Rejoice and be Glad

Matthew 5:11-12

Well, we have come to it. The final verse in the section of scripture called the Beatitudes.

The opening paragraph to the greatest and most practical sermon ever preached. The sermon on the mount.

Matthew 5-7 is the Lord Jesus giving instructions on how a Christian is to live and interact with other humans on Earth and interact with our Father.

Back at the beginning of the series, I started with verses 13-16 and talked about how being the salt and light of the earth was the key verses of the sermon on the mount. How Jesus says, so that they will see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.

So, the way that we act, the way that we treat others is supposed to point people to glory our God in heaven.

On the other side of that, can you see how when we do things that point to ourselves steals glory from God?

When we interact with others, are we being salt and light that points others to the Lord? For His glory!

We talked about how these Beatitudes are the work of the Holy Spirit inside of us, so that He can work outside of us.

These Beatitudes are what a Christian is remade to be. This is what the new life looks like. This is what a Christian is through the working and power of the Holy Spirit.

Think of them as identity statements for a Christian. Your new identity as a Christian is these beatitudes.

You have been remade to be meek and humble. But there are times that we act out of pride and self-righteousness. But by the HS, you can be humble if you allow Him to produce humility in your life. And He will! Either through voluntary surrender or circumstances.

So, here we are at the end of our Beatitude study. Looking at the final two verses.

I said, last week, that verses 10-12 are a little different than the rest of the Beatitudes in that they are more about how others will respond to you exemplifying the Christlikeness in your life.

When the HS, produces these attributes within you and you start to shine with the light of Christlikeness, others will react. Some will see your good works and glorify God!

Others will persecute you and hate you.

I say others because its not just the lost in the world that will persecute a Christlike Christian. Simply look through church history.

Who persecuted the apostles? Fellow Jews.

Who persecuted John Wycliffe for translating the Bible into the common language? The Church.

Who persecuted the reformers like Martin Luther? The Church.

Persecution is not simply the lost verses Christians. Sometimes those in the church can be just as guilty.

Let us for the last time read through these full verses of the Beatitudes and then we will look at verses 11-12 to close out our study.

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.

Last week, we looked at verse 10 and said, blessed are those are persecuted for being Christlike, for they will see a time and place where the authority, power and will of God is manifested on Earth.

This week is similar but different. Instead of simply persecuted, He added reviled and uttering all kinds of evil against you falsely.

What is the Lord trying to say here differently that the other verses.

Persecution can be a little vague term and unfortunately, the term can be overused.

So, let’s make sure we have our definitions correct.

The Greek word for persecution means to systematically oppress or put down or keep down and harass.

The Hebrew word for persecution means to chase, to hunt, to pursue in order to bring down.

In both verses 10 and 11, the same Greek word is used. So, why say it twice? I think the context of verse 11 helps clarify why.

Verse 11 says when others revile you.

Revile means to insult or denounce.

Insult means to speak to or treat with disrespect or open dislike.

Denounce means to publically declare something or someone is wrong or evil.

Also, following the word persecute is the phrase “utter all kinds of evil against you falsely”.

So, again we see spoken words, words that are not true. That are false.

That one is kind of self explanatory.

I think as we try to understand the definition of persecuted in this verse compared to the verse before, the context of the other two phrases can make clear that this definition of persecution has to do with words. Things people say.

Words that are insulting and disrespectful.

Words that are said publically that you are wrong or evil.

Words that come after you to bring you down or oppress you.

Words that are not based on truth but falsehoods.

(Emphasize) Words have great power.

Proverbs 18:21 (ESV)

Death and life are in the power of the tongue,

and those who love it will eat its fruits.

Words have the ability to bring life and death to others. Words have the power to cut deep and wound our hearts and souls. Words have the potential to build up, encourage and restore.

I believe that verses 11 and 12 are specifically talking about persecution of words against you.

I think we can all agree that words have power and all of us can think back to a time to where we feel like this has happened to us.

However, its important to remember that there are qualifiers in both verses 10 and 11.

Verse 10 says “for righteousness’ sake” meaning for being Christlike.

Verse 11 says “on my account”. Meaning because you were following what Jesus told you to do.

Both of these are important! these verses are discussing people whose primary motives are pursuing Christlikeness in their lives and are doing to things for Jesus, or on His account.

If you are doing something wrong, or for yourself, you can and should be called out on it according to scripture. There is a loving and helpful way of doing that. That is not what these verses are about.

However, if you are motivated by trying to be like Christ, by doing what is right and doing what He has asked of you, then these verses apply to you.

Do you see why the inner work of the Holy Spirit of the rest of the Beatitudes is so important?

He must do the work within us! And when He does, others will persecute us.

But as we see in this verse, there is a proper way to respond when this happens to you.

The Godly, Christlike response is to rejoice and be glad.

How and why can we do that?

First of all, it needs to be said, we should not seek out persecution and for others to speak against us. To seek persecution to claim to be persecuted and that is seeking self-righteousness, and is not seeking first the righteousness of Christ.

No one should rejoice in the persecution itself.

Rejoicing is a result of your perspective during such times.

The natural tendency is retaliation, resentment and depression. But through power of the Holy Spirit and our perspective, we can rejoice and be glad in a season of persecution!

What are those perspectives?

Our passage gives us three things to look at and we are going to go backwards through them.

Perspective number 1

You can rejoice because of the company that you are in!

Our main verse says rejoice, for your reward is in heaven and for they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

I’ll add to that list. Rejoice because you are in the company of the prophets, John the Baptist, the apostles, the early church fathers, the Christians in early Rome, and those who have been persecuted for the sake of Christ throughout the centuries of God making Himself known to mankind.

Rejoice! That’s good company to be in! That’s an honor!

Perspective number two is,

You can rejoice because you know that you are in Christ!

Philippians 1:27–30 ESV

Only let your manner of life be worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of you that you are standing firm in one spirit, with one mind striving side by side for the faith of the gospel, and not frightened in anything by your opponents. This is a clear sign to them of their destruction, but of your salvation, and that from God. For it has been granted to you that for the sake of Christ you should not only believe in him but also suffer for his sake, engaged in the same conflict that you saw I had and now hear that I still have.

He says, live a life like Christ! Pursue Christlikeness. Stand firm in one spirit, striving for faith.

Philippians 1:9–11 ESV

And it is my prayer that your love may abound more and more, with knowledge and all discernment, so that you may approve what is excellent, and so be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.

Be filled with the fruit of righteousness. Be like Christ!

He says, do not be afraid of your opponents.

He says your Christlikeness, is a sign to others of their destruction.

But to you their opposition, its a sign of your salvation!

Remember, Paul wrote Philippians from jail!

He goes on to say,

It has been granted to you that you are in Christ and you have been called to suffer for His sake.

Rejoice, persecuted Christian! You are in Christ! Its a sign of your salvation when you suffer for His sake!

You can rejoice because your eternal destiny is secure!

Martin Llyod-Jones says that persecution is the hallmark or label of a person’s destiny in heaven!

Your destination is fixed and persecution for the sake of Christ is an indicator of that for you!

This is a clear sign to you that you are in Christ and Christ is doing a work within you!

Rejoice! The Holy Spirit is sanctifying you into the image of Christ!

That’s a good thing to be excited about!

Do you see how your perspective makes a difference?

In Acts chapter 5, all of the apostles are arrested and told to stop being like Christ and teaching about Jesus. They said, we must obey God rather than man. And He told us to go to and make disciples in all nations.

They beat them and sent them away.

And verses 41 and 42 describe their perspective of that beating.

Acts 5:41–42 ESV

Then they left the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer dishonor for the name. And every day, in the temple and from house to house, they did not cease teaching and preaching that the Christ is Jesus.

It was confirmation to them that they were living like Christ or as both this passage and the Philippians passage says, they were living lives worthy of the gospel of Christ.

Persecution is a clear sign or your eternal destiny and that you are in Christ and He is doing a work within you. So, rejoice in that!

The third perspective is,

You can rejoice because there are great rewards in heaven that await you!

There are two ways that people typically look at rewards in heaven.

First, we don’t really know what they are. The Bible is not very specific. But the fact is, we are promised them!

There are two ways that you can view heavenly rewards.

One is that Jesus should be enough of a motivation for us and we should not need to promise of rewards to strive after Him.

I agree that rewards should not be our main motivator to pursue righteousness. Our love for our God and Lord and Savior should be our main motivator for our obedience.

The second way that you can look at rewards in heaven is that clearly in Scripture they are meant to be something to be looked forward to and hoped for!

Our main verse says as much! Rejoice for your rewards are great in heaven!

1 Corinthians 5 tells us that our works will be judged and we will be rewarded according to our works!

2 Corinthians 3 tells us that we will be rewarded for the things that each man has done!

Clearly, rewards are not meant to be our main motivator, that is always supposed to be love.

But we are clearly meant to hope for and rejoice in the eternal rewards promises us by the way we live!

So, we can rejoice when we are persecuted because there are rewards in heaven for those who are persecuted on Christ’s account!

Look, when persecution comes, your perspective, where you look will make all the difference in your reaction.

2 Corinthians 4:17–18 ESV

For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.

If we focus on the persecution, if we focus on the suffering, we will fall into the natural reaction of retaliation, resentment and depression.

But if our perspective is on the eternal or the unseen, we will be focused on the truths of who I am and where I am going and what’s waiting for me when I get there.

If your focus and perspective are on these things, then you will have many reasons to rejoice and be glad in persecution.

So, how do you get and keep that focus and perspective during times of suffering?

Colossians 3:1–4 ESV

If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.

John 15:5 ESV

I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.

Romans 8:5–6 ESV

For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit. For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace.

Galatians 5:16 ESV

But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.

Matthew 6:33 ESV

But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.

Do this with all of you mind, body, soul and strength! Be like the man who found a treasure in a field and went and sold all of his possessions to have it!

Be willing to lay it all down and give it all up to have Him!

Philippians 3:13–14 (ESV)

But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.

Press on, persecuted Christian! Strive ahead! Keep your eyes above and on the eternal! Do all that you can do to think about God and keep your focus on Him!

And rejoice! Because you know who you are in Christ, you know where you are going and you know what awaits you when you get there.

Focus on Jesus won’t be difficult there. We will see Him face to face.

Amen Church?