“Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” Matthew 5:10
October 30, 2024
Persecuted?! Jesus’ followers persecuted are to be envied. Is not this somewhat anticlimactic? In the words of Sinclair Ferguson, “After all, these are the very men and women the world needs.” We are reminded that this world is a hostile place. It enjoys its cherished hates and prejudices so much that the peacemakers are not always welcome (D. A. Carson). Satan is the believer’s adversary. He is seeking to establish his own kingdom. We must first of all consider how this Beatitude challenges errors in the church: (1) That Christianity delivers from suffering. (2) That God loves His children too much to be abused and suffer (“How can God let all this to happen to me?”). (3) That it is God’s will for us to live well and free of pain. (4) That suffering is always for sin, persecuted are the pure in heart. (5) That suffering is a sign of God’s anger. (6) That suffering can separate us from Christ. (7) That suffering is incompatible with joyful living. (8) That suffering at the hand of unbelievers is a sign of their victory. (9) That suffering is for a chosen few. Every Christian is to expect opposition.
We have yet to arrive at the marrow of this Beatitude. People who are persecuted, Jesus says, are to be envied. Hang on to that. We will do a deep dive into what it means to suffer rejection and social hostility because of our beliefs.
H
“Persecution is simply the clash between two irreconcilable value-systems.” John Stott