How Character Bears Fruit: The Proof of Righteousness

Introduction

Read Matthew 5:1-12

Matthew 5:1–12 (ESV)

Seeing the crowds, he went up on the mountain, and when he sat down, his disciples came to him.

And he opened his mouth and taught them, saying:

“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

“Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.

“Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.

“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.

“Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.

“Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.

“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.

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

“Blessed are you when others 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 so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

We are coming to the end of Jesus’ teaching on the Beatitudes. The Beatitudes are blessings that rest upon those who have hearts and characteristics that Jesus is describing here.

This morning, we are going to look at how blessing, happiness, and flourishing rest upon those who make peace and those who are persecuted and suffer for Christ’s sake.

Christ’s Righteousness Produces Peace and Reconciliation

Blessed are the peacemakers? What?

Keep in mind that as Jesus’ disciples are following Him, they are hoping that He is the king that will wage war against their enemies and secure the freedom that Israel has been waiting for centuries to receive. This is not what they were expecting or hoping for from Jesus.

Peacemakers are Called Sons of God

The Nature of God is to Bring Peace

The God of Peace

One of Paul’s favorite terms for God is the God of peace.

Romans 15:33 (ESV)

May the God of peace be with you all. Amen.

2 Corinthians 13:11 (ESV)

Finally, brothers, rejoice. Aim for restoration, comfort one another, agree with one another, live in peace; and the God of love and peace will be with you.

Philippians 4:9 (ESV)

What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me—practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.

Paul is constantly pointing people to God’s character and nature which is that of peace.

The Prince of Peace

Jesus, too, is known for His nature of peace.

Isaiah 9:6 (ESV)

For to us a child is born,

to us a son is given;

and the government shall be upon his shoulder,

and his name shall be called

Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,

Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

We also read in Luke 2 of the account of the angels coming to the shepherds at the time of Christ’s birth:

Luke 2:13–14 (ESV)

And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying,

“Glory to God in the highest,

and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!”

Christ’s purpose in coming was to bring peace in a world that was lacking peace.

Sin Destroys Peace

Adam & Eve - They hid from God when they sinned (broken peace between man and God)

Adam blamed Eve and Eve blamed the serpent (broken peace between created beings)

Cain out of jealousy killed his brother (broken peace between siblings)

Rampant wickedness before the flood (broken peace between all of mankind)

Tower of Babel (broken peace between the families of the earth)

Christ Came to Make Peace

Christ’s death on the cross reconciles us to God

Colossians 1:20 (ESV)

and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross.

Christ’s death on the cross has also purchased reconciliation between people

Christ prays that His people, who come to Him by faith will be one. Just as sin has broken our relationships with one another, so God’s grace given to us in Christ has made us one.

John 17:22–23 (ESV)

The glory that you have given me I have given to them, that they may be one even as we are one, I in them and you in me, that they may become perfectly one, so that the world may know that you sent me and loved them even as you loved me.

We cannot experience this peace outside of the finished work of Jesus on the cross. But as people who have come to God through faith in Christ, we should be known by the peace and love that Christ has created in us.

As People who Should be Marked by Meekness, we should be People Who Make Peace!

Notice that this attribute is developed within us as we are growing in meekness. As we are laying down the rights to our own wills and submitting ourselves to the will of God, then we are going to seek to make peace with those around us.

In fact, the thing that causes so much conflict around us is our insistence upon having our own will accomplished.

James 4:1–3 (ESV)

What causes quarrels and what causes fights among you? Is it not this, that your passions are at war within you? You desire and do not have, so you murder. You covet and cannot obtain, so you fight and quarrel. You do not have, because you do not ask. You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions.

As our hearts are transformed and we are becoming Meek, we will become Peacemakers as we see that God’s will is to bring peace to a world in conflict and we will want to submit our wills to His perfect will.

We are called to seek peace with others as much as possible

Live at peace (seek the best) with others

Romans 12:16–18 (ESV)

Live in harmony with one another. Do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly. Never be wise in your own sight. Repay no one evil for evil, but give thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all. If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all.

Seek Peace by Acknowledging Your Wrongdoing

Seek Peace by Lovingly and Humbly Communicating Your Own Hurts

Seek Peace by Lovingly and Humbly Fighting for Peace

We are also called to be ambassadors who seek peace between people and God

Humanity has been separated from God

Christ has come to bring us peace

2 Corinthians 5:16–17 (ESV)

From now on, therefore, we regard no one according to the flesh. Even though we once regarded Christ according to the flesh, we regard him thus no longer. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.

Because of Christ’s work on the cross, He has reconciled us to God. We now have peace with God because Christ took upon Himself our sin, the very thing that separated us from God and now we have received His righteousness.

We are now servants of reconciliation

2 Corinthians 5:18–21 (ESV)

All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

What does it mean that God has given to us the ministry of reconciliation?

Just as Christ was sent by the Father to come to earth to make reconciliation between man and God, so now as His people we are being sent out to bring reconciliation between God and people.

Now, understand, you and I cannot really save anyone. Only Christ can do that.

But we take part in this ministry of peace and reconciliation by showing others the peace that is available to them in Christ. As we go out preaching the Gospel, the good news of what Christ has done for us at the cross, we are fighting for peace.

This is what the Great Commission is all about. As Jesus tells us to go and make disciples of all nations, He is inviting us into the ministry of reconciliation. If we want to see peace come into this world, the only way that can happen is as people encounter Christ through His people and receive the true peace only He can provide!

Christ’s Righteousness Will Be Seen and Hated by the World

Not All Persecution Brings Blessing

Matthew 5:10 (ESV)

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

It is possible to face persecution because we have failed to walk in righteousness.

1 Peter 3:13–17 (ESV)

Now who is there to harm you if you are zealous for what is good? But even if you should suffer for righteousness’ sake, you will be blessed. Have no fear of them, nor be troubled, 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, having a good conscience, so that, when you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame. For it is better to suffer for doing good, if that should be God’s will, than for doing evil.

Just because we face trouble from people does not mean that we are facing persecution. It might just mean that we are facing the just consequences of sin or wrongdoing, or maybe because we have simply been difficult and disagreeable with others, or acted in a self-righteous way by acting like we are better than others.

Some people look for persecution by starting fights and arguments. But this is not righteousness, because we are meant to be Peacemakers not Troublemakers. Yes speaking truth will often times lead to trouble, but we should not be trying to look to start arguments. We are called to speak the truth in love.

We will not be blessed if we bring trouble upon ourselves because we have acted unrighteously or in a way unbecoming of the love and grace of Christ.

Jesus says blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness sake.

As people who hunger and thirst for righteousness, God has promised to fill us with righteousness.

What does this mean?

It means that as God fills us with His righteousness, keep in mind it is His righteousness, not my own self-righteousness, then I will begin to look more and more like Jesus.

I will be merciful to those who hurt me and to those who are caught in a lifestyle of sin, because I know Christ was merciful to me. So I will be compassionate as Christ was compassionate to others.

Then as Christ’s righteousness grows in me, I will become pure in heart towards God. I will develop not just a positional righteousness where I have been declared righteous, but my life will demonstrate Christ’s righteousness inside and out.

As a result of this purity of heart, I will be laying down my own will and seeking the will of God, so I will be actively pursuing peace with others, especially as I share the Gospel with others.

In short, as we look at these Beatitudes, we see the image of Christ in them. So as we are transformed into this image, we will be looking more like Christ in our life.

Christ will make us more loving and compassionate and holy and righteous than we could ever produce on our own. But as a result, the life He lives within us will stand in direct opposition to the values of this world.

John Piper says about these beatitudes:

So we can see why a life devoted to righteousness or godliness will be persecuted or reviled or spoken against.

If you cherish [moral purity], your life will be an attack on people’s love for [unbridled] sex.

If you embrace temperance, your life will be a statement against the love of alcohol.

If you pursue self-control, your life will indict excess eating.

If you live simply and happily, you will show the folly of luxury.

If you walk humbly with your God, you will expose the evil of pride.

If you are punctual and thorough in your dealings, you will lay open the inferiority of laziness and negligence.

If you speak with compassion, you will throw callousness into sharp relief.

If you are earnest, you will make the flippant look flippant instead of clever.

And if you are spiritually minded, you will expose the worldly-mindedness of those around you. (“Persecuted”)

Persecution is a Blessing Because It Shows We Belong to Christ

John 15:18–19 (ESV)

“If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you.

Christ is not telling us to rejoice for the persecution, but to rejoice because of what the persecution means for us. If we are truly being persecuted on Christ’s account, it means that we belong to Him. That is the blessing we are receiving.

How to Rejoice In Persecution

How do we rejoice when facing difficult times of persecution and rejection?

Identity with Christ

Matthew 5:11 (ESV)

“Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account.

Acts 5:40–41 (ESV)

and when they had called in the apostles, they beat them and charged them not to speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go. Then they left the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer dishonor for the name.

First, we realize that persecution for righteousness sake is God allowing us to be identified with Christ. There is a great honor to be had when people identify us with Christ and hate us because they hate Him.

The apostles in Acts had been preaching the Gospel when they were arrested and beaten before being released. And what was their response? They rejoiced that they were counted worthy to suffer dishonor for the name of Christ. They were not rejoicing simply for being beat. They were rejoicing because they got to identify themselves with the name of Christ.

When people look at you, do they see Jesus in you? Do you face scrutiny and rejection because they see so much of Jesus in you? Rejection and persecution always hurt, but rejoice in the fact that they see Jesus in you.

Continued Purification of Character

James 1:2–4 (ESV)

Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.

Next, rejoice because of how God uses persecution. This really goes back to the fourth beatitude again. If we are a people who hunger and thirst for righteousness, God is going to fill us with His righteousness.

How does He do that? One of the many ways He does that is through suffering and persecution. James tells us to count it all joy when we face trials and testing of all kinds because God is using those things to produce in us the character He is working to give to us. It is a chance to continue to be filled with His righteousness.

Much like we talked about the gold being purified last week, persecution is often the fire God uses to burn away the dross that still remains in our lives so that we can become more like Christ.

Rejoice that you are becoming more like Christ as you stand firm under pressure. And if you haven’t always stood firm, allow Christ to continue to mold your heart and to use the past to continue to form you and transform you into His image.

The Reward of Heaven

Last, but definitely not least, persecution is a sign of the world that we truly belong to. It is a reminder that we do not belong to this temporary world, but that we belong to the Kingdom of Heaven.

“Blessings” by Laura Story

We pray for blessings We pray for peace Comfort for family, protection while we sleep We pray for healing, for prosperity We pray for Your mighty hand to ease our suffering And all the while, You hear each spoken need Yet love is way too much to give us lesser things

Cause what if your blessings come through raindrops? What if Your healing comes through tears? What if a thousand sleepless nights Are what it takes to know You're near? And what if trials of this life are Your mercies in disguise?

When friends betray us And when darkness seems to win We know that pain reminds this heart That this is not, this is not our home It's not our home

Pain and persecution and sufferings are God’s merciful reminder that we have a better home, that we are simply wandering through the wilderness and we are not meant to get too comfortable here.

No matter what man may do to us here, they cannot take away our eternal home with Christ Himself.

Listen to Paul’s words to the Philippians:

Philippians 1:18–21 (ESV)

Yes, and I will rejoice, for I know that through your prayers and the help of the Spirit of Jesus Christ this will turn out for my deliverance, as it is my eager expectation and hope that I will not be at all ashamed, but that with full courage now as always Christ will be honored in my body, whether by life or by death. For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.

Paul is fully trusting that one way or another Christ is going to be honored. If he continues to live in spite of the persecution, then he will live to bring as much of Christ to this earth as possible and therefore make earth a little more like heaven each day. But if he dies, guess what, his persecutors can only usher him into heaven and into the presence of Christ. Either way, Paul rejoices because either he is living to bring heaven in the here and now or he will be going to heaven. But either way, he’s getting heaven as he lives for the honor and glory of Christ. He has no need to fear what man does to him and neither do we if we have placed our faith and trust in Christ as Savior and Lord!