WELCOME & INTRODUCTION
OPERATION GREIF
The year was 1944. In the runup to Germany’s last major offensive of World War II, Hitler gave orders for English-speaking German soldiers to form a special unit called Panzer Brigade 150. Members of the brigade would pose as American and British soldiers, wearing the uniforms of captured men as well as drive captured tanks, jeeps, and trucks. Their mission: to sneak behind enemy lines to sow chaos and confusion ahead of the German offensive. This effort, known as Operation Greif, fizzled out not long after it began; the Germans managed to send fewer than 50 Panzer Brigade 150 soldiers into the field, not the 3,300 they had hoped for. But as soon as the United States and its allies caught wind of Operation Greif, they became obsessed with ferreting out any “Allied” troops who were actually English-speaking Nazis in disguise.
One of the most effective means for doing this was through the use of questions that quizzed soldiers on information that Americans would be likely to know, and that German soldiers would not. Soldiers were asked the names of state capitols, the name of President Roosevelt’s dog (Fala), and other trivia that only real Americans would know. Baseball was a popular topic: soldiers were asked which teams played in the 1944 World Series (St. Louis Browns and the St. Louis Cardinals), and which team won (the Cardinals).
Not every American serviceman followed baseball closely though. One brigadier general named Bruce Clarke was detained for half an hour and nearly arrested as a German infiltrator after he mistakenly identified the Chicago Cubs as belonging to the American League instead of the National League. “Only a German would make a mistake like that!” his questioner exclaimed. The last major German offensive ultimately failed in what became known as the Battle of the Bulge, and at least 17 German soldiers who were captured wearing U.S. and British uniforms were executed by firing squads.
General Clarke was reviled for his ill-knowledge of the American pastime. Baseball knowledge is such a minor issue. Some here today might have found themselves in the same situation because hearing the Chicago Cubs are in the National League might be news to you today. But how do we handle being reviled when WE are being persecuted over following Jesus?
Jesus had things to say about this.
We are at the end of our series on the Beatitudes here in Matthew chapter 5. It has been a great reminder to hear the good news Jesus gives through the introduction of his Great Sermon on the Mount. We are finishing up this week by reading the second half of the last beatitude. Remember that last week, I said we would spend some time with the last beatitude and we talked about verse 10:
MATTHEW 5:10
“Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”
This week, it gets even more personal. Let’s read our passage this morning and spend some time examining what Jesus is teaching us.
MATTHEW 5:11-12
11 “Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. 12 Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
As we talked about last Sunday, Jesus speaks to that hillside crowd about knowing they are blessed for being persecuted for righteousness’ sake. He uses in the previous 7 beatitudes and then in this one that “Blessed are THOSE…”
Here in today’s reading, we read a switch from the “those” to YOU. Blessed are YOU…
That is personal. All of the previous blessings were spoken as though to an anonymous recipient. But then Jesus changes his vocabulary. He says, “Blessed are YOU…” Taking on all these different qualities like meekness, poor in spirit, merciful, hungering and thirsting for righteousness are good qualities. They would be the kinds of character traits I personally would love to have. And then he says, those people who are seeking to be righteous, they will be persecuted. Well, that’s a little tougher…I don’t know if I want that.
Here in verse 11 and 12, Jesus makes this personal. He says now, “Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you…” He uses the word you or a variation of that personal pronoun 6 times in 2 verses. Jesus wants the hearers of that day of the Mountain Sermon to know this has always been about you.
This isn’t about just those out in the world who do not yet know Jesus…though it is for them too. This is for all of humanity. But especially, you need to take these qualities on as my (Jesus’) disciples if you want to follow me.
In our passage this morning, Jesus says, “Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account.”
This word revile in Greek is oneidizo (on-i-did-zo) and means to abuse and maltreat. Someone being reviled is a person who is being abused and mistreated.
Then Jesus says when others persecute you. We talked a lot about being persecuted for righteousness’ sake last Sunday. Please check out that lesson on YouTube if you want to hear more about that.
And then Jesus says when people utter all kinds of evil against you falsely because of Jesus. Abused, mistreated, persecuted, and falsely accused of evil. These are all things Jesus would endure as he served in his ministry and as he made his way to the cross.
If we are following Jesus, our Christ, we will have these things happen to us too. It seems outlandish as we live in the free North American United States that we would have all these things happen to us, but it happens. People who are serving Jesus and teaching about Jesus and ministering to others in the name of Jesus will have these evil things done to them, even here. It may look a little different.
We may not be at risk of death and torture, but we do face persecution and abuse. Jesus said we needed to weigh the cost of discipleship and take up our cross daily as we follow him.
The question is How will you respond when this happens? This was one of our points last Sunday. How you handle persecution is a measure of your faith in Christ. We get some ideas of how to handle this reviling and mistreatment in our Scripture Reading this morning from First Peter 3. Let’s go over to I Peter and look at what he says about this.
I PETER 3:13-17
13 Now who is there to harm you if you are zealous for what is good? 14 But even if you should suffer for righteousness' sake, you will be blessed. Have no fear of them, nor be troubled, 15 but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect, 16 having a good conscience, so that, when you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame. 17 For it is better to suffer for doing good, if that should be God's will, than for doing evil.
Peter repeats those famous words from Jesus’ final beatitude when he says in verse 14, even if you should suffer for righteousness’ sake, you will be blessed. Peter took those words with him from that time forward to put them into practice and he repeats them and tells his audience to remember them. Peter’s audience were the persecuted dispersed Christians of Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia. These people were being persecuted to where they had to leave their homes but continued to serve Jesus. Peter’s reminder is one they needed to hear and it went all the way back to Jesus’ first sermon that we are now reading today.
Peter gives some principles in our Scripture Reading that I was us to consider as we live this life today.
WHEN YOU ARE REVILED
1. Have No Fear
The first thing Peter tells them in this passage is to have no fear. Many times we fear others when they mistreat us. We are afraid of what they might say, what they might do and whether we will be able to defend ourselves and our faith in Jesus. We get scared that we might not know what to say or how to react.
Fear is that way. 365 times in the Bible, the phrase “Do not fear” or some form of this is used. Once for every day of the year, we have reminders not to be afraid. God is with us every day and Peter encourages his hearers to remember this. I want us to remember this as well. Do not be afraid. Remember that you have a family in Christ that supports you and will stand with you during these difficult times.
2. Don’t Worry
Peter’s words are not to be troubled. Don’t let these persecutions trouble you. It seems like a difficult thing to remember. When we are being mistreated and called names and accused, it can be hard to not worry about it. Our tendency is worry. I worry every day about something. Other drivers on the road, whether I will get my work done that I have scheduled. I worry about my family, my wife, my kids, my dad, my siblings. I worry about whether I left something running and if I turned it off.
But Jesus says not to worry.
MATTHEW 6:34 [NIV]
Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.
PHILIPPIANS 4:6-7
6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
3. Honor Jesus
Verse 15 of our passage in Peter says, “…in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy…”
When we seek righteousness, when we are following Jesus, we are making the choice to follow what is right and good. Jesus says we are blessed. So honoring Christ as holy is part of that. Continue to honor Jesus even when you are being persecuted. If you made it this far, keep going.
JAMES 1:12
Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him.
Remember blessed are you when you are reviled and persecuted…why? Matthew 5:12, “…for your reward is great in heaven…”
That’s the crown of life James is talking about in his letter which was also to the dispersion.
4. Prepare For Persecution
Not sure what to do in persecution? Well, we know it’s coming. Jesus said it would happen. So we should be prepared for it. With nasty comebacks and quips to return insult for insult? No! Peter says be “prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you.”
We are supposed to be prepared to share the Gospel with those who revile and abuse and call us names. What is the hope you have in Christ? Where does it come from? Why do you know that what Jesus has said is true? Share that! Know your Bible and be prepared to give people the reason why you committed your life to him! But do it with gentleness and respect.
This world is heavily aware of Christians who know Bible verses who are ready to shout them and repeat them at the highest decibel levels to respond to those who don’t believe. Some do it out of context, but some don’t. In all, we shouldn’t use the Bible as a weapon to hurt others by shouting bible verses in their faces. We speak to people gently. With love in our hearts. We give respect to others even when they don’t respect us. Why? Because of the hope we have. This is GOOD news not bad news, mean news, gotcha news. It’s supposed to be good.
5. Keep a Clean Conscience
In all of this, Peter urges us to keep our conscience clean. That means that we hold our faith and belief because we know where it comes from. We do good in our world around us so that when the accusations come, we do not have a bad record of ignoring our neighbors in their pain. That we do not have a bad record of saying mean and insulting things to others when they hurt us. When the accusations fly, we are known for being kind, gentle, and hopeful about our lives. Anyone making these accusations will be dismissed by the people who hear it because they will know – that is not Mike’s character. You are saying Mike did that? No, that sounds like a completely different person.
WE HAVE GOOD NEWS
Let’s share our good news. Let us be gentle and kind and hopeful. Let us remember these beatitudes and apply them as disciples of Jesus. Why are the Beatitudes such a beloved portion of the Bible for a Christian? I have an idea—its because they give us a portrait of Jesus and who we are becoming in him! At least who we are called to be and supposed to be.
No one sympathized with the spiritual beggars, the spiritually bankrupt, the poor in spirit, the sinful and broken world, the meek and submissive, the hungry, thirsty, naked, prisoners, the hungry for righteousness, the thirsty for righteousness, the people who needed mercy, the people who needed peace, more than Jesus.
No one sympathized and understood the persecuted, reviled, abused, and slandered more than Jesus.
When Jesus preached these Beatitudes, he spoke of knowing what he would be going through in just a few years’ time and what he would go through on that cross.
Jesus said, live in this way because when you do, you will be blessed and the rewards will be endless.
CONCLUSION
I encourage you to go back through and read the Beatitudes again. If it is helpful, go back and listen to the previous lessons on YouTube to hear the meanings behind what Jesus was teaching. Most of all, we as a church want to encourage each other.
We have another series of lessons coming up that will take these Beatitudes and Jesus will expand on the life of a Christian. Someone who is living a life pursuing righteousness, will continue to exude these principles.
The upcoming series will be called “Living Righteously” and will include the next 8 weeks of lessons from the Sermon on the Mount. You can see the lesson titles…hopefully you can connect them to the passages that follow the beatitudes and see where we will be headed and what we will talk about the next 8 weeks. In that 8 weeks will be our Easter service and it will be something not necessarily from the Sermon on the Mount but speaking more about what we do as followers of Jesus and how do we think about Jesus’ death and resurrection in the midst of being a disciple. Easter is on April 9th so I want to encourage you to invite your neighbors and friends.
We may have a number of guests on Easter as people tend to search for God around these major holidays. So if you see an unfamiliar face, I would love to see us be friendly and welcoming to anyone who comes. We should do that anyway, but especially with new faces. We are hoping to have some name tags so people can greet one another by name.
INVITATION
Going through the Beatitudes with you has been uplifting and encouraging to me. I hope it is to you too. This morning, if there is anything we can do to help, we would love for you to come forward so we can pray with you…
