Blessed Are - Week 7

Blessed Are

10 God blesses those who are persecuted for doing right, for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs. 11 “God blesses you when people mock you and persecute you and lie about you and say all sorts of evil things against you because you are my followers.

Matthew 5:10-11

This text introduces us to the promise that a Godcentered life will be met with worldly resistance.

12 A deacon must be faithful to his wife, and he must manage his children and household well.

1 Timothy 3:12

3 and to keep you from being shaken by the troubles you were going through. But you know that we are destined for such troubles. 4 Even while we were with you, we warned you that troubles would soon come—and they did, as you well know.

1 Thessalonians 3:3-4

Suffering is a normal occurrence on the path of a Spirit filled and lead disciple of Christ.

“Suffering, then, is the badge of true discipleship. The disciple is not above his master.... That is why Luther reckoned suffering among the marks of the true church, and one of the memoranda drawn up in preparation for the Augsburg Confession similarly defines the church as the community of those "who are persecuted and martyred for the Gospel's sake." ... Discipleship means allegiance to the suffering Christ, and it is therefore not at all surprising that Christians should be called upon to suffer.” Dietrich Bonhoeffer (Cost of Discipleship)

We do not enjoy persecution, but God gives us a joy in persecution.

“The apostles left the Sanhedrin, rejoicing because they had been counted worthy of suffering disgrace for the Name.”

Acts 5:41

They were flogged for proclaiming the word, praying for the sick, and by the Holy Spirit seeing them healed.

24 Five different times the Jewish leaders gave me thirty-nine lashes.

2 Corinthians 11:24

Not all persecution is blessed.

“Sadly, Christians are very often persecuted not for their Christianity, but for lack of it. Sometimes they are rejected simply because they have unpleasant personalities. They are rude, insensitive, thoughtless—or piously obnoxious. Some are rejected because they are discerned as proud and judgmental. Others are disliked because they are lazy and irresponsible. Incompetence mixed with piety is sure to bring rejection.” Kent Hughes

What is the blessed persecution?

“Righteousness sake” v. 10

Where do we see what this righteous living looks like practically?

Why am I not experiencing persecution?

1) Many Christians live cut off from the world.

2) Many “christians” try to remain undercover.

3) Many “christians” are so like the world they are not rejected by the world at all.

Step 1: Approve the world's morals and ethics (at least outwardly) silence counts.

Step 2: Live like the world lives.

17 For our present troubles are small and won’t last very long. Yet they produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them and will last forever!

2 Corinthians 4:17

7 I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, and I have remained faithful. 8 And now the prize awaits me—the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give me on the day of his return. And the prize is not just for me but for all who eagerly look forward to his appearing.

2 Timothy 4:7-8