Blessed Are the Persecuted

It says in Mark chapter 1 verse number 4, "John the Baptist appeared in the wilderness preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins and all the country of Judea was going out to him and all the people of Jerusalem and they were being baptized by him in the Jordan River confessing their sins and John was clothed with camel's hair and wore a leather belt around his waist and his diet was locusts and wild honey and he was preaching saying after me one is coming who is mightier than I and I am not fit to stoop down and untie the thong of his sandals I baptize you with water but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit."

Several characteristics about this man. He was a man with great audacity. He was the kind of man when he came up on the scene, he came preaching repentance. The text says that all those in Judea and all those in Jerusalem were coming out to him and being baptized. He preached a baptism of repentance based on the forgiveness of sins. He came out of the wilderness like a locomotive. He had a burning kind of message and there would be nothing that would thwart his giving forth of that message. Whenever the Pharisees came along and didn't like what he said, he just called them a bunch of brood of vipers. Even among the royalty King Herod, he would even confront that man his adulterous relationship. He backed down from no man. He backed down from no woman. He was a great man by the words of our Lord Jesus Christ.

But he was also a man of simplicity. He was not a complex kind of man. He was a very simple kind of man in the message he delivered. He preached repentance and remission of sins. In the manner in which he dressed, it was a protest against the godlessness and self-serving materialism of his day. He confronted the sinful culture. He confronted the materialism. He confronted the worldly people of his day by living a simple kind of lifestyle that focused on God.

He was also a man of integrity. He lived a life of faith. He lived a life of truth. He spoke truth. The Bible says in John 1 verse number 7 that he was a witness. He came bearing forth the testimony of the one that would come after him. Even Herod would call him a righteous and a holy man. But he was also a man of humility, one who said that it was the Lord Jesus who must increase, he himself must decrease.

It's interesting to note that this man, the greatest man that ever lived, performed no miracles. Very simple man, but he was a man who had a calling, a very purposeful calling, a man that was predicted to come and pave the way for the Messiah. If you were to study this man in detail, you'd fall more in love with this man and his ability to stand firm for the truth. It would give you great encouragement to even be stronger in your testimony for the gospel as you studied him. Great man of God he was because he had a godlike character.

And yet this man was murdered for what he said, for what he did and how he lived. Herod's wife Herodias was a steamy seductress and she had pulled John off of the speaking circuit, arrested him, threw him into prison and had him beheaded. If you were to read the story it reeks with inequity. John lost his head because of Herod's rash vow and Herod's lust. The good is murdered while the bad rejoices. So you have to ask the question: is this how God rewards his anointed? Is this how God honors those who are faithful?

To answer that we got to look at what Jesus said in Matthew chapter 5 verses 10 to 12. Jesus said these words: "Blessed are those who have been persecuted for the sake of righteousness for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when men cast insults at you and persecute you, say all kinds of evil against you falsely on account of me. Rejoice and be glad for your reward in heaven is great, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you."

This 8th beatitude is probably the most controversial of the eight. In our time together this evening we're going to cover the same points we have covered the last few weeks. We want to define if you use the condition, describe the consequences, detail the characteristics and determine our course.

First of all, the condition. Let's define the condition. Look at three things. First of all it's personal, second it's promised, and third it's painful. That's always great encouragement for those who want to follow the Lord - it's a painful experience.

But number one, it's personal. You'll notice that each of the beatitudes given before this one is given in the third person: "blessed are those," "blessed are they." This one begins that way, verse number 10: "Blessed are those who have been persecuted for the sake of righteousness for theirs is the kingdom of heaven." But right on the heels of that, the Lord Jesus follows it up and makes it very personal when he says, "Blessed are you when men cast insults at you and persecute you and say all kinds of evil against you." Christ had to repeat the statement about being blessed because the persecution, because it's so contrary to what we believe, it's so contrary to what we want to see happen in our lives. That's why so many people don't want to live the beatitude kind of life - they don't want the natural consequences of that life. You say, Jesus is looking, "If you want to follow me and you're really serious about following me, this is the natural consequence. This will happen."

Not only is it personal, it is promised. Paul said it very well in 2nd Timothy 3 verse number 12 that "all those who live godly lives shall suffer persecution." It was said of Moses in Hebrews 11:25 that "he chose to suffer the affliction with the people of God than to compromise his stand with God and stay in Egypt." So Moses knew that if he decided to follow God, he would suffer the affliction along with the people of God.

But thirdly I want you to notice it's painful. It's painful. We're not talking about punishment, we're talking about persecution. There's a difference between the two. You are punished by good men for doing evil, but you are persecuted by bad men for doing good. Over in John chapter 15 these words are recorded by Jesus in verse number 18: "If the world hates you, you know that it has hated me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love its own. But because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. Remember the word that I said to you, a slave is not greater than his master. If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they kept my word, they will keep yours also."

When a Christian is not being persecuted in some way by society, then he is reflecting that society, not rebuking that society. Think about it, which is the main point.

Number two, describing the consequences. Describing the consequences. There are three consequences I want to give you that Jesus gives you. Number one is this: if you are persecuted for righteousness sake, you have what we call a glad heart. A glad heart. The Bible says this: "Blessed are those who have been persecuted." In fact, Christ repeats it. You are the ones who are doubly blessed. You're blessed if you mourn over your sin. You're blessed if you're poor in spirit. You're blessed if you're merciful. You're blessed if you're gentle. You're blessed if you hunger and thirst for righteousness. But you are doubly blessed if you live that kind of life and people persecute you because of it.

So Christ says, "Rejoice and be glad." Maybe your text says, "Rejoice and be exceedingly glad." Now why do we rejoice? Are we exceedingly glad because we're being persecuted? Do we rejoice because people are spitting in our face and because they are falsely accusing us? Is that what we rejoice about? No, that's not what we rejoice about. No one enjoys persecution. The point is when you're persecuted you encounter joy. The psalmist said over in Psalm 119 these words: "Princesses persecute me without cause," verse 161, "but my heart stands in all thy words. I rejoice at thy word as one who finds great spoil."

People say, "I'm just not happy in the Christian life. I find no joy in the Christian life. I'm just not satisfied in the Christian life." All you have to do is take him back to Matthew chapter 5 verses 1 to 12 and ask him which of these beatitudes they are not seeking after, they are not following, they are not living in accord with. Because this is the blessed life. You live this life, you will never say, "I have no joy." You will never say, "The Christian life is boring." You will never say, "I'm unsatisfied." Why? Because Jesus says this is the blessed life. These people have a glad heart.

These people have what is called a glorious home. That's point number two. "Blessed are those who have been persecuted for righteousness sake for theirs is the kingdom of heaven." Go back up to verse number three. The kingdom of heaven is the byproduct of those who are poor in spirit. The promise of the beatitudes is that Christians become kingdom citizens both now and forever.

Now note this: the reason these people have a glad heart is because they have a glorious home. They know that their real home is awaiting for them. They know that the Lord has gone ahead of them and is preparing a home for them and that one day he's going to come back and take them to that home. So note this: no matter what happens to them on the earthly realm, it really is of no significance. Why? Because you see there's a home awaiting them, a home that the Lord himself has built. That's what gives them a glad heart as well, because they have a home in the kingdom of heaven.

Over in 2nd Corinthians chapter 4 Paul would say this in verse number 17: "For a momentary light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison while we look not at the things which are seen but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporal but the things which are not seen are eternal."

Number three, they have great honor. Why? Number one, because they have a great crown. The Bible says that you're a blessed person. "Rejoice and be glad." Why? "For your reward in heaven is great." Isn't that good? But not only is there a great crown, there's great company. There's a great crown in the future, but you know what? Right now you are among great company. For the text says, "For so they persecuted the prophets who were before you." That good? Hey, guys like John the Baptist, guys like Peter and John and Paul and Jeremiah and Isaiah and all those great men of God. Folks, what a classy bunch of people to be associated with. You know you can tell a lot about a person's character by the people he hangs around with, right?

Let me ask you a question: do the people know that you're a classy guy because you have a life like the prophets who were beaten and scourged and sawn in half, like those in Hebrew chapter 11 of whom the world was not even worthy of, but God was worthy of them? And God gave them a great crown. He puts them among a great company of people, those who were not afraid to back down from anything.

It was Samuel Rutherford, that st. Lee Scottish pastor, who wrote from a filthy prison sty these words: "I never knew by my nine years of preaching so much of Christ's love as he taught me in Aberdeen by six months of imprisonment. Christ's cross," he said, "is such a burden as sails are to a ship or wings to a bird."

Those are the consequences. Is that what you want in life? It's available. God says it's yours. You can be doubly blessed, not just blessed but having a blissful life more than you could ever imagine. And you know what? There are very few Christians that ever experienced that blissfulness, isn't there? And that's a shame because Jesus offers it. Jesus wants to do more for you than you can ever imagine. He wants to do more through you than you could ever imagine.

We've said it before: the greatest hindrance to you serving God and being a great man of God or a great woman of God is not others - it's yourself. It's not your kids, not your wife, not your boss - it's you.

So what are the characteristics? Let's detail those for you of these people who are persecuted. Three things. Number one, they are verbally abused. They are verbally abused. This gets rather interesting here, so follow this through with me if you will. "Blessed are you when men cast insults at you." You're a blessed man when you're insulted. You're a blessed man when you are reviled. It's a word that means to cast in one's teeth. It's the same word used in Matthew 27:40-44 of the thieves also. It says who were crucified with him cast insults in his teeth. They mocked him as they hung on the tree. They scorned him. When you revile someone, you abuse him with vicious and mocking words.

Over in Matthew 26 verses 67 and 68, when Christ was before the Sanhedrin after his arrest in the garden, he was spat upon, he was beaten, and he was taunted with these words: "Prophesy to us, you Christ, who is the one who hits you? If you're really the Christ, go ahead, prophesy to us. You can't prophesy, you're not the Christ." He was insulted. He was verbally abused by everyone around him.

It says over in 1st Corinthians chapter 4 these words of those in Corinth who really did not suffer much nor receive much ridicule from the world because they prized their standing in the world more than they prized their standing before God. So Paul would say in 1st Corinthians 4 verse number 9 these words: "For I think God has exhibited us apostles last of all as men condemned to death because we have become a spectacle to the world, both the angels and the men. We are fools for Christ's sake, but you are prudent in Christ. We are weak, but you are strong. You are distinguished, but we are without honor." How are you in the world?

And second of all, not only are you verbally abused, but you're physically attacked. He says, "Blessed are you when men cast insults at you and persecute you." The word "persecuted" is from a word that means to pursue until the death or to chase away. It came to mean to harass or to treat in an evil manner. It's used of Stephen in Acts chapter 7 when they pursued him out of the city and sought him until they were able to capture him and stone him and kill him. The point is you are chased out of worldly places because nobody in the world wants you. That's the point. The men of God, the women of God in the scriptures were not silent people. They spoke the truth and they suffered because of it.

So there's verbal assaults, there's physical attacks, and thirdly, people will falsely accuse you. It says that they will "say all kinds of evil against you falsely on account of me." People will accuse you of things you never did. You ever been there? People will say things about you that you never said. It was said of Jesus in John 9:34 that he was accused of being an illegitimate son of a Roman soldier. Says in John 8:48 that Christ himself was to have a devil when he was the one who went around casting out demons of people's lives. Psalm 35:11: "They laid to my charge things that I knew not."

Insults and abusive words are said to our face, but these evil things are said behind our backs. We don't hear them firsthand, we hear them secondhand, third hand. Matthew 11:19 was said of Jesus: "Behold a gluttonous man and a drunkard, a friend of tax gatherers and sinners." They spoke behind his back and falsely accused him. Yet they said that about the sinless one. What more would they say about us who follow in his footsteps? Faithfulness always has a cost that the true Christian is willing to pay.

Second century Christian leader Tertullian was once approached by a man who said these words: "I have come to Christ but I don't know what to do. I have a job that I don't think is consistent with what the scriptures teach. What can I do?" he asked. "I must live," he said. And Tertullian replied, "Must you?" Think about it. Must you live? Is it worth it? To some of us it is. To be prepared for kingdom life is to be prepared for loneliness, misunderstanding, ridicule, rejection and unfair treatment of every sort. This is not a happy message tonight, but it's a truthful message. And because it's a truthful message, God promises blessing to those who obey his word.

So what about you? Where do you go from here? Let me give you three principles as we close, as we determine our course. Three questions you got to ask yourself. What is this: will you live the life? Do people see Jesus Christ in your life? If they see Jesus Christ, they will either be drawn to him or they will hate you because of him. Those are the only two options. What do they see? Will you live the beatitude kind of life? You have to ask and answer that question.

Number two: will you pay the price for living that kind of life? 2nd Timothy chapter 2 verse number 11: "It is a trustworthy statement: for if we died with him, we should also live with him. If we endure, we should also reign with him. If we deny him, he also will deny us. If we are faithless, he remains faithful to deny you, for he cannot deny himself." That's how it's read. It does not say that if we are faithless it's okay, God is still faithful to you. That's not what the text says, but most translators translate that way. If you're... it's okay, God is still faithful to you. Folks, if you are faithless, you are the ones who have demonstrated the fact that you deny him. And if you deny him, the text says that he will deny you. The promise is this: if you are faithless one, Christ promises to disown you because he cannot deny himself. That's what it says. Think about it.

Will you live the life? Will you pay the price? And lastly, will you receive your reward? Christ says, "Look, you want to obtain the reward? You've got to come to me on my terms. You've got to follow me the way I have prescribed. You've got to lose your life that you might find it. What will you give in exchange for your soul?"

You say, "I'm not sure I can do that." And my response to that is, "You're right, you can't." But you know what? You've got to ask yourself the question: are you willing to do that? You see, if you're willing to do that, then Christ will enable you. If you're not willing, nothing will change because the Christian life is a supernatural life. The point is: how blessed you want to be? Christ says, "I'll bless you more than you can ever imagine. Follow me and see what happens."

Lee Scottish pastor who wrote from a filthy prison sty these words I never knew by my nine years of preaching so much of Christ's love as he taught me in Aberdeen by six months of imprisonment Christ's cross he said is such a burden as sails are to a ship or wings to a bird in quote those are the consequences is that what you want in life it's available God says it's yours you can be doubly blessed not just blessed but having a blissful life more than you could ever imagine and you know what there are very few Christians that ever experienced that blissfulness isn't there and that's a shame because Jesus offers it Jesus wants to do more for you than you can ever imagine he wants to do more through you than you could ever imagine we've said it before the greatest hindrance to you serving God in being a great man of God or a great woman of God is not others it's yourself it's not your kids not your wife not your boss it's you so what are the characteristics let's detail those for you of these people who are persecuted three things number one they are verbally abused they are verbally abused this gets rather interesting here so follow this through with me if you will blessed are you when when men cast insults at you you're a blessed man when you're insulted you're a blessed man when when you are reviled it's a word that means to cast in one's teeth it's the same word used in in Matthew 27 40 44 of the thieves also it says who were crucified with him cast insults in his teeth they mocked him as they hung on the tree they they scorned him when you revile someone you you abuse him with vicious and and mocking words over in Matthew 26 verses 67 and 68 when Christ was before the Sanhedrin after his arrest in the garden he was spat upon he was beaten and he was taunted with these words prophesy to us you Christ who is the one who hits you if you're really the Christ go ahead prophesy to us you can't prophesy you're not the Christ he was insulted he was verbally abused by everyone around him it says over in 1st Corinthians chapter 4 these words of those in Corinth who really did not suffer much nor receive much ridicule from the world because they prized their standing in the world more than they prized their standing before God so Paul would say in 1st Corinthians 4 verse number 9 these words for I think God has exhibited us apostles last of all as men condemned to death because we have become a spectacle to the world both the angels and the men we are fools for Christ's sake but but you are prudent in Christ we are weak but you are strong you are distinguished but we are without honor how are you in the world and second of all not only are you verbally abused but you're you're physically attacked he says blessed are you when men cast insults at you and persecute you the word persecuted is from a word that means to to pursue until the death or to chase away it came to mean to harass or to treat in an evil manner it's used of Stephen in Acts chapter 7 when they pursued him out of the city and sought him until they were able to capture him and stone him and kill him the point is you are chased out of worldly places because nobody in the world wants you that's the point the men of God the women of God in the scriptures were not silent people they spoke the truth and they suffered because of it so there's verbal assaults there's physical attacks and thirdly people will falsely accuse you it says that they will say all kinds of evil against you falsely on account of me people will accuse you of things you never did you ever been there people will say things about you that you you never said it was said of Jesus in John 934 that he was accused of being an illegitimate son of a Roman soldier says in John 8 48 that Christ himself was to have a devil when he was the one who went around casting out demons of people's lives and Psalm 35 11 they laid to my charge things that I knew not insults and abusive words are are said to our face but these evil things are said behind our backs we don't hear them firsthand we hear them secondhand third hand Matthew 11 19 was said of Jesus behold a gluttonous man and a drunkard a friend of tax gatherers and sinners they spoke behind his back and falsely accused him yet they said that about the sinless one what more would they say about us who follow in his footsteps faithfulness always has a cost that the true Christian is willing to pay second century Christian leader Tertullian was once approached by a man who said these words I have come to Christ but I don't know what to do I have a job that I don't think is consistent with what the scriptures teach what can I do he asked I must live he said and Tertullian replied must you think about it must you live is it worth it to some of us it is to be prepared for kingdom life is to be prepared for loneliness misunderstanding ridicule rejection and unfair treatment of every sort this is not a happy message tonight but it's a truthful message and because it's a truthful message God promises blessing to those who obey his word so what about you where do you go from here let me give you three principles as we close as we determine our course three questions you got to ask yourself what is this will you live the life do people see Jesus Christ in your life if they see Jesus Christ they will either be drawn to him or they will hate you because of him those are the only two options what do they see will you live the beatitude kind of life you have to ask and answer that question number two will you pay the price for living that kind of life 2nd Timothy chapter 2 verse number 11 it is a trustworthy statement for if we died with him we should also live with him if we endure we should also reign with him if we deny him he also will deny us if we are faithless he remains faithful to deny you for he cannot deny himself that's how it's read it does not say that if we are faithless it's okay God is still faithful to you that's not what the text says but most translators translate that way if you're it's okay God is still faithful to you folks if you are faithless you are the ones who have demonstrated the fact that you deny him and if you deny him the text says that he will deny you the promise is this if you are faithless one Christ promises to disown you because he can not deny himself that's what it says think about it will you live the life will you pay the price and lastly will you receive your reward Christ says look you want to obtain the reward you've got to come to me on my terms you've got to follow me the way I have prescribed you've got to lose your life that you might find it what will you give in exchange for your soul you say I'm not sure I can do that and my response to that is you're right you can't but you know what you've got to ask yourself the question are you willing to do that you see if you're willing to do that then Christ will enable you if you're not willing nothing will change because the Christian life is a supernatural life the point is how blessed you want to be Christ says I'll bless you more than you can ever imagine follow me and see what happens