Blessed Are The Persecuted
Notes
Transcript
Opening Scripture
A Psalm of David.
LORD, who shall abide in thy tabernacle? who shall dwell in thy holy hill? He that walketh uprightly, and worketh righteousness, and speaketh the truth in his heart. He that backbiteth not with his tongue, nor doeth evil to his neighbour, nor taketh up a reproach against his neighbour. In whose eyes a vile person is contemned; but he honoureth them that fear the LORD. He that sweareth to his own hurt, and changeth not. He that putteth not out his money to usury, nor taketh reward against the innocent. He that doeth these things shall never be moved.
Text:
Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness’ sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed and happy and enviably fortunate and spiritually prosperous (in the state in which the born-again child of God enjoys and finds satisfaction in God’s favor and salvation, regardless of his outward conditions) are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake (for being and doing right), for theirs is the kingdom of heaven!
Blessed, happy, fortunate, rich, well-off are they which are persecuted for righteousness sake:
Persecuted, pursued with malignity, with intent to cause harm. Because of righteousness sake.
Righteousness: justice (fairness), right moral standing according to God’s standard, goodness. Later in Jesus discourse, he goes into depth about what righteousness is according to God’s standard.
When you stand for righteousness the unrighteous will always pursue you. The unrighteous will attack you.
When you stand for righteousness the unrighteous will always pursue you. The unrighteous will attack you.
How will they attack you, there are three ways in which a saint of God can be attacked: physical, mental, and spiritual.
How will they attack you, there are three ways in which a saint of God can be attacked: physical, mental, and spiritual.
Physical: manifests as assault and battery.
Mental: manifests as attacks on the psyche.
Spiritual: manifests as attacks on your faith.
(Thought):
Your faith in God will propel you towards righteousness.
Your faith in God will propel you towards righteousness.
Abraham believed God and it was counted towards him as righteousness (Gen 15:6).
In order to receive the kingdom of Heaven (future-tense) it takes one being endowed with patience:
In order to receive the kingdom of Heaven (future-tense) it takes one being endowed with patience:
Strengthened with all might, according to his glorious power, unto all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness;
We also pray that you will be strengthened with all his glorious power so you will have all the endurance and patience you need. May you be filled with joy,
[We pray] that you may be invigorated and strengthened with all power according to the might of His glory, [to exercise] every kind of endurance and patience (perseverance and forbearance) with joy,
*** read in context***
In order to be blessed and to receive the kingdom of God you are going to have to suffer for doing right.
Not only suffer persecution from others, you will suffer persecution from the other fellow too.
You will suffer from the world’s mechanisms.
Your flesh is going to have to suffer if you want to do what is right.
So then, since Christ suffered physical pain, you must arm yourselves with the same attitude he had, and be ready to suffer, too. For if you have suffered physically for Christ, you have finished with sin.
Cross-references:
The LORD render to every man his righteousness and his faithfulness: for the LORD delivered thee into my hand to day, but I would not stretch forth mine hand against the LORD’S anointed.
Sometimes there seems to be no immediate effect on righteousness. This means that there are times in which you may not be immediately rewarded for your righteousness. David, although he had the power to take matter into his own hands knew that if he did the right thing, that the LORD would render/pay every man according to his right doing and his faithfulness.
Jesus understood this and was preparing the disciples for rough times ahead. Sometimes there would be no immediate benefits but Jesus was encouraging them and depositing a wealth of knowledge for them to remember when times got rough for them that payday would come after awhile.
Evidently this spiritual deposit worked because Peter expounds upon the teachings of Jesus in his epistle (1 Peter 3-4 chapters starting with v.13). These two chapters deal with suffering, how to suffer well, why you suffer, and the blessings of suffering.
But even if you suffer for doing what is right, God will reward you for it. So don’t worry or be afraid of their threats.
Let’s back track a bit:
Remember that the true apostolic doctrine was the teachings of Jesus Christ as told to the apostles. So when we look at Matthew 5th chapter and we compare this with what Peter is writing in his letter, we see that Peter is applying the teaching of Christ to the recipients of this letter. How so? Lets look at Peter’s letter:
Finally, be ye all of one mind, having compassion one of another, love as brethren, be pitiful, be courteous: Not rendering evil for evil, or railing for railing: but contrariwise blessing; knowing that ye are thereunto called, that ye should inherit a blessing. For he that will love life, and see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips that they speak no guile:
Finally, all of you should be of one mind. Sympathize with each other. Love each other as brothers and sisters. Be tenderhearted, and keep a humble attitude. Don’t repay evil for evil. Don’t retaliate with insults when people insult you. Instead, pay them back with a blessing. That is what God has called you to do, and he will grant you his blessing. For the Scriptures say,
“If you want to enjoy life
and see many happy days,
keep your tongue from speaking evil
and your lips from telling lies.
Be unified and sympathize with each other.
Love each other as brothers and sisters.
Don’t repay evil for evil, don’t retaliate with insults when people insult you.
When people insult you, pay them back with a blessing.
By doing this, God will grant you his blessing (make you happy, favor).
Okay so on the love deal:
A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.
Don’t repay evil for evil.....well Jesus commented on that later on in his Sermon on the Mount:
Ye have heard that it hath been said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth: But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also. And if any man will sue thee at the law, and take away thy coat, let him have thy cloke also. And whosoever shall compel thee to go a mile, go with him twain. Give to him that asketh thee, and from him that would borrow of thee turn not thou away.
Don’t retaliate.
So why is Jesus telling his disciples this? Because if they are truly his disciples (followers) then followers emulate their master.
You have to be able to take somethings. Why? Because Jesus took some things for us.
Christ suffered for our sins once for all time. He never sinned, but he died for sinners to bring you safely home to God. He suffered physical death, but he was raised to life in the Spirit.
Thought: God will help you if you lean upon Him!
This High Priest of ours understands our weaknesses, for he faced all of the same testings we do, yet he did not sin. So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most.
I need help to get here, but my God I believe the LORD will help me to achieve it. Remaining the same is not an option.
Peter furthermore expounds upon Christ’s teaching by saying this line “but contrariwise blessing”.
But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;
Let’s look at verses 10-12 of 1 Peter 3rd chapter:
For he that will love life, and see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips that they speak no guile: Let him eschew evil, and do good; let him seek peace, and ensue it. For the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and his ears are open unto their prayers: but the face of the Lord is against them that do evil.
For the Scriptures say,
“If you want to enjoy life
and see many happy days,
keep your tongue from speaking evil
and your lips from telling lies.
Turn away from evil and do good.
Search for peace, and work to maintain it.
The eyes of the Lord watch over those who do right,
and his ears are open to their prayers.
But the Lord turns his face
against those who do evil.”
So when you are persecuted for righteousness sake and you hold to the prescribed instructions, Jesus says you are blessed because the Kingdom of Heaven is yours (present and future-tense). How does the kingdom of Heaven belong to me presently? Because the kingdom of Heaven is the rule of God in the hearts and minds of his people. This means that God is right now ruling in your heart and mind, it means that you are already a citizen of the kingdom of God.