you are blessed." There's a commentary on that beatitude. If you are reviled for the name of Christ you are blessed. And how does that blessing come? "The Spirit of glory and God rests on you." Boy, what a promise. When you're being persecuted God's Spirit rests on you. The Spirit Himself is there attending to you. If anyone suffers because he's a Christian, verse 16, don't feel ashamed but in that name let him glorify God.
We're not talking about persecution for any and every reason. And even as Christians we're not talking about persecution for being just plain offensive. We're not talking about persecution that maybe you earned because of your arrogance. We're talking about persecution for righteousness sake because of who we are in Christ, because we name the name of Christ and because we believe in the true and living God. Back to John 15:19 where Jesus said they hate you because they hated Me. And you've identified with Me.
Because of what we are in Christ, because we bear His righteousness, because we proclaim His righteous standard and that all men who violate it are sinners and judged in the throes of judgment and desperately in need of salvation we become obnoxious.
But righteousness in itself is a rebuke. In this same chapter, Matthew 5 verses 44 and 45, Jesus said, "But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you in order that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven." You need to pray for those persecutors who persecute you for righteousness sake, who persecute you for My sake. They really hate Christ and that's why they're treating you that way. Don't be under the illusion that people who don't know Christ are indifferent toward Him. Those who reject the gospel hate the Christ of the gospel and want nothing whatsoever to do with Him.
So, if I live a life that manifests the righteousness of Christ, if I live a life that manifests that Christ is in me by the way I live and the way I speak , if I preach the clear message of the gospel, if I confront sin and call for repentance and offer the good news of forgiveness, there will be hostility.
How is it that we are to enjoy this? How is it that we are to find ourselves in verse 12 rejoice and be glad? How is it? How can we get to that point in the midst of all of this? Suffice it to say at this point, happy are the hurting, happy are those who are persecuted because the Lord says so and the Spirit of grace and glory rests on them, that's Peter's explanation of that passage. God pours out His Holy Spirit in special measure on us in that time. We then expect it. We don't expect to go through this world making friends with everybody. We want to be loving. We want to speak the truth in love. We don't want to be cantankerous. We don't want to be unkind. We don't want to be ugly. We don't want to be arrogant. But we do want to speak the truth, right? And live the truth and take what comes.
And life takes on a tremendously clear tone. When you're uncompromising and you preach the truth, the truth will change people's lives and they will love you for it. But those who reject it will hate you for the exposure. That's how it is. So we go through life both making friends and enemies. But in it comes God promises a blessing and also persecutions.
In conclusion this beatitude states that our commitment and dedication is tested by persecution. Jesus does not say if you are persecuted. Attacks from unrighteous people are inevitable for the Christian, not mere possibilities. In fact, persecution is such a part and parcel of serving Jesus that we should question our allegiance to Christ if we never face persecution for His sake. Darkness hates the light (John 3:20), and evil men hate those who embody the qualities described in the Beatitudes. How many peacemakers (Matt. 5:9), those who preach the Gospel of peace through Christ, are beaten, jailed, and killed every day? Paradoxically, to be the objects of such hatred is not the curse that we might think it to be; it is instead the greatest blessing. As we are oppressed for doing the right thing we are assured that the kingdom of heaven is ours (v. 10).
I close by pressing home one of the clear implications of this text. Jesus wills for his disciples to desire the reward of heaven more than we desire the reward of the world. Jesus wants us to have our treasure in heaven not on earth (6:19–20). Out hearts should to be so set on heaven that to leave this earth is a cause of rejoicing. Not without tears!—as Paul said, "As sorrowful, yet always rejoicing," 2 Corr. 6:10. There is no other way that you can rejoice and be glad at the loss of your earthly joys. How shall we rejoice and be glad when these things are taken from us if we have not loved heaven more?
So what shall we do? How shall we keep our hearts in heaven? Make a regular practice of your life to consider the prophets of old who were persecuted and killed for the cause of God and righteousness. Turn often to Hebrews 11:36–38 and read how by faith they suffered mocking and scourging, and even chains and imprisonment. They were stoned, they were sawn in two, they were killed with the sword; they went about in skins of sheep and goats, destitute, afflicted and ill-treated.
See what the scriptures say about Moses.
"He regarded disgrace for the sake of Christ as of greater value than the treasures of Egypt, because he was looking ahead to his reward." Heb. 11:26
If someone should ask whether having our heart in heaven will make us useless on earth, the answer is given by Jesus in the very next paragraph of the Sermon on the Mount. People who have their hearts so much in heaven that they fear no persecution—such free and joyful people are the "salt of the earth" and "the light of the world".
