The Joyful Persecuted
(printer friendly version)
Discipleship Bible Studies
November 14, 2007
Bethel MBC
Lesson text: Matthew 5:10-12
“Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness’ sake: for theirs in the kingdom of God. Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.”
I. What is persecution?
Persecution is a reality. We are not under a physical and visible persecution, but Satan has never and shall never cease to torment the people of God. However, we must distinguish the type of persecution vs. the type we may bring upon ourselves.
We are NOT blessed if persecuted because:
a. We are obnoxious human beings
b. We are fanatical
c. We stand for a cause (difference between Christ and “a cause”)
See I Peter 4:14-16
John said that we would be persecuted for being persecuted FOR HIS SAKE!
See and read John 15:18-20
II Timothy 3:12 “Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.”
As the Lord’s people, we must accept that if we are living for Him…we will experience persecution. Is it fair then, to suggest that if we do NOT suffer persecution that we are not living for Christ? Is there a correlation (direct or indirect) between how we live and the level of persecution the world throws our way??
In the verse prior to the one mentioned above (II Timothy 3:11), Paul recalls, “persecutions, afflictions, at Iconium, at Lystra, at Antioch…” In Galatians 4:29, Paul writes, “But as then he that was born after the flesh persecuted him that was born after the Spirit, EVEN SO IT IS NOW.” We must accept the fact that persecution is a reality.
So, to build on the initial question? What do you think of when we mention persecution? You more than likely think of things like unto the following:
“Many Christians forfeited their very lives rather than compromise their Christianity. In that day Rome ruled the world. The Emperor came to be regarded as a god. Every year a person had to go and burn a pinch of incense in honor of Caesar and say, “Caesar is lord.” It was simply a test of political loyalty. After the person burned his pinch of incense and received a certificate called a libellus, which said he had done so, he could then worship any god he liked. The Christian refused to do so. Thousands were tortured and killed for their devotion to Christ.”
“One of the famous martyrs was Polycarp, the bishop of Smyrna. He was dragged before the Roman authorities and given the inevitable choice – make his sacrifice to Caesar or be burned to death. Listen to what he said: “Eighty and six years have I served Christ, and He has done me no wrong. How can I blaspheme my King who saved me?” They brought Polycarp to the stake and he prayed his last prayer; “Oh, Lord God Almighty, the Father of thy well beloved and ever blessed Son, by whom we have received the knowledge of thee... I thank thee that thou hast graciously thought me worthy of this day and of this hour.”
Another writer described past persecution like this:
“All the world knows of the Christians who were flung to the lions or burned at the stake; but these were kindly deaths. Nero wrapped the Christians in pitch and set them alight, and used them as living torches to light his gardens. He sewed them into skins of wild animals and set hunting dogs upon them to tear them to death. They were tortured on the rack; they were scraped with pinchers; molten lead was poured hissing upon them; red hot brass plates were affixed to the tenderest parts of their bodies; eyes were torn out; parts of their bodies were cut off and roasted before their eyes; their hands and feet were burned while cold water was poured over them to lengthen the agony. These things are not pleasant to think about, but these are the things a man had to be prepared for, if he took his stand with Christ.”
“The early Christians knew where their loyalty should be. Perhaps a hundred years after the early church a man came to Tertullian, one of the church forefathers, with a business problem. After he explained his difficulties, he said, “What can I do? I must live!” The man Tertullian replied, “Must you?” We, like Tertullian, should know that the primary concern of the Christian is not living but following Christ. “
1. If we don’t experience persecution it is probably because the world doesn’t realize that we are Christians.
2. The world doesn’t care if we go to church, read our Bibles, pray. It does care if we live out what we learn at church, in the Bible and on our knees.
3. Too many Christians compromise instead of confront. It is easier to be complacent, apathetic, and do nothing. We often don’t take a stand because we are not willing to be persecuted. We are not persecuted because we fail to truly live for Christ!!
4. Moses is a great example: He chose God’s people over the wealth and advantage of this world. Hebrews “Esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in
5. Jesus faced persecution because His righteousness confronted the religious leaders. The same is true of TRUE CHRISTIANS over the last 2,000 years.
6. This is tough stuff...let’s finally answer our question of “What is persecution?”
Persecution is not open and deadly as it once was. It consists more of the “under the table” stuff the world has to offer. A saved mason is asked to build an unsound church. Can he do that? Should he? A tailor is asked to make the priestly garments for a Catholic church. Should he? (Look at the above information about Nero). Even more personal, what about the little advantages we can give ourselves in life, at work, that often go unseen....over charging someone, skimping on figures, doing shoddy work. It may consist of anything that gets us to compromise the previous seven Beatitudes. If Satan and the world can knock us off this “ladder”, they don’t have to worry about our outward (or inward) Christianity. We have been compromised. I believe that today’s persecution comes via: compromise, ignorance, imitation, prosperity, comfort. That is what we are persecuted with today.
Persecution is an evidence of salvation and a Christian walk.
1. I Thess. 3:3-4 “That no man should be moved by these afflictions: for yourselves know that we are appointed thereunto. For verily, when we were with you, we told you before that we should suffer tribulation; even as it came to pass, and ye know.”
2. Philippians 1:28-30 “And in nothing terrified by your adversaries: which is to them an evident token of perdition, but to you of salvation, and that of God. For unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for his sake; Having the same conflict which ye saw in me, and now hear to be in me.”
3. James 4:4 “Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? Whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.”
4. I John “Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.
Persecution comes in three basic forms:
1. PHYSICAL
The Greek word is dioko, and means chasing away or pursuing. Therefore, it can mean harassment and abuse. THAT is today’s persecution.
(All the other beatitudes had to do with the inner qualities. This one speaks of the results of living out those qualities.)
2. VERBAL
Matthew 26:67-68 Jesus was spat on and beaten. He was also asked to “prophesy” and people “wagged their heads”, taunting Him as He hung on the cross. Some said that He had saved others, but couldn’t save Himself. (Mark 15:29-31)
If you are insulted for your faith, take heart, you are on the right track!!
3. FALSE ACCUSATION
See verse 11 of our text. They called Jesus a glutton, wine-bibber and friend of sinners (Matthew )
When people say false things about you because of your faith, take heart. You are on the right track!!!
See I Peter 3:13-18; 4:12-14,16,19; and John 15:18-21
If this is too much...there is a really easy three-step plan to AVOID persecution:
1. Approve the world’s ethics and moral code.
Just live and let live. Go with the flow. Worry about other’s opinions of you.
2. Accept the world’s standards.
Watch the TV, read the mags and books, laugh at the innuendoes, “do” Oprah. Soon you will live as they live.
3. Examine yourself to see if are really in the faith.
Luke 9:26
“For whosoever shall be ashamed of me and of my words, of him shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he shall come in his own glory, and in his Father’s, and of the holy angels.”
Luke 6:26
“Woe unto you, when all men shall speak well of you! For so did their fathers to the false prophets!”
I. Persecution Brings Rewards
Both verses 10 and 11 say that we are “blessed” because of persecution. This is the ONLY beatitude with two blessings.
When we get to this point...WE HAVE FOUND JESUS!!! We all have found Jesus for salvation, now, I hope you have found the way to Jesus in your life!!
John 12:21 “The same came therefore to Philip, which was of Bethsaida of Galilee, and desired him saying, SIR, WE WOULD SEE JESUS.”
I have seen Him and He is altogether lovely!!! He is more than I have ever imagined or felt before!! Are you ready to see Him???
Jesus said that we would “rejoice and be exceeding glad”. The Greek word means “to leap for joy.” This word means to be EXCEEDING GLAD (like winning $100 million vs. winning $5.00).
Remember: Joy in persecution is the pinnacle of this life and living for Jesus!! It may only be experienced after the prior seven are met. It is, indeed, the working out of our salvation. Can you imagine feeling the joy of your salvation in its purest form – the love of God? THAT IS WHAT IT IS!!!!
James 1:2
“My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations.”
Romans 8:18
“For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us."”
Fulfilling the spiritual process contained in the Beatitudes enables us to:
a. Be “worthy” of unjust persecution
b. Bear it willingly for righteousness’ (Christ’s) sake; and
c. Experience JOY in the trials and pain of it all.
We should now be able to truly UNDERSTAND what Paul and Silas were experiencing as they exited that Philippian jail, as well as Peter when he was delivered from prison. What a JOY to feel those things...the things that JESUS felt in the flesh!!!
I Corinthians 4:17-18
“For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; 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.”
Want to feel heaven on earth? Complete the ladder!!! Want to live a heavenly life on earth? Climb the ladder!!! Think about this...If you were able to feel and enjoy the love of Heaven and also feel the pain and persecution of this life, which would you dwell upon? Which would you feel more? Which would you desire? Do you really think that the “pain” of this life would be significant once you felt Heaven? I think not. It is God’s PAINKILLER for this world and it is HIGHLY ADDICTIVE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
There was an early Christian who offended his king as well as many religious officials. The king threatened to banish him if he didn’t stop preaching. He replied, “Sire, you cannot banish me, for the world is my Father’s house.” The king said that he would confiscate all his possessions then. The Christian replied, “Sire, you cannot confiscate my possessions because my treasures are laid up in heaven.” The king said that he would make him live in isolation away from all his friends.” The Christian replied, “ Sire, you cannot remove me from my Greatest Friend because He lives within me.” Finally the king said he would have him killed. The Christian replied, “ You can take my breath but you can never take my life for it is hid with God in Christ.”
