The Right Expectations
Notes
Transcript
Intro: I came to faith in Christ in the mid 1990’s (1996)—
It was also the era when being a Christian was culturally acceptable and even gained you an advantage.
Of course, some people may think you were strange, but culturally evangelical Christians held tons of influence in society.
If you were a Christian it worked in your favor for your business.
I had a relative who owned a large used car dealership in the Pittsburg area, and he intentionally advertised his business on the local Christians radio station.
J.I. Packer wrote a book Hot Tub Religion that I read probably 20 years ago. It was written in the era when Christianity in North America was exploding in growth; mega-churches were being built in the suburbs right and left.
“The hot tub experience is….relaxing, floppy, laid back: not in any way demanding….but very nice even to the point of being great fun. Many today what Christianity to be like that”
It may burst the bubble, or draining, the water from the tub, but…
We don’t live in those times.
E.G. A Gaullp survey done in the Spring came out with the news that church attendance has fallen below 50 percent for the first time in 80 years.
Now, compared to many other parts of the world—church attendance in America is still stunning.
The fact is, being a Christian in America is not a hot-tub experience.
It’s not simply that we live more in Post-Christian culture,
The teaching of Jesus Christ does not promote “Hot Tub Religion”
If Jesus had ended the beatitudes with “Blessed are the peacemakers” —it would have had the potential to set in some false expectations of discipleship; so he strategically end with something more sobering
—It sets the right expectation for us….
Several expectations are set for disciples,
EXPECT PERSECUTION TO COME
EXPECT PERSECUTION TO COME
Now at first it may seem strange for Jesus to follow up a beatitude on peacemaking with one on persecution; the seem on opposite ends of the spectrum
Q: If we are doing the right, hard work of peacemaking—shouldn’t things work smoothly?
Later in the Gospel, Jesus makes a pretty blunt statement about peace:
“Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I have not come to bring peace, but a sword.
-The message of Christ does indeed divide people, even people who are naturally close.
Being a disciple does not mean that we slap a Coexist number sticker on our car, hold hands with everyone of different faiths, and celebrate how much we have in common.
Following Jesus means we take to heart a Savior who makes exclusive statements about himself, the way of forgiveness, the way to heaven.
There is a timeless expectation laid out in the Bible
Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you.
Jesus lays the exceptions to his followers—expected persecution to come
—The verb for persecute, is used 4x in this chapter
—It means to harass someone, abuse, inflict suffering (physical, verbal, emotional) can even be used to describe running someone out of town (Mt 10:23)
—The tense of the verb describes a persecution that started in the past, but continues into the present
Now the surprising thing is that being opposed should be a normal part of discipleship—
Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted,
“Persecution is a token of genuineness, a certificate of Christian authenticity” (John Stott)
Apply: It’s good to remind ourselves that everything in the beatitudes are normal for spiritual health
**IF any of these are lacking, we should ask: what’s wrong?
Apply: Why am I not being persecuted?
The persecution Jesus describes has a few flavors:
1) Persecution for righteousness sake (5:10)
First means that disciples will be people of two things: 1. Righteous convictions 2. Righteous character
ML-J says this is one of the most searching of the beatitudes; he may be on to something, because it asks if our discipleship is the real deal
It simply means that our lives are Christlike enough that we stand out
We need to make a distinction from being persecuted because we are offensive (trying to offend), combative, overzealous.....No, this is simple for “Righteousness” —Being like Christ
E..G. John the Baptist (Mt 14:3-4)
For Herod had seized John and bound him and put him in prison for the sake of Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife, because John had been saying to him, “It is not lawful for you to have her.”
Note that John was put in prison (ultimately died) because he confronted the lose sexual standards that went against God’s Law
**There is nothing new under the sun......
Let’s say you stand on the authority of what the Bible says about sexuality, gender (No X), marriage, Do you think you will win more friends with that stand?
If we remain neutral with righteousness, people may speak well of us—“Those nice Christians….so accepting of all people”.
“Woe to you, when all people speak well of you, for so their fathers did to the false prophets.
Apply: And it’s here where being a faithful disciples is very unique. Our calling is to stand firmly on what the Word of God says without wavering, but also care deeply about the lost souls of those who are entrenched in lies. It’s rare to see this done well
2) Persecution for Jesus’s sake
First, there is a simple reminder that a disciple is one whose’e life is dominated by Christ
A disciple has a clear aim of living “For the sake of Christ”
….and that in and of itself invites persecution
Note again the flavors
-revile—verbal abuse
persecution—Often it involves some type of loss (e.g. thrown into prison=loss of freedom)
False witness—untrue, false stamens made
Apply: Expect Persecution. Without being alarmist, our society is not moving in a friendly direction toward either Righteousness, or The Lordship of Jesus.
--Let’s also “remember those in chains” (Heb 13:3) —some live in place where the persecution is hot.
Get well acquainted with info through VOM.
If we have enough discretionally time to consume on things trivial news, entrainment, sports….we have the time to investing getting informed, praying for the persecuted church
EXPECT TO REJOICE
EXPECT TO REJOICE
Persecution and joy do not naturally seem to go tougher; they don’t sound like two peas in a pod
—Jas 1:2
The clear example of this is laid down in the early church
Then they left the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer dishonor for the name.
Apply: This once again reinforces how all these beatitudes have the supernatural woven in them.
I’m never going to be naturally joyful when people attack or abuse me.
How will I react in my own flesh?
—Retaliate (not rejoice)
—Self-pity
—Joyless endurance
I was brought up with a strong emphasis on not quitting, finishing a job, sticking with it, grinding it out. Trying to pass that on to the next generation.
My temptation then, is to endure—but not necessarily do it with joy
BUT—the Spirit of Christ helps and enables us to respond in a Christ-like way
looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.
Apply: Jesus endured the cross with joy, because he had his heart set on the right reward; int he case of 12:2—being seated at God’s right hand
But I want to stress one critical thing—this is a command.
Rejoice in that day, and leap for joy, for behold, your reward is great in heaven; for so their fathers did to the prophets.
The ability do to this can only mean two things
1) Jesus is that real to us, and we see him as that worthy
2) No-one take away what is ultimate
EXPECT THE REWARD
EXPECT THE REWARD
At the end of the day, we are so motivated unconsciously by reward in almost everything we do; we always choose what we think is the highest good.
Also, our emotions are shaped by what we value
Apply: One of the best ways to know what we value most is to trace our emotions. What makes us happy, sad, mad.
Here Jesus makes the connection for us—rejoicing and gladness are an emotional response. The only way they are going to happen is if our value is in the right place
Two views of rewards
1. That the faithful who endure get extra rewards (greater reward)
2. That the reward itself is great. But all of us get the same reward
The reward is heaven
to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you,
I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.
This does not deny that Jesus teaches there will be more stewardship based on how we stewarded things in this life (e.g Mt 25, Parable of Talents)
But the joy we are commanded is based on the the same reward we are all seeking—Christ himself!
Apply: Friends, does the very mention of heaven actually fill us what a joyful anticipation?
Christians, at their best, have set their hearts and highest hope in heaven
If you want to hear preachers who took heaven seriously, and emphasized it in their sermons—you got to look the Puritans. They had their highest hope and hearts set in heaven.
Thomas Watson: “Heaven must be in us, before we are in heaven”
Richard Baxter (Saints Everlasting Rest) “Bathe thy soul in heavens delights”
Baxter defined heaven as “the perfect endless enjoyment of God by the perfected saints”
Even John Bunyan’s Pilgrims Progress where the final arrival is the Celestial City
*Spend 12 years in jail, and Im sure your heart and highest hope is set in heaven
John Flavel: “It is better for departed saints to be where they are, than where they were”
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.
As we close, are we expecting the reward? Is our hope and heart really set in heaven?
Bonhoeffer: “WIth every beatitude, the gulf is widened between true disciples and all the rest”
May God give much grace for us to grow and thrive, bearing much fruit, and proving to be Christ’s disciples.
As we close, are we expecting the reward? Is our hope and heart really set in heaven?
Bonhoeffer: “WIth every beatitude, the gulf is widened between true disciples and all the rest”
May God give much grace for us to grow and thrive, bearing much fruit, and proving to be Christ’s disciples.