Sermon on the Mount: Persecution

Sermon on the Mount – Persecution

Matthew 5:10-12

Matthew 5:10–12 ESV

10 “Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 11 “Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. 12 Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

1. Introduction – The last Beatitude takes a dramatic and drastic turn from the previous one.

a. Last week, we were standing on feet, arms extended offering and making peace with the world around us.

i. This week, the image is of a Christian once again laid out flat…arms extended heavenward – once again seeking God’s filling.

1. But such is the journey and the cycle of the Christian life…the cycle of the Beatitudes.

a. We are emptied before God…emptied of self-reliance…emptied for pride.

i. We mourn over our sin, we are meek, seeing no importance in ourselves and considering others better than ourselves.

2. We come to a point where we are hungering and thirsting after righteousness…and we are filled by God.

a. And we take our new filling, we rise to our feet and we turn around and help those in need…

i. Those who are currently in the situation we were once in.

1. We are merciful, we are singularly motivated by bringing honour and glory to God’s name…no ulterior motives.

a. We make peace.

b. But what do we get in return for doing God’s work in the world?

i. Praise and adulation? A hearty handshake and a pat on the back?

1. Nope. We get persecution.

a. Doing God’s work in a world that hostile towards God will lead to persecution.

i. Always has…always will…and we shouldn’t expect anything different.

c. In fact, the truth of this Beatitude is so important, that Jesus saw it necessary to expand on it.

i. He adds some commentary to it…he makes sure his disciples understand what they are getting themselves in to.

1. So in vv.11-12 Jesus expands on the original Beatitude from v.10.

d. So this morning we are going to treat vv.10-12 as one Beatitude.

i. There’s a lot that needs to be clarified in these verses if we are going to fully understand it.

1. How are we blessed because of persecution? What is persecution?

a. How can we rejoice because of it?

i. These are some of the questions we’ll answer today.

1. Hear God’s Word – Matthew 5:10-12.

2. What it’s NOT – Before we look at the blessing of persecution, how we are to rejoice in persecution…

a. We first have to come to an understanding of what it is…and what it isn’t.

i. We’ll start by looking at what persecution isn’t.

b. First of all…that text doesn’t say, “Blessed are those who are persecuted because they are objectionable…or because they are being difficult.

i. If you bring persecution on yourself because you are hard to get along with…

1. Of if you are feeling pressured or persecuted because you object to anything and everything that is said and done…

a. Yes, that is difficult to handle, yes it is not pleasant to deal with and it is difficult for that season…

i. You may feel personally attacked, but that’s not what Jesus is referring to here in this beatitude.

c. Again, notice that it doesn’t say, “Blessed are those who are persecuted because they are fanatical…”

i. Being fanatical can most definitely lead to persecution, but fanaticism is never recommended in the Bible.

1. We aren’t blessed when we are persecuted or experience difficulties in life because of our own personal foolishness…

a. Or because we run our mouth too much, or we lack personal insight, compassion or empathy to others…

i. Jesus isn’t blessing the persecution we bring on ourselves for doing something dumb.

d. We have to note that there is something every specific that Jesus says about the kind of persecution that is blessed.

i. Not difficult people, objectionable behaviour, foolishness of being fanatical…

1. Those will all eventually lead to hardships and difficulties…but not what Jesus refers to in this extended beatitude.

3. What it is – So what is it? What kind of persecution is blessed?

a. Well, notice that caveat that Jesus says in v. 10…and it is amplified in vv.11

i. Persecuted…for righteousness’ sake…or in v.11 – persecuted…on my account or because of me.

1. A few weeks ago, we looked at what righteousness is.

a. We saw that the word righteousness is used in several different ways in the Bible.

i. Righteousness can refer to God’s mighty acts of salvation.

1. The crossing of the Red sea, saving Israel, sending Jesus – all acts of God’s righteousness.

b. Righteousness can also refer to a Christian’s status before God.

i. Christians are declared righteous by God’s grace and mercy through their faith in Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross.

2. And righteousness is a response.

a. Having experienced God’s mighty acts, having been declared righteous before God…

i. Christians determine to live a life conforming to the ways of God.

1. So, we do justice, love kindness and walk humbly with our God.

a. We care for the widow and orphan; we preach the good news of salvation through the blood of Jesus.

ii. We develop godly habits. We worship regularly, we read our Bibles, we pray.

1. We develop in the fruit of the Spirit; we use our spiritual gifts…

b. We are poor in spirt, we mourn over our sin and the sins of the world, we are meek in our dealings with others…

i. We are merciful, we are pure in heart, we are peacemakers…

1. And all the while, as the 4th beatitude says, we are hungering and thirsting after what??? After righteousness…

ii. But here comes a solemn, a reminder that we don’t belong to this world, that we are indeed resident aliens here on earth…

1. Because he is a solemn reminder that the world we live in rejects righteousness…God’s righteousness. Oh, it loves self-righteousness…but it rejects God’s.

a. And it persecutes those who seek after God’s righteousness.

i. Those who seek if first, who hunger and thirst after it.

2. And here Jesus tells us that the very thing which Christians should long after the most will be the source of their persecution.

b. That is the kind of persecution Jesus is talking about.

i. For righteousness’ sake – persecution for doing God’s work in this sinful world.

1. But here’s something to consider…this isn’t the only place in the Bible where persecution for righteousness’ sake is blessed.

a. 1 Pet. 3:14 – Even if you should suffer for righteousness’ sake, you will be blessed.

i. 2 Pet. 4:14 – if you are insulted for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you.

2. In 2 Tim. 3:12 – Paul writes to Timothy – a young pastor who was struggling with persecution…and Paul writes this to him…

a. All who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.

c. And remember – this sermon on the mount - these Beatitudes were given to Jesus disciples.

i. People who had already decided to follow him, but people who were at the beginning of their journey with him.

1. And right at the beginning, Jesus gives his followers a realistic picture of what a life following him will entail.

a. If you live like this…if you hunger and thirst for righteousness

i. When you are merciful, when you try to make peace…you can expect persecution…it will bring on persecution.

ii. This is what happens when 2 opposing worldviews come head-to-head.

4. Looks like what??? – So what does persecution for righteousness’ sake look like?

a. Well, there’s the obvious, physical abuse, imprisonment and martyrdom.

i. But Jesus mentions none of those things in vv.11-12.

1. First, Jesus elaborates ‘for righteousness’ sake” by adding – “on my account.”

a. That helps clarify what kind of persecution he is talking about.

i. Persecution for doing his work, for following in his footsteps.

2. Jesus said, “The servant is not greater than his master…if the world hates you its because it hated me first…”

a. Since Jesus, the king of kings and the Lord of lords, the Son of God, the Messiah…

i. Since he was persecuted by this world, his followers can expect it to happen to them.

b. Jesus says ‘You’ – and notice that this Beatitude changes format.

i. All the other Beatitudes say, “Blessed are those…”

1. But the phrase changes here…it’s more direct.

a. You are blessed…you, my followers…not a hypothetical “those who are…” but you, I’m looking at you…you are blessed when people revile you because of walk with Jesus…

i. You are blessed when people utter all kinds of evil against you falsely…that falsely is a key word…it’s not persecution if true things are being said about you…

1. When people spread falsities about you…because of your faith in Jesus…that’s the kind of persecution Jesus is talking about here.

5. Blessed? – And Jesus said we are blessed when this happens to us? Absolutely…here’s why.

a. One – because as we already looked at, when we are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, we are following in the footsteps of Jesus.

i. There’s an incredible passage in the book of Acts…in Acts 5.

1. The disciples were arrested, beaten and then released…

a. Most people would be discouraged and hide, but the disciples left rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer dishonour for Jesus’ name.

b. And at the end of v.12, Jesus mentions the prophets.

i. And here’s why he does. To show his disciples the kind of spiritual heritage they entered in to.

1. Look back through the OT – and the great men of God…all experienced persecution for righteousness’ sake.

a. Whether Able, or Moses, or Elijah, Elisha, Jeremiah…Daniel….they were all persecuted for righteousness sake.

i. The prophets of God were continually ostracized by their society because they brought God’s righteousness into a sinful nation.

1. And when the disciples were persecuted for righteousness’ sake…because of their association with Jesus…their names were added to the list.

c. This is what happens when men and women step out into the world.

i. When they dare to be different from the world…Absolutely there will be success. Yes, we will sin souls for Jesus, we are promised that…

1. But we should also expect people to revile us and make false statements about us.

a. And when that happens, we should be encouraged because we enter in to a rich spiritual heritage.

i. The prophets, the apostles, the early Christians, the early Church Fathers.

1. William Tyndale, the Reformers, the Puritans, Hudson Taylor, other missionaries, Dietrich Bonhoeffer…

a. Our brothers and sisters who today are experiencing persecution…

ii. There is a long and rich heritage that we enter into when we are persecuted because of Jesus.

ii. Now hear me on this…it doesn’t mean that we go out and look for persecution…it doesn’t mean that we enjoy the persecution when it comes.

1. But it does mean that we have eyes to see what is really happening…worldviews clashing and we are being counted worthy to suffer dishonour for Jesus’ name.

6. Reward – So how is that Jesus can command disciples to rejoice in the face of persecution?

a. Here’s how I want you to think about persecution.

i. We need this perspective. Remember Revelation shows us that persecution is going to ramp up and increase.

1. As God’s kingdom moves closer…as the 7 seals are broken, as the 7 trumpets are blown…and the 7 blows are poured out…

a. As God’s kingdom moves closer and closer to its full consummation…the world reacts violently to it’s coming.

i. And as God’s kingdom moves closer…the world ramps up its efforts against God’s people…they pursue and attack them…

2. But here’s the good news…it will never defeat us.

a. The ungodly, Satan, has been trying for millennia to wipe us out…and it just isn’t going to happen.

b. So when we are persecuted for righteousness’ sake…reviled because of Jesus…we can rejoice…why?

i. Because the persecution actually serves to affirm our faith.

1. If you are sincerely doing God’s work in this world…and you experience pushback, revision and persecution because of it…

a. It need not discourage you…as if you did something wrong or you weren’t eloquent enough or effective enough…

i. No – the persecution is a sign that you did something right!

2. It’s a sign that you are truly doing God’s work – that you are working out your salvation.

a. That you are working in Jesus’ name in this world.

i. Persecution, from a disqualification or a discouragement, actually works to affirm your faith.

c. And finally this morning, look at the middle part of v.12

i. Great is your reward…where??? In heaven.

1. Notice it doesn’t say ‘on earth.” In Luke’s parallel to the sermon on the mount, he writes, “who to those who get the approval of man now?”

a. Those who seek the approval of man will get what they want…and only what they want…man’s approval.

ii. But if we are persecuted for bringing Jesus’ counter-cultural message into this world – it serves to affirm our heritage and our heavenly reward.

1. Being persecuted for righteousness’ sake…for Jesus’ sake should actually encourage us, not discourage us.

a. It should serve to embolden us…not cause us to shy away.

d. Persecution serves to affirm our faith and affirms that we are indeed doing something right in our faith.

i. And it serves to prove that our heavenly reward is secure.