THE PRIVILEGE OF THE PERSECUTED

Matthew 5:10-12

INTRODUCTION:               

We’ve spent almost two months studying the Beatitudes that Jesus pronounced at the beginning of the Sermon on the Mount.  We have learned that some of these characteristics may not seem so very blessed when we first read them but if we look closely enough, we can see some appeal to the virtues that Jesus was promoting.

§         It is better to be merciful to others because they are more apt to be merciful to us.

§         Meekness, that strength under control, really is a better way to go than to live with your strength out of control.

§         Purity of heart (singleness of purpose)…who can quarrel with that?

Yes, many of these virtues bring a blessing.  But what about this last one? 

^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.

What kind of masochist considers it a privilege to be persecuted for his faith?

You see, the bliss that Jesus promises to the people of his Kingdom is not always the joy of the condition itself.  Sometimes, it is the joy of the reward that issues from that condition.  That is the case here.  Jesus is not saying that it is a blessing to be belittled, beaten, battered and even killed for your faith.  The blessing is not in the condition of being persecuted but there is a blessing that can result from being persecuted.

The person who considers it a privilege to be persecuted for his faith is the person who recognizes that such persecution is evidence that his life is calibrated with God.  Will you join me to look at this unlikely blessing?

To begin with, let’s consider:

I.                     THE INEVITABLE SUFFERING

A.     The nature of the persecution

Perhaps we should define what Jesus meant when he spoke of persecution.  He actually used a number of different terms as he spoke of this blessing.

The first term he used was “persecute”.  He said, “Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness.”  In the original language, the term “persecuted” meant, “to be pursued, run down or driven out” and it came from a root word meaning “to hasten, to run or to press on.”  The image is the same as when a pack of dogs are running down their quarry.  Whether it is a raccoon, a fox or any other prey that is hunted by a pack of dogs, the image is the same: something is running for its life and a pack of hounds is on its heels.  That is the nature of the persecution that Jesus says his followers will experience and from which they will derive a blessing.

My point is: Jesus was talking about serious persecution, not just minor annoyances.  That being the case, perhaps we should think of:

B.     The source of the persecution

Ultimately, there are two sources for the persecution of the saints.  One source of persecution for the Christian is the world within the church. 

We sing, “I have decided to follow Jesus; I have decided to follow Jesus; I have decided to follow Jesus.  No turning back; no turning back.”  “The world behind me; the cross before me.”  But it is a sad fact, but a fact nonetheless, that not everyone who is a part of the church has left the world behind.  And of those who have, some, in reality, do turn back.  The result is that like it or not, we end up with a measure of the world in the church.

We can be carnal.  We can be petty, selfish, self-seeking and proud.  Somehow, we need to get more of the church in the world and less of the world in the church.  To the extent that the world intrudes into the church, to that extent Christians will hurt one another.

But the persecution of the Christians does not just come from the world within the church; it also comes from the world outside the church.  In some places, Christians must pay dearly to follow Jesus. 

On April 28, Clay City Christian Church will be hosting the Kingdom Builders monthly meeting.  We have decided to have Dr. Nash Naam, the renowned hand surgeon, speak that night.  This gentle Christian brother from Egypt will be speaking about the plight of Persecuted Christians in other parts of the world.  If you will permit me, I’d like to steal his thunder and tell you ahead of time: Christians in some parts of the world are being persecuted for Jesus.  And Jesus says they will be blessed if they endure through the persecution.

If the source of the persecution of the disciples of Jesus is the world, both without and within the church, then what of:

C.    The reasons for the persecution

Sometimes Christians are persecuted because Christianity is misunderstood.  For instance, because of the terrible legacy of the period of the Crusades, I am not surprised that Moslem peoples do not have warm feelings about Christians.  We left them with a gross misunderstanding of what Christianity is and who Christians are.

Sometimes Christians are persecuted because, under God, they communicate the truth and confront the lies.  Liars hate to be exposed and Christians must explain the truth and expose the lies.

Sometimes, Christians are persecuted because their very presence and lifestyle convicts other people.  The person who tells dirty jokes is pretty uncomfortable around people who won’t laugh and who refuse to enter into his ribald revelry.  Gossips don’t like people who won’t gossip.  The truth behind this fact is the reason that many recovering alcoholics are lonely: their drinking buddies don’t want anything to do with them if they will no longer engage in the same behaviors as they did.  Not only that, often, that recovering alcoholic will find that his old drinking buddies even make fun of him and harass him now – because his changed life convicts them of their unchanged lives.

Sometimes, Christians are persecuted just because they are different from the world.  Peter wrote about this in I Peter 4:3-4.

For you have spent enough time in the past doing what pagans choose to do—living in debauchery, lust, drunkenness, orgies, carousing and detestable idolatry. ^4 They think it strange that you do not plunge with them into the same flood of dissipation, and they heap abuse on you.

And, sometimes, Christians are persecuted simply because they are Christ’s.  If they belong to him, they will likely suffer the same fate that he did.

Well, if that is the persecution of the Christians, how are we to respond when persecuted?

II.                   THE INTENDED RESPONSE

A.     How NOT to respond to suffering

Instead of beginning with how to respond to persecution, maybe we should start by talking about how not to respond to suffering. 

We are not to retreat from suffering.  That is, we are not to fail to live for Jesus just because it might be painful.

And we are not to retire from suffering; we are not to sulk, pout and feel sorry for ourselves because of it.

And we are not to retaliate when we suffer.

B.     How TO respond to suffering

Instead, Jesus said we are to rejoice and be glad.  We are to have a joyful disposition in our whole person – not just in spite of suffering but even because of suffering.

And we are to be glad.  The expression Jesus used is a compound word that means to “leap exceedingly, to exalt, to preen, plume, adorn and make resplendent.”  Jesus said that when you are persecuted, you should strut your stuff.  You should be full of joy and flaunt it.”

III.                THE INCOMPARABLE REWARD

There is a benefit that accrues to those who have suffered for their faith.

A.     Now: the Kingdom of Heaven.  Jesus said, “Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”  Those who suffer for their faith receive God’s saving presence here as well as in the hereafter.

B.     Then: great reward in heaven.  Jesus said, “Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven.”  Now pay careful attention.  Jesus was NOT saying that those who suffer for their faith will merit a place in heaven.  We cannot earn our salvation; we cannot merit our reward.  Rather, the picture is that of the sufferer receiving a priceless gift from a grateful Father who appreciates his faithfulness.  And wouldn’t you love to hear your Father say, “Well done”?

C.    Also: the assurance of salvation (Philippians 1:27-29).  Paul taught that the suffering of the saints is evidence of the fact that they are saved.

IV.               THE INSPIRATIONAL COMPANY

Jesus wants us to know that when we suffer for our faith, we are keeping excellent company.  Just look at those who have suffered for the Lord.

A.     Prophets – Jesus said, when you are persecuted for your faith, “Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.”  The Jews persecuted their prophets for doing God’s will so if you suffer for doing God’s will you are in excellent company. 

B.     Apostles – Not only were the prophets persecuted for their faith, so were the apostles.  Acts 12:2 says that James was put to death by the sword.  What happened to most of the other apostles we only know from tradition.  According to tradition, Bartholomew was beaten to death with a whip while preaching in what is now Turkey.  Andrew was crucified on an X-shaped cross.  Thomas was stabbed to death with a spear while serving in India.  Matthew, the man who wrote this gospel account, is believed to have died a martyr’s death by sword while he was in Ethiopia.  On and on it goes.  In fact, of all the apostles, the only one who is thought to have died a natural death is John, who for years, had languished in prison on the island of Patmos.  So, if you are persecuted for your faith, you are in the inspirational company of the apostles.

C.    Countless other saints of all the ages have suffered at the hands of persecutors of the church.  The author of the book of Hebrews describes us as being surrounded by a great cloud of witnesses and that crowd in the cloud includes those who:

were tortured and refused to be released, so that they might gain a better resurrection. ^36 Some faced jeers and flogging, while still others were chained and put in prison. ^37 They were stoned; they were sawed in two; they were put to death by the sword. They went about in sheepskins and goatskins, destitute, persecuted and mistreated— ^38 the world was not worthy of them. They wandered in deserts and mountains, and in caves and holes in the ground.

D.    And then, of course, Jesus, himself was tortured and ultimately killed for simply doing God’s will.  So if you suffer for your faith, you are a part of his inspirational company, too.

CONCLUSION:                  

No wonder Jesus would say:

^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.

For the follower of Jesus, there is a straight road from the call to the cross to the crown.  Will you walk the way of the cross that leads home?

INVITATION:            # 162    – “The Way of the Cross Leads Home”

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