Blessed are the Persecuted
Matthew 5:10-12
I Peter 3:13-22
Four hundred years ago, they were beginning to come. From Spain, France, England, and Holland they came. They came searching for riches, fame, and glory. They came because of the innate curiosity of human beings. They came because they shared the most human of desires: to see what is around the next bend, over the next mountain, or beyond the horizon. They were willing to face the peril of the seas, the unknown of the American wilderness, strange and threatening natives, and their own limitations. They arrived on the northern New England coast, in Virginia, in the Carolinas, Georgia, and on the Florida peninsula.
As the migration from Europe began to grow, they came seeking freedom. Those who were oppressed by governments, by the established church, by poverty, and by circumstance came hoping for a new life.
The Puritans came; the Quakers came; the Congregationalists came; the Baptists came; the Methodists came. They came desiring to worship as they pleased and to live out their lives before God in the manner they deemed most worthy.
As the colonies grew, so did the desire to form a new nation. Unjust taxation, non-representation in government, suppression of ideas, and persecution of those who dared to disagree; these all became part of the social, political, and moral landscape. It finally became so intolerable that good citizens felt justified to band together for the purpose of forming a new nation.
On July 2, 1776, in Philadelphia, the Continental Congress adopted the resolution, introduced by Richard Henry Lee and John Adams, which actually declared independence from Great Britain. It declared, in part, ``that these United Colonies are, and of right ought to be, free and independent states, that they are absolved from all allegiance to the British Crown, and that all political connection between them and the state of Great Britain is, and ought to be, totally dissolved.’’ The Declaration, which explained why the Colonies (now States) declared their independence, was adopted by the Continental Congress July 4, 1776. The leading draftsman was Thomas Jefferson, assisted by John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, Robert R. Livingston, and Roger Sherman. A portion of the text follows:
The Declaration of Independence of the Thirteen Colonies
In CONGRESS, July 4, 1776
The unanimous Declaration of the thirteen united States of America,
When in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature’s God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.
We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness. That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed. That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness.
The Declaration ends with these stirring words:
And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of Divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes, and our sacred Honor.
We stand here today, 229 years later, and give thanks for the vision, the wisdom, and the sacrifice of our early American mothers and fathers. We are grateful that we have been granted the privilege to live in such a place as this: a place of freedom, of laws, of justice – a place where we can worship without fear. We owe a profound debt of gratitude to those who through the generations have been willing to place the welfare of the nation above their own comfort and safety. We owe our prayers to those who this very day, stand in harm’s way as they serve the nation we all cherish.
As we worship here today, I pray that we might remember not only the nation, but the Lord without whose grace, we would not stand. Let us never forget that as precious as our homeland is, as thankful as we are to live in the finest democracy in world history, as wonderful as the blessings of political liberty are: our first and foremost allegiance is to almighty God. The democracy we revere can only be strengthened when we seek God’s presence in our individual lives as well as our corporate gathering.
We’ve come to our final sermon in this series on the beatitudes – “Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness sake…” I want to talk about that in the context of one of the factors that I believe makes the United States great. I believe that our greatness is found, in large measure, in our diversity.
Diversity is always a challenge, because it quite often breeds conflict. With conflict, we break down into opposing sides, with each side trying to gain a power and influence advantage over the other. And sometimes, that power is abused. When that happens, Christians will sometimes be misunderstood, maligned, and marginalized. That is when the words of Jesus become so powerfully important.
I am thankful that our democracy allows for diverse political opinions. I thank God for Republicans, and Democrats, and Independents, and Libertarians, and every other sort of political party and ideal. I am thankful, not because I believe they are always right; not because I believe that every opinion is equally valid; but because I believe that divergent voices ought to be heard. I am thankful because I believe that our greatness is found in the free flow of ideas.
One of the things that I hope you know about me is that I find my foundation for living in the life, teaching, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. I firmly believe that Jesus is the Way and the Truth and the Life. I believe that we are healed through his suffering and victory over the forces of evil that contend with the kingdom of heaven. I believe that Jesus is the hope for the world and the meaning of all life. My life and ministry flow within the ancient stream of Christian teaching and example. God claimed me at my baptism and has not forsaken me yet.
Knowing that, you might perhaps find my next few words puzzling. Just as I am thankful for the divergent themes of political thought in the United States, I am also grateful for different streams of religious thought. We have a wonderful nation which has become a mosaic of religious expression. Not only do we have infinite varieties of Christians, but we also enjoy the participation in civic life of our Jewish brothers and sisters. We also acknowledge the presence of Buddhists, Muslims, Hindus, and other non-Christian religions.
You may disagree with me with me here – this probably isn’t something you expect your pastor to say - but while I believe Jesus to be the hope of the world and Christianity to be the force which has the greatest opportunity to change the world for good, I believe that the presence of other faith traditions serves to enliven our discussions, enrich our corporate life, and sweeten our relationships.
I am not saying that I believe all religions to be equal, all paths to be the same, or all belief systems to be legitimate – because I don’t. I am saying that when we listen to each other, in our religious as well as our political discussions, we might be surprised to learn from each other. For example, from Muslims we might find enrichment through their example of prayer. Five specific times a day, they stop and offer prayers to God. I would venture a guess that we could all learn to pray with more frequency and more passion. From Buddhists, we could learn the routines of quiet, solitude, and meditation. We are too often too busy to slow down and contemplate the wonders and richness of the Kingdom of God. From Hindus, we could perhaps learn a more caring and respectful relationship with all of God’s creation. I believe that we can learn from those with whom we disagree, without compromising or sacrificing ourselves or our firmly held foundation stones of belief. And besides, if there is anything needed in the world today, it is the ability to discuss rather than argue, seek friendships rather than hunt for enemies, and wage peace rather than resorting to violence.
All of this brings us to the lesson for this morning. “Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when people revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you” (Matthew 5:10-12). Now you may be wondering how I got here.
Sometimes, speaking the truth of God is not easy. It is not always an easy ride to proclaim the centrality of Jesus. Realizing the greatness in diversity which exists in our nation, and which we celebrate, does not absolve us of our right and our duty to speak the truth, honestly and powerfully. When Christians do that in the midst of divergent opinion, we can expect opposition.
The Old Testament prophets were not afraid to speak the truth to the nation of Israel when it denied justice or ignored God. They paid the price. The Apostle Paul unashamedly went to the centers of pagan religion and proclaimed Christ as the true Savior. He paid the price in Roman jails and under the executioner’s sword as he sought to win souls not through coercion, but through persuasion. When the Roman Empire sought to enlist Christians’ allegiance to the state over their commitment to Christ, these early believers chose martyrdom rather than acquiescence.
Christians open themselves to slander and abuse simply because of who they are. Christians see the world differently. We see humanity differently. We see different possibilities and different potentials.
While some say “hate” Christians say “love.” While some say “retribution” Christians say “do not return evil for evil.” While some counsel the loathing of one’s enemies, Christians insist on praying for those who would seek to do us harm. While some shout and yell, Christians invite all to the table of friendship. While some carry a big stick, Christians carry the power of the still, small voice of God. While some find strength in arms, Christians find strength in weakness. While some find solace in big bank accounts, overflowing stock portfolios, and rich retirement plans; Christians put their trust in God to provide for the faithful. While some cling to a sort of social Darwinism, Christians insist on justice for the least among us. While some are content to approach the world without faith, Christians insist that they could not exist without it.
Christians stand as those ready with an answer. When confronted, we are those who are prepared to offer our defense. In the face of those who slander and accuse, we stand equipped to uphold the truth of Christ. We are those who are promised blessing upon blessing because of our commitment and our faith. We are the ones who will rejoice in heaven because our witness was heard.
Today, we honor this great nation of diversity. Whether we know it or not, we have all been enriched by the great melting pot of ideas. We give thanks for all the blessings we have been allowed to possess. But diversity, in political opinion or religious faith, is a two-edged sword. While we respect and love others, others will not always respect and love us back. We will not however, use other’s hatred to justify our own. In this diverse nation, Christians will sometimes feel as though they are suffering the slings and arrows of misunderstanding and hostility. Jesus promises that those who are so misunderstood, will be the bearers of eternal light.
“Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”
