Happy Though Attacked

What do you do when attacked not physically but emotionally? Someone says something about us we do not like. Do you fight? Do you complain to your friends?

Most of us are like animals. Animals do one of two things, they run or they fight. Fight or flight response. Sometimes we can take it, and then rather than leaving it alone, we want to get back so rather than go to the person, we go to someone else and make them look bad. Those are for a normal response. Now, when people say those things about you being a Christian, what is your response? For most people, it is to shrink back.

Here we are in the last two beatitudes, and they are very similar, as they have to do with responding to persecution, and it should cause us to be happy. 1 Peter 3:14 “But and if ye suffer for righteousness’ sake, happy are ye: and be not afraid of their terror, neither be troubled;” Even the disciples in Acts 5:41 “And they departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for his name.”

We experience lower level persecution, and more emotional persecution, meaning people will view as us weird, and we’re afraid of what they think. Nothing new. 1 Peter 4:3–4 “For the time past of our life may suffice us to have wrought the will of the Gentiles, when we walked in lasciviousness, lusts, excess of wine, revellings, banquetings, and abominable idolatries: Wherein they think it strange that ye run not with them to the same excess of riot, speaking evil of you:” The difference between now and then, and here and other places is we’re just thought of as weird, rather than beaten up, or martyred, or in prison, we just have people thinking we are nuts. They do not take it to the next step. God calls us to live for Him even when persecuted.

Why should you be glad, that when you are attacked for living for the Lord?

You’re reward is great

God will reward those who live for God, and He will reward them for doing it inspite of opposition

God is not a monster. Think of someone who will put people in a bad situation and not reward them

When God allows people to go through persecution for righteounsess sake, He will greatly reward them. But in heaven, there will be

1 Corinthians 3:14 “If any man’s work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward.”

1 Peter 5:4 “And when the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away.”

There are some earthly rewards. One reward is your enemy is ashamed

1 Peter 3:16 “Having a good conscience; that, whereas they speak evil of you, as of evildoers, they may be ashamed that falsely accuse your good conversation in Christ.”

They will judged

1 Peter 4:4–5 “Wherein they think it strange that ye run not with them to the same excess of riot, speaking evil of you: Who shall give account to him that is ready to judge the quick and the dead.”

Other times God will deal with them

But ultimately God will reward those in heaven who lived for Him. He is teaching them, not to just focus on this life, because victory does not always seem like victory, here but rather that there will be a day when you experience the victory

The only way I can compare it, is to those who die in war. Those who die in war and their families are treated with great honor

You’re in good company

This is how the children of Israel treated the prophets, who were preaching repentance to the nations, they did not treat them well.

Amaziah the idolatrous priest, tried to get Amos kicked out of Judah

Jeremiah was thrown into prison, and a cistern

So Jesus is letting the disciples know what can be expected.

What is interesting is that the Pharisees and Jewish people held the prophets in high regard. Jesus is not comparing them to common criminals, and lowlives like the children of Israel viewed the prophets as during that time.

It is like Jesus is telling them, that they will be walking in the footsteps of heroes. Sports teams hold up their legendary athletes, and say their names

Scripture does this another time. It is this idea of following the actions of a esteemed group of people, even through hardship.The hall of faith section in Hebrews is letting the Hebrews know that by faith, the OT saints lived, and they can follow the Lord.

God will reward those who are faithful.