Matthew 5:10-12 - There Is Blessing In Persecution For Righteousness.
Matthew 5:10-12 (NLT) God blesses those who
are persecuted because they live for God, for
the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs. 11 God
blesses you when you are mocked and persecuted and
lied about because you are my followers. 12 Be
happy about it! Be very glad! For a great reward
awaits you in heaven. And remember, the ancient
prophets were persecuted, too.
Matthew 5:10-12 (CWR) Happiness even
comes from being treated badly for doing what's
right. Just remember that no matter what happens,
your place in heaven is secure. 11 Strangely
enough, you'll find yourself blessed even when
people insult you, persecute you and lie about you
because you have accepted me. 12 When this
happens, be glad, because it shows that your name is
written in heaven and that your reward will be
waiting for you there. Remember, good things you do
and praise your Faither in heaven.
INTRODUCTION
Jesus said to rejoice when we're persecuted.
Persecution can be good because (1) it takes our eyes
off earthly rewards, (2) it strips away
superficial belief, (3) it strengthens the faith of
those who endure, and (4) our attitude through it
serves as an example to others who follow. We can
be comforted to know that God's greatest
prophets were persecuted (Elijah, Jeremiah, Daniel).
The fact that we are being persecuted proves
that we have been faithful; faithless people
would be unnoticed. In the future God will reward
the faithful by receiving them into his eternal
kingdom where there is no more persecution. [Life
Application SB]
Through trials and persecution, the glory -
character - of God is revealed in His chosen ones ...
they are purified in the furnace of affliction.
MB29-31
While the Lord has not promised His people
exemption from trials, He has promised that which is
far better. He has said, "As thy days, so shall
thy strength be." "My grace is sufficient for
thee: for My strength is made perfect in
weakness." Deuteronomy 33:25; 2 Corinthians 12:9. If
you are called to go through the fiery furnace
for His sake, Jesus will be by your side even as
He was with the faithful three in Babylon.
MB29-31
Satan could torture and kill the body, but
he could not touch the life that was hid with
Christ in God. He could incarcerate in prison
walls, but he could not bind the spirit. They could
look beyond the gloom to the glory, MB29-31
It was this joy that filled the hearts of
Paul and Silas when they prayed and sang praises
to God at midnight in the Philippian dungeon.
Christ was beside them there, and the light of His
presence irradiated the gloom with the glory of the
courts above. MB31-35
COMMENTARY PEARL
Imagine playing golf your entire life
under the mistaken belief that the object of the
game is to have the highest score. Instead of
going straight for the hole, you simply have fun
hitting the ball anywhere. You wonder why some
people think the game is so difficult; you must be
exceptionally good at it, as hitting the ball away from
the hole comes so naturally to you. Then one day
you discover that the object of the game was
opposite of what you'd always thought. Confused,
embarrassed, and with an overwhelming sense of having
wasted so much of your time, you gaze back at the
futility of your life. You can't go back and start
over. It's too late to redeem the experience.
That's what it will be like when those
who pursued temporary wealth, status, and
pleasure at the expense of lasting treasures see the
true picture. They will realize that the goal of
life wasn't to get as much out of it as possible
but to put as much into it as possible. They
will be confronted with the fact that they spent
their entire lives going after the wrong goals.
In that context, it makes sense that
those who endured persecution while hanging onto
the goal of righteousness - rightness, justice,
goodness, and truth - will inherit the Kingdom. They
saw the true picture and hung on to it, even
when it cost them dearly. They dismissed their
pain and humiliation in order to cling to lasting
treasures. They played the game right.
Standards in the Kingdom culture aren't
the same as the standards of a fallen world.
Everything is measured differently. The goal isn't to
reject as much temporary pain as possible in order
to experience as much temporary pleasure as
possible. It's to reach out for the true prize,
whatever it costs. Yes, Kingdom people become easy
targets in that scenario. But we are blessed. We fit
the Kingdom culture perfectly. [The One Year
Heaven On Earth Devotional by Chris Tiegreen]
COMMENTARY
The Most Persecuted People in the World
Who are the most persecuted people in the
world? Pew Research Center surveys say that
Christians are. This includes discrimination, verbal
assault, physical attacks, and arrests.
Every day our Christian brothers and
sisters suffer barbaric treatment in China, North
Korea, Russia, India, and many Islamic nations.
People hound, torture, and execute them simply for
their belief in Jesus Christ.
Make no mistake, persecution is alive and
well.
Yet the Bible says, that everyone who
wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will
suffer persecution (2 Timothy 3:12 NLT).
We wish that verse wasnt there, but it
is. And its true. Every follower of Jesus
will, in time, suffer persecution in some form. It
might be financial, physical, or verbal.
So, what should we do when it happens?
Jesus said, 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. Be happy about it! Be
very glad! For a great reward awaits you in
heaven. And remember, the ancient prophets were
persecuted in the same way (Matthew 5:11"12 NLT).
By the way, lets make sure were
suffering for the right reasons. Sometimes Christians
are persecuted not for righteousness sake,
but because they say offensive things. Theyre
rude and mean. Theyre cranky.
And when someone calls them on it, they
think, Praise God! Im suffering persecution
for righteousness sake.
No, theyre suffering persecution
because theyre being obnoxious.
So, if youre experiencing persecution
because of your faith in Jesus, take heart. God sees
what youre going through. The Bible tells us,
Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil
with good (Romans 12:21 NKJV).
And remember this: the Christian faith
not only is worth dying for, but its also
worth living for. [Greg Laurie from Harvest
Ministries; https://www.harvestdaily.com]
What Persecution Proves
As Christians, we lay claim to Gods
promises of provision and protection. But when is the
last time we claimed His promise of persecution?
We wouldnt do that, of course. After
all, who wants to suffer from persecution?
Yet Jesus said in the Beatitudes,
Blessed are those who are persecuted for
righteousness sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven
(Matthew 5:10 NKJV).
In fact, Jesus elaborated on this
statement. He said, Blessed are you when they revile
and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil
against you falsely for My sake. Rejoice and be
exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven,
for so they persecuted the prophets who were
before you (verses 11"12 NKJV).
The Bible tells us that all who desire
to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer
persecution (2 Timothy 3:12 NKJV).
Or to reverse that, if youre not
suffering persecution, then are you living godly in
Christ Jesus?
Persecution shows itself in many ways. It
can be physical, obviously. Its very
dangerous for Christians in some countries today. In
fact, Christians are the worlds most persecuted
group.
Many of our brothers and sisters in
Christ live at risk the moment they declare their
faith in Jesus Christ. Theyre tortured and put
to death. Or, their families ostracize them and
declare them dead.
Even in the United States, persecution
against followers of Jesus Christ seems to be on the
rise. If you decide to be a Christian, you can
lose friends, jobs, and other things. People may
ridicule, marginalize, mock, or even threaten you.
But if no one ever persecutes you,
harasses you, mocks you, or challenges you, then
maybe youre not living as a child of God.
However, if youre living your life as you ought to
and youre getting pushback, its
confirmation that you belong to Him. [Greg Laurie from
Harvest Ministries; https://www.harvestdaily.com]
Three Things to Remember When Youre
Opposed
When you feel pressured by the world
because you love Jesus and other people dont, you
need to remember three things:
1. Opposition can make you more like
Jesus.
Jesus says in John 15:18-20, If the
world hates you, remember that it hated me first.
The world would love you as one of its own if
you belonged to it, but you are no longer part
of the world. I chose you to come out of the
world, so it hates you. Do you remember what I told
you? A slave is not greater than the
master. Since they persecuted me, naturally they
will persecute you. And if they had listened to
me, they would listen to you (NLT).
If youre going to grow up and be like
Jesus Christ, youre going to have to go through
the things Jesus went through, including
loneliness, discouragement, stress, and temptation. Why
would God spare you when he didnt spare his own
Son from those things?
2. Opposition will deepen your faith.
Your faith is like a muscle. A muscle
doesnt grow when you sit in a chair and eat
popcorn. A muscle grows by being stretched, strained,
and tested. Youre never going to grow a
muscle if no weight is ever pulling in the opposite
direction.
If you dont have opposition in your
life, your faith is not growing. The strongest
believers in the world right now are those who are
having their faith tested the most. The Bible says
in 1 Peter 1:7, These trials will show that
your faith is genuine. It is being tested as fire
tests and purifies gold - though your faith is far
more precious than mere gold. So when your faith
remains strong through many trials, it will bring
you much praise and glory and honor on the day
when Jesus Christ is revealed to the whole
world (NLT).
3. Opposition will give you eternal
rewards.
Matthew 5:10-12 says, God blesses
those who are persecuted for doing right, for the
Kingdom of Heaven is theirs. 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. Be happy about it! Be
very glad! For a great reward awaits you in
heaven (NLT).
Gods going to bless anybody whos
persecuted because they live for him. Notice that you
dont get rewarded for being rude or obnoxious. If
you live a self-righteous life when you get
persecuted, youre not a martyr. Youre just a
jerk.
You dont get rewarded for that. You
get rewarded for being like Jesus. When you
share your faith, do it with gentleness and
respect, just like Jesus, and you will be rewarded
for it one day in heaven.
Remember those three things whenever
youre harassed for your faith: It can make you
more like Jesus. It can deepen your faith. And
you will be rewarded for it in eternity. [Daily
Devotional by Rick Warren:
https://pastorrick.com/devotional/]
PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS
This isn't my favorite beatitude, but
it's an important one. As a Christian I like to
focus on all that I gain by following Jesus:
eternal life, a restored relationship with God, a
life of meaning and purpose, a heart of worship,
His friendship and guidance, peace that
surpasses understanding.
But Jesus has always been honest that
following Him on the path of right choices will
sometimes cause suffering. Even small choices can
require sacrifices. Giving the right of way to the
car merging into your lane. Returning the money
when a cashier gives too much change. Biting your
tongue and changing the subject when someone starts
to share juicy gossip. Dietrich Bonhoeffer
wrote The Cost of Discipleship. in which he
challenged Christians to let their faith make a
difference in their choices - large and small.
Bonhoeffer faced persecution, including imprisonment
and death, for taking a stand against Hitler.
I may never face such heroic choices, but
in whatever ways I endure persecution or
sacrifice for Jesus's sake, He assures me that in the
midst of it, I am still blessed. As I follow in
His steps, He is on this road with me, and He is
able to bring glory to God and further His
kingdom even in the midst of persecution. Sharon
Hinck
Faith Step: Today, go online and either
read about the life of Dietrich Bonhoeffer or
read something he wrote. Ask Jesus to give you
the courage to make righteous choices. [Mornings
With Jesus 2022 Devotional by Guideposts and
Zondervan]
As a lifelong people pleaser, I really
don't like it when people don't like me. I avoid
conflict and confrontation. And while I'm not one to
flaunt my faith or factions on Facebook, I know my
faith is evident. Apart from the obvious, like
writing for Guideposts, my convictions just seep out
of me unbidden in everyday conversation.
I've been persecuted for it.
I used to think of persecution as
imprisonment or banned books. Coptic Christians, Middle
Eastern missionaries, and Communist Bloc Bible
runners were persecuted. That's not me or anyone I
know.
But Christians are persecuted. We're
persecuted in the silent eye-roll of our cubicle mate.
We're persecuted by the neighborhood party to
which we're not invited. We're persecuted by the
clenched-mouth greeting of our intellectual brother-in-law.
We're persecuted by the niggling feeling that
we're an outsider at our book club. Jesus's name
may never be uttered with scorn, but it feels
like persecution all the same.
I have to wonder, How might I process
these nearly daily slights differently by trusting
what Jesus said as true? Dare I thank and praise
God for the blessing of persecution? Dare I
bless those who persecute me? (Romans 12:14).
Today, I choose not to personalize persecution in
any form, recalling Jesus's own words and loving
example. by Isabella Yosuico
Faith Step: In light of this reading,
prayerfully list recent persecutions. Thank God for them
and bless the perpetrators, knowing it's not
about you but about Jesus. Praise Him! [Mornings
With Jesus 2019 Devotional by Guideposts and
Zondervan]
CLOSING THOUGHT
"They took offense at him. But Jesus said
to them, Only in his hometown and in his own
house is a prophet without honor."
Its human nature to want to be liked
by everyone. But that is not a realistic or
healthy expectation. Jesus understood this. He knew
that people who had known him throughout his life
had a preset idea of who he was that would not
be easily changed. He also understood that his
message was controversial. As he spoke to the
crowds, he was sure to make enemies.
Like Jesus, we will all be judged wrongly
by some, criticized by others. We will all have
enemies if we are proclaiming the kingdom of God.
There will also be people who simply don't like
us. So how should we respond?
In his Sermon on the Mount recorded in
Matthew 5, Jesus encouraged us to be peacemakers and
to rejoice and be glad when people insult us,
persecute us, and say evil things about us, for our
reward in heaven will be great. He doesn't say if
these things happen; he says when.
The message here is that we can't make
people like us. Just like Jesus, we can't please
everyone. We are to be peacemakers whenever we can,
while accepting that some will dislike - even
despise - us no matter what we do. Their disapproval
must never keep us from pleasing God!
Father, I will not run after the approval
of others. Instead I surrender my heart to you.
I will bask in your great love for me and work
to please you in all I do. In Jesus' name,
Amen. [Celebrate Recovery Daily Devotional by John
& Johnny Baker re Matthew 13:57]
EXAMPLE OF A MODERN-DAY MARTYR
It was a weird question to ask - probably
because the person doing the asking held a semi
automatic rifle in his hand and carried a cadre of
explosives.
Heretofore his target had been minorities
and athletes, but he was now face to face with
Cassie. For a long time she was a nobody, a
simpleton. She attended her classes faithfully, was a
good student, and basically kept to herself. That
is, until she accepted Jesus into her heart as
her Lord and Saviour.
People began to notice the changes in
Cassie. She wore a perpetual smile, as though she
had discovered the secret to life. By all
accounts it was infectious. One of her friends at
Colombine High School in Littleton, Colorado,
reported, "If you were feeling down, she would always
give you an encouraging word." The girl that
everyone proclaimed a "zero" had undergone a Jenny
Jones makeover-minus the Jenny Jones.
Perhaps the killer had heard about her
newfound faith, because he aimed his question-and his
gun-right at Cassie Bernall. The scene was manic.
Bodies lay strewn around the library, several
missing faces and chunks of flesh. Screams of agony
could be heard in the hallways. Cassie was headed
toward a certain martyrdom.
"Do you believe in God?" he screamed. In
an instant a strange assurance captivated
Cassie as she looked into his eyes.
"Yes, I believe in God."
It would be her last words this side of
heaven. The price of truth was her life.
Two thousand years ago Jesus looked
through prophetic eyes at the world around him.
Surveying the scene and the trials that would overtake
His people, He sought to calm their fears.
"Blessed are those who are persecuted because of
righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven."
That Cassie was willing to pay such a
high price for her faith indicts many of us
today. We shrink to tell people about the God we
serve. Yet God is ready and willing to empower us
to speak a word for Him. I remember one such
incident. We were sitting around at a friend's
apartment-just shooting the breeze, as they say. My friends
were non Adventists, non Christians. They drank,
smoked, cursed, the works. I was at a new school,
and I didn't want to be antisocial. I saw in
them a ministry.
For the next two hours I was like a fish
in a fishbowl. They couldn't really understand
why I ate the way I did. Why I didn't go to
parties, didn't smoke or drink. After our little rap
session, I took solace in the fact that I stood up
for what was right. I was also proud of the fact
that I was not antisocial. I managed to share my
faith in a nonthreatening way. From that day on my
friends respected me.
I believe that one day soon we'll be able
to swap such stories with Cassie Bernall.
Check This Out
In the early days of the Christian
movement many believers lost their lives because they
would not renounce their faith. Their blood
watered the tree of faith from which we now eat. One
such martyr was John Huss, a Roman Catholic
priest who tried to reform the Catholic Church.
When he refused to recant his faith, he was
burned at the stake. One author wrote of the death
of Huss and his friend Jerome: "When the flames
rose, they began to sing hymns; and scarce could
the vehemency of the fire stop their singing"
(in The Great Controversy, p. 110).
http://www.adventist.org/devotionals/
LINK FOR FURTHER STUDY ON THIS PASSAGE
Matthew 5:10-12 - There Is Blessing In
Persecution For Righteousness.
http://www.abible.com/devotions/2005/20051026-0902.html
YOUR COMMENTS
If anyone has a paraphrase, commentary or
testimony on this passage of Scripture, either
personal or otherwise, I would be interested in
hearing from you. Thanks in advance and let's keep
uplifting Jesus that all might be drawn to Him. Fred
Gibbs
LINKS WORTH CHECKING OUT
Most Important Decision in Life:
http://www.youtube.com/embed/WGnEuGwvXqU?rel=0
A Man without Equal by Bill Bright:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NiVa7UoruIo
Steps to Peace by Billy Graham:
https://stepstopeace.org/
Seeking God Made Real:
http://vimeo.com/31489782
Prayer Made Real:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tc8VdMV26VE
LINKS FOR BIBLE STUDIES
Lifting Up Jesus Bible Studies:
http://www.liftingupjesus.net/
Amazing Facts Bible Studies:
http://www.amazingfacts.org/bible-study/bible-study-guides.aspx
Voice of Prophecy Discover Bible Study
Guides:
https://www.voiceofprophecy.com/study/discover
Glow Tract Video Bible Studies:
http://www.bibleresearch.info/
LINKS FOR BIBLE PROPHECY SEMINARS
Unlocking Bible Prophecies by Cami Oetman of
Adventist World Radio: https://www.awr.org/bible
Panorama of Prophecy with Pastor Doug
Batchelor: https://www.panoramaofprophecy.com/
Hope Awakens by John Bradshaw of IIW:
https://itiswritten.tv/programs/hope-awakens
Prophecies Decoded by Pastor Ron Clouzet:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL1A435C5373550657
Islam and Christianity in Prophecy, The
Third and Final Conflict by Tim Roosenberg:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gHSJB-fuHLU&list=PLWhQIHGTHlkaGg5Cwe3NDzWtFX8vNSpsE
