Happy Are the Persecuted

Matthew 5:10 ESV

“Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

5:3–12 The Beatitudes can be understood in at least four ways: (1) They are a code of ethics for the disciples and a standard of conduct for all believers. (2) They contrast Kingdom values (what is eternal) with worldly values (what is temporary). (3) They contrast the superficial “faith” of the Pharisees with the real faith that Christ demands. (4) They show how the Old Testament expectations will be fulfilled in the new Kingdom. These Beatitudes are not multiple choice—pick what you like and leave the rest. They must be taken as a whole. They describe what we should be like as Christ’s followers.

5:3–12 Each beatitude tells how to be blessed by God. Blessed means more than happiness. It implies the fortunate or enviable state of those who are in God’s Kingdom. The Beatitudes don’t promise laughter, pleasure, or earthly prosperity. Being “blessed” by God means the experience of hope and joy, independent of outward circumstances. To find hope and joy, the deepest form of happiness, follow Jesus no matter what the cost.

5:3–12 With Jesus’ announcement that the Kingdom was near (4:17), people were naturally asking, “How do I qualify to be in God’s Kingdom?” Jesus said that God’s Kingdom is organized differently from worldly kingdoms. In the Kingdom of Heaven, wealth and power and authority are unimportant. Kingdom people seek different blessings and benefits, and they have different attitudes. Are your attitudes a carbon copy of the world’s selfishness, pride, and lust for power, or do they reflect the humility and self-sacrifice of Jesus, your king?

Persecution has a way of purifying us. As Christ-followers are no longer the center of society, there will be new blessings that arise. James, the half-brother of Jesus, wrote: “Consider it a great joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you experience various trials, because you know that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its full effect, so that you may be mature and complete, lacking nothing” (Jas. 1:2-4)

James says trials, which can be translated as persecutions, are used by God to stimulate our growth in endurance, and endurance enhances our capacity for spiritual maturity as disciples of Jesus.

Persecution is like holy fertilizer that sinks into the soil of our hearts and minds, producing Christlikeness as we respond to Jesus in faith. Even persecution is redeemable in God’s society.

What the enemy means for evil, God uses to produce good in our lives. Persecution tests our faith. [Lifeway Adults (NaN). (p. 96). MasterWork Personal Study Guide - Summer 2023. Lifeway Press. Retrieved from https://read.lifeway.com]