BLESSED ARE THE PERSECUTED
Matthew 5:10-12
INTRODUCTION: Jesus finishes the great Beatitudes by talking about the
consequences of living the other beatitudes in their lives. For the faithful
Christian who lives these precepts persecution will surely come. He tells
us to rejoice when we suffer persecution.
BODY
I. THE FACT OF PERSECUTION.
A. Faithful Christians are told that they will be persecuted
for their faith.
1. Verse 12 - “Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is
your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before
you.”
2. 2 Timothy 3:12 - "Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ
Jesus shall suffer persecution."
B. Jesus said that His people would be persecuted for their
faith.
1. John 15:20, 21 - “Remember the word that I said unto you,
The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they
will also persecute you; if they have kept my saying, they will keep yours
also. “But all these things will they do unto you for my name's sake, because
they know not him that sent me.”
a. This promise, written first to the apostles, has been fulfilled
over and over in the lives of faithful brethren throughout history.
2. The servant is not greater than the master. If Jesus was
persecuted, which He was, then we can be assured of persecution.
II. THE REASONS FOR PERSECUTION.
A. We need to make sure we are being persecuted because we
are Christians- not because we have done something wrong or have a sinful
attitude.
1. Remember it should be for "righteousness sake."
2. 1 Peter 4:15 - "But let none of you suffer as a murderer,
or as a thief, or as an evildoer, or as a busybody in other men's matters."
B. Why are Christians persecuted?
1. Some are ignorant of Christianity and men are often afraid
of and lash out at what they do not understand.
a. Ignorance was one of the factors in the murder of Jesus.
I. Acts 3:17 - "And now, brethren, I wot that through ignorance
ye did it, as did also your rulers."
b. Paul was sincere in his persecution of Christian, but did
it ignorantly.
I. 1 Timothy 1:13 - "Who was before a blasphemer, and a persecutor,
and injurious: but I obtained mercy, because I did it ignorantly in unbelief."
2. Because those who live the Christian life are constant reminders
to the wicked of their lost and sinful condition. It is a constant reminder
of their sinful standing before God.
a. John 3:19-21 "And this is the condemnation, that light is
come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because
their deeds were evil. 20 For every one that doeth evil hateth the light,
neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved. 21 But
he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest,
that they are wrought in God."
III. THE SCOPE OF PERSECUTION
A. Jesus's words.
1. To revile and say all manner of evil suggest slanders and
falsehoods said against others.
2. Persecute in Matthew 5:11 literally means to pursue or chase
after.
3. Persecution can take many forms. It can be physical pain,
death, shunning by friends or family, public scorn, etc. Any way that is
used as punishment toward us because we are faithful Christians is persecution.
B. The extent of persecution.
1. Stephen was stoned by an angry mob - Acts chapter 7.
2. James the apostle was killed by King Herod - Acts 12:2
3. Paul suffered constantly because he was a Christian - 2
Corinthians 11:26-27
4. A catalogue of persecution - Hebrews 11:36-38
III. THE VALUE OF PERSECUTION.
A. It is an indicator of spiritual life.
1. Just as pain is an indicator that we are alive physically
and that our body is functioning properly, so persecution indicates that
we are alive physically.
B. It makes the world and its things less attractive.
1. 1 Peter 4:1,2 - “Forasmuch then as Christ hath suffered
for us in the flesh, arm yourselves likewise with the same mind: for he
that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin; That he no longer
should live the rest of his time in the flesh to the lusts of men, but
to the will of God.”
C. It can cause us to lean more strongly on the Lord for help.
1. Paul learned that God would be with him in persecution and
leaned on the Lord in time of need.
a. 2 Timothy 4:16, 17 - “At my first answer no man stood with
me, but all men forsook me: I pray God that it may not be laid to their
charge. Notwithstanding the Lord stood with me, and strengthened me; that
by me the preaching might be fully known, and that all the Gentiles might
hear: and I was delivered out of the mouth of the lion.”
IV. THE REWARD OF PERSECUTION - "THEIR'S IS THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN."
A. When we emerge from persecution faithful we will receive
the grateful reward of a loving Father.
1. Romans 8:17, 18 - “And if children, then heirs; heirs of
God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that
we may be also glorified together. “For I reckon that the sufferings of
this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall
be revealed in us.”
B. We will reign with Christ.
1. 2 Timothy 2:12 (NKJV) - “If we endure, We shall also reign
with Him. If we deny Him, He also will deny us.”
CONCLUSION: Archaeologists digging in the remains of a school for imperial
pages in Rome found a picture dating from the third century. It shows a
boy standing, his hand raised, worshiping a figure on a cross, a figure
that looks like a man with the head of an ass. Scrawled in the writing
of a young person are the words, " Alexamenos worships his God." Nearby
in a second inscription: "Alexamenos is faithful." Apparently, a young
man who was a Christian was being mocked by his schoolmates for his faithful
witness. But he was not ashamed; he was faithful. Let us never be ashamed
when we are persecuted, but remain faithful. “And they departed from the
presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer
shame for his name” (Acts 5:41).
Copyright 1999 by Grady
Scott may be reproducted for non-commercial purposes at no cost to others.
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