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Northwest Church of Christ 3904 38th Street NW Canton, Ohio 44718 330-492-5523 Fax: 330-493-7119 |
“Persecuted for Righteousness Sake ” |
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I. Introduction.
A. The Beatitudes in Matthew 5 are not just suggestions;
they’re not just good ideas; they’re not just methods for
developing a positive attitude.1. What Jesus gave His hearers, what He gives us, are
rules for right living, foundations upon which to
build a good life – a life of peace and contentment.2. But, they are also statements that run counter to the
way most people think – or at least the way most
people think peace and contentment can be
obtained.B. The last of statements, in verses 10-12, could represent the
most glaring contrast between what we believe brings
happiness and what Jesus says brings happiness. Here,
Jesus says – or seems to say – “happiness is suffering; it’s
blessed to be persecuted.”C. Let me begin with a question: Why did Jesus come to
earth? Put another way: Why did He appear among
people, as a Man who was the very Son of God?1. Of all different answers we could give to this
question, let’s summarize by saying Jesus came
to fulfill the plans and purposes of His Father,
Jehovah God. He came to both tell people and
show people what the Father is like – how He loves,
how He cares, how He desires the best for His
creation.2. In Jesus’ own words, He came “. . . to seek and to
save that which was lost” (Luke 19:10). He came
“not . . . to be served, but to serve, and to give His
life a ransom for many” (Mark 10:45).
3. He didn’t come to make life on earth any easier.
His life, death, and resurrection did not change the
nature of the world. It was meant to change the
nature of individuals – Jesus came to change people
for the better. Then, it’s changed people who make
world better.4. In His openness and honesty, He didn’t say,
“Follow Me, it will be easy.” Rather, He said,
“Follow Me and it will be rough. You’ll be
persecuted, you’ll be hated, you’ll face pressures
and problems. That’s what discipleship brings.”5. Jesus said: “Do not think I come to bring peace on
earth. I did not come to bring peace but a sword.”
(Matthew 10:34).D. Persecution of the followers of Jesus has been an historical
reality. Verb “to persecute” means to put to flight, to drive
away, to pursue. It signifies trouble, not comfort. The
church has known persecution from its earliest days:
(Acts 8:1: “. . . [after the death of Stephen] a great
persecution arose against the church which was at
Jerusalem; . . .”).E. But, we must make one clear distinction: persecution is
not punishment. We may be “persecuted for righteousness’
sake” (Matthew 5:10), but we’re not being punished for
doing what’s right.1. Punishment comes as result of doing something
wrong. It’s a consequence of sin and evil. To get
a ticket, for speeding and have to pay a fine as
result, that’s punishment. To defend what is right,
to stand up for truth, and bear some consequences
because we do so, that’s persecution.2. And, II Timothy 3:12 says: “. . . all who desire to
live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution.”II. Reasons For Persecution.
A. But, why is this so? Why do good, righteous people
suffer? Well, why did Jesus suffer? Why was He
persecuted? Because of His faithfulness, His obedience,
His devotion to His Father.1. To be persecuted for “righteousness’ sake” is to
suffer consequences for the very same reason Jesus
did: (John 15:20: “Remember the word that I said
to you. ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’
If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute
you, . . .”).2. To be persecuted for “righteousness’ sake” should
not make us ashamed. (“If you are reproached for
the name of Christ, blessed are you for the Spirit of
glory and of God rests upon you. On their part He
is blasphemed, but on your part He is glorified.”
I Peter 4:14).B. The righteous will be persecuted because they’re different
from the world.1. Jesus’ purity and spirituality was different from the
hypocrisy and materialism of the Jewish religious
leaders. They hated Him for what He taught, and
for the way He lived.2. If we set, and attempt to maintain, a certain standard
of morality and spirituality, others, whose own lives
don’t reflect that standard, may resist us (“You
think you’re so good; you take that ‘holier-than-
thou’ attitude.”). Instead of rising to your standard,
people want you to lower yourself to their level. If
you refuse – you may be persecuted. Peter said of
such people: “. . . they think it strange that you do
not run with them in the same flood of dissipation,
speaking evil of you.” (I Peter 4:4).a. People who are doing wrong (even when
they refuse to acknowledge it as such) are
intolerant of anyone, or anything, that puts
their actions in true perspective – to be
seen for what they really are.b. When you look at the Beatitudes as a group,
you see how contrary they are to attitudes,
and actions, of many people in the world.
To try to live by such standards – these rules
for righteousness – will arouse the animosity
and opposition of such people.3. As darkness opposes light, the unrighteous oppose
those trying to do better and live better.C. The righteous will also be persecuted because of the nature
of true religion.1. Certain spiritual, moral convictions have never been
generally popular. To take a stand for biblically-
based morality, now as in the past, makes a person a
target for such terms as “bigoted”; “narrow-
minded”; “judgmental”; “self-righteous”;
“intolerant”; and so on.2. To uphold God’s standards of right and wrong is to
face possible persecution. To teach the truth about
the gospel, the church of the New Testament, how
one becomes a Christian, what’s required to be a
disciple – all can – often will – bring opposition.D. The warfare continues between the spiritual allies of God
and those of Satan; between truth and lies. To volunteer for
God’s “army” is to carry the fight of faith and truth to the
enemy of God and His servants. It’s to use the “sword of
the Spirit” (Ephesians 6:17), the Bible, as our “weapon.”
As in all wars, battle means suffering.E. While it’s true, some people do suffer for reasons other
than righteousness and obedience to God, there is no
promised blessing – no peace, or happiness – for one who
suffers because they are hateful or rude. Their reward is
not the “. . .kingdom of heaven.”III. Persecution: Then And Now.
A. Members of the early church were persecuted for two
general reasons: they were slandered, accused of
immorality, and they were victims of the political situation
because they opposed worship of the Roman emperor.
Members of the early church were also victims of Jewish
persecution.B. Today, people aren’t, usually, put to death for their faith.
In this nation, people are not locked up in jail for defending
righteousness. But, are some places this type of physical
persecution still goes on. And, it can be so here, as well.1. But, people are still disowned from families for
becoming a Christian.2. If we refuse to violate biblical standards of
morality we risk losing friends and being labeled
“prudish.”C. Persecution for taking a stand of righteousness is not just
a thing of the past.1. One writer described persecution as “. . . the clash
of two irreconcilable value systems.” God’s
“system” and the world’s “system” are still
irreconcilable. Conflict is still inevitable. Neither
value system has changed; they’re still
incompatible.2. Do you feel separated from others because of what
you believe? Do you feel defensive instead of
“defending” what you believe? Have people been
openly hostile because you are known to them as
a Christian? Jesus says: “Rejoice and be
exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in
heaven, . . .” (Matthew 5:12).D. A Christian can “rejoice” in persecution because:
1. First, that persecution cannot jeopardize his or her
spiritual security. Enemies can take property, a
job, even our good name, or our life. But, they
can’t take away that “. . . reward in heaven . . .”
People in the past have endured far more difficult
circumstances, and kept their eternal soul secure.2. A Christian can also “rejoice” in persecution
because: perseverance, faithfulness has its reward:
“For I consider the sufferings of this present time
are not worthy to be compared with the glory which
shall be revealed in us.” (Romans 8:18).IV. Conclusion.
A. When Jesus spoke of persecution, it was not to discourage
people from following Him. Rather, it was to encourage
them to look beyond today, beyond this life to the greater
end.B. Faithfulness results in a rest that awaits everyone in the
world to come.