morning we'll be taking as our text verses 10, 11, and 12. The Lord Jesus
speaking to those who are gathered on that day, he said, blessed are those who
are persecuted for righteousness sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
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. Let's pray.
Our God this morning, Lord, we pray God for your help. We pray that your spirit
would work and open our eyes. Lord, let us see the glory of Christ and the futility
of living life for this world. And Lord God, I pray, Lord, as I prayed for my
family and I pray for this church, would you fill us with courage to stand in the
evil day when the floods of affliction and the trials of fire come upon us. Lord,
let us not retreat in fear or cowardice, but Father Lord, we pray strengthened by
your spirit that we will stand and suffer if need be for the testimony of
Jesus Christ our Lord. Lord, he is the glorious one. There is no one else to go
to. There is no other kingdom worth living for, but alone the eternal kingdom,
the one that is made without hands. And Lord, we look forward to that day. Lord,
help us by faith as Abraham did. Look for that city whose builder and maker is God.
Oh God, we know that we can't do this on our own, so Lord, we pray for the
spirit's help. God, help us Lord to hear clearly and once again very soberly, Lord,
this difficult passage that you have given to us as the people of God. And we
pray, Lord, for your help now in Jesus' name, amen. For about two months now, we've
been in the study of the Beatitudes. They've been a real comfort to my soul,
but they've also been a real challenge to my soul. And I think it's an important
reminder that we keep before us that these Beatitudes are not a list of
virtues for you to achieve. That would be the wrong way to think about them. We do
see their high and noble calling. There's no denying that, but then once we see how
high and how noble they are, we start to realize you and I are absolutely unable
to achieve them on our own. We can't do it. But here's the blessing. If we take
our weakness to Christ, the blessing's already begun because the very first
Beatitude pronounces a blessing upon those who are poor in spirit. So it is a
blessing when we take our spiritual bankruptcy, our spiritual impotence, our
inability, and we take them to the feet of Christ. Now as we look at each of these
characteristics, we have a composite picture of what a Christian is. These
Beatitudes, they're really character qualities of those who are already in
the kingdom. This is not how you enter the kingdom. This is not how you gain
access to the kingdom. This is the type of person who has already been
transferred into the kingdom. And we see that. So the Beatitude, the first one, you
are poor in spirit. You're a spiritual beggar, a spiritual pauper. Beatitude two,
they mourn. They mourn because they understand they're so bankrupt
spiritually, so they mourn and weep over their sin. As a result of that, they are
humble. They become meek before God and humble before man. Their appetites start
to change. There's now a hunger and a thirst for righteousness because they
have gone to the Lord to satisfy that hunger and thirst. Having received mercy
from God, they become merciful to other people. And God has given them a new
heart and they are now pure in heart. They're given this and their promise is
they're going to see God. And then as we looked last week, they want others to
know this wonderful peace that they alone have received in Christ. So they
seek to be peacemakers. They want to bring resolution between people who are
at odds with each other, but also they want to be ambassadors for Christ,
preaching peace to those who are at odds with God. And today we come to the very
last Beatitude, the eighth one, and this is the one that makes the least sense
from a human perspective. Now listen to what Christ said. Blessed are those who
are persecuted for righteousness sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Now
I've been just saying as a side note, this is not one of my central texts, but
this ought to put a nail in the coffin of the false prosperity gospel. I mean if
anyone thinks following Jesus is going to make you healthy, wealthy, this ought
to be the death nail right here. Blessed are those who are persecuted because they
get heaven. Now what does it mean to be blessed? Blessed is to be favored by God,
it's to be spiritually prosperous. God's favor is upon the blessed man or the
blessed woman, and here he says his favor rests upon those who are being persecuted
for the cause of righteousness. Now that's not the way you and I think. We
think or we assume the man who is blessed, the favored of God, is the one
for whom life goes very smoothly. We would say, yeah God's blessing is on
that man who has a good family, he has a network of friends, he has good health,
and he has enough money to enjoy it. That man has been blessed of God. But Jesus
that day, he looks about the people who are suffering, and he says God's favor is
upon you if you're being treated terribly for the righteousness stand that
you're taking. Now like each of the Beatitudes, there is a promise that is
given and attached to each one of them. Here those who are persecuted for
righteousness, it says theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Now if you look back to
verse 3, that's the same promise that was given to the poor in spirit. So put them
together, they're like bookends of the Beatitudes. Heaven belongs to those who
sees themselves as spiritual beggars and having no righteousness on their own. You
don't hope to enter into heaven because you were somehow very righteous. But
heaven belongs, now look at verse 10, heaven also belongs to those who
prove or demonstrate their salvation, their faith if you will. How do they do
that? They're willing to stand for righteousness amidst great suffering
and great persecution. So what we're saying is we should not be surprised to
live godly lies in a fallen world and then invite warfare, to invite distress,
and as the text says to invite persecution. I mean can you imagine
American soldier going into the Afghanistan into the Taliban stronghold
and then being surprised that it's being shot at? We would say no, what did you
expect? You're in enemy territory, you're in hostile territory right
there. You and I, according to this text, will be persecuted because we are exiles,
we are pilgrims, we are sojourners, we are ambassadors for Christ all the while
living in enemy territory. And we're reminded of this truth. This is not an
isolated text. This is how I don't even understand how the false prosperity
gospel gained traction. I mean you cannot be looking at the New Testament in any
serious way and come up with that gospel. Only Americans could export a gospel
prosperity. It's absolutely damning. But if you look at 2nd Timothy 312, Paul
writing, all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution.
Jesus in his high priestly prayer says I have given them, his apostles, his
disciples, I've given them your word. The world has hated them. Why? Because they're
not of the world just as I'm not of the world. Acts chapter 14, listen to what Paul
said, and when they, that is Paul and Barnabas, had preached the gospel to that
city and made many disciples, they returned, they went backwards to Lystra,
Iconium, and Antioch, strengthening the souls of the disciples, exhorting them to
continue in the faith, and here's what they said, we must through many
tribulations enter into the kingdom of God. That's the message Paul was
preaching. Hey listen, this is going to cost you something. And then finally Paul
writing the church at Philippi chapter 1 verse 29, for to you has been granted,
it's a grace gift, on behalf of Christ. Not only believe in him, faith is a gift,
the divine gift of faith has been given to you, but God also blessed you with an
another gift. You're going to suffer for his sake. So as we read these texts and
put it together, we should not be caught off guard when adversity comes our way. I
don't mean before we begin to even believe that somehow following Christ
is going to make life easier, we have to seriously deal with texts like this. Now
I do want to get into what the text says, but I want to begin what it does not say.
What this verse does not say is blessed are they who are persecuted. There are
many people throughout the world who are persecuted and it has nothing to do with
the favor of God resting upon them. Our Lord never says persecution is blessed.
He says those who are being persecuted for righteousness sake are blessed.
There are people who through foolishness or poor decisions on their part invite
persecution into their own lives. That's not persecution. So I think about,
let's say a person today in our culture here and they said, well I'm just being
persecuted at work because I'm sharing my faith. Well no, he's not doing his work.
He's taking company time and he should be working and he's not. That's not
persecution. That's not being blessed. That's being foolish. There are some, and
I appreciate zeal. We need to be zealous. That's a command. But there are some who
are fanatical in a way that is not godly and they invite the scorn and ridicules
of others. They push themselves. They force doors open. That's not the
persecution that our Lord is discussing here in this text. He says, he doesn't
say blessed are those who are persecuted because they're foolish, difficult in
personality, or unwise in their choice of actions. Some people have a martyr
complex. They bring on persecution because they're obnoxious in personality.
And we need to understand that. Martin Lloyd-Jones says this. He said, we can
bring endless suffering upon ourselves. We can create difficulties for ourselves
which are quite unnecessary because we have some rather notion of witnessing
and testifying or because in a spirit of self-righteousness we really do call it
down on our heads. And I don't need to give examples because I think we've all
met this type of person. I've been around Christians and I told someone, I'm like,
I'm a Christian and if I weren't I'd be so off put by them. That's not what our
Lord is talking about. So having seen what it is not, now we do need to take a
look and see what does the verse say. Blessed, God's favors resting upon those
who are persecuted for righteousness sake, which means they are being
persecuted for living like our Lord Jesus Christ. Happy, merkadias in Greek,
happy, rejoicing for those who live Christ-like and dare to live like our
Lord and suffer for it. I think of John chapter 15. In John 15 Jesus said this
and it's such a helpful text. If the world hates you, you know that it hated me
before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet
because you are not of the world but I chose you out of the world, this is what
the world hates you. Remember the word that I said to you, a servant is not
greater than his master. If they persecuted me, well they're going to
persecute you and if they kept my word they will keep yours also. Being
persecuted for righteousness sake is a sign that you have been chosen by God
out of this evil world system. The fact that you don't walk in step with a
culture is an evidence of your salvation. I mean you go through the whole Bible
and there are so many examples of people being persecuted. At the very beginning
Cain kills his brother Abel. Why did Cain kill Abel? And we are told because
Abel was more righteous than Cain. He didn't like it. Oh God will accept your
offering, I'll kill you. That's the way it went down, Genesis 4. You go through the
prophets, Jeremiah, he had many attempts made on his life. He was ridiculed.
Mocked endlessly. He was called the weeping prophet, that's what we know of
Jeremiah. He also wrote lamentations. He was put in prison. Why? He was preaching
the message that God said go preach. And all of this came down upon his head.
The same thing happened to a prophet that many of y'all will not know but it's
the prophet Micaiah. I like Micaiah. He's found in 1 Kings 22 and I wanted to
actually show this because I think this is a little bit funny as well. In 1 Kings
22 you have Jehoshaphat is the king of Judah, southern kingdom. Ahab is the king
of Israel, northern Israel. Okay they're usually not at peace with each other but
they're trying to make peace and have an alliance here. So in Jehoshaphat, he's a
good king, he said to Ahab, is there still not a prophet of the Lord here that
we inquire of him? Before we go out and make war shouldn't we ask God? So the
king of Israel, that's Ahab, said to Jehoshaphat, yeah there's still this one
Micaiah, the son of Imla. Yeah we can inquire the word by him, he's a true
prophet, but I love this. But I hate him. I loathe him. Why? Because he does not
prophesy good concerning me but evil. He never tells me what I want to hear. Okay
look down verse 14. So they bring Micaiah and by the way some other prophets said
hey go along with what we've already told him. Micaiah says as the Lord lives
whatever the Lord says to me that's what I want to speak. That's a good prophet.
Verse 18. And the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, because by the way Micaiah
then finally said Ahab I've got some really bad news. First of all he tries to
trick Ahab and says no go it's going to be peaceful and he said don't lie to me.
He said yeah you're right you're gonna die. So then verse 18. He said didn't I
tell you he would not prophesy good concerning me but evil? And so Ahab's
just like this whiny baby. And then verse 26. So the king of Israel said well take
him take Micaiah return him to Ammon the governor of the city and to Joashah king's
son and say thus says the king put this fellow in prison and feed him with bread
of affliction and water of affliction until I come in peace. He's going to pay
for what he just said to me. And I love verse 28. I think this is actually funny
here. Micaiah said can I raise my hand say one thing if you ever return in peace
the Lord has not spoken by me. And he said by the way take heed all you people.
It's kind of like he said I've done what I'm supposed to do peace out I'm done
with you guys. And by the way exactly what Micaiah said comes to pass. You see
but why he's speaking he's suffering what's he doing? Telling the truth.
Elijah we know him as a great prophet he suffered under Ahab and Jezebel that
same king there. Most of the Old Testament prophets were far too familiar
with suffering for preaching the message of truth that God had sent them to
preach. So here's what I'm saying to the church today there has always been
hostility between the seed of the woman and the seed of the serpent. From
Genesis 3 forward there's always been the hostility. The seed of the serpent
that is the line of Satan has always tried to stamp out the seed of the woman
the godly line that comes through Christ. I mean think about when Pharaoh had
ordered and gave an edict that all the male Hebrew boys be killed upon their
birth. But the author of Hebrews he also he recounts so much suffering on the
part of God's people. And friends we are not going to be the first generation
that are exempt from this. In Hebrews 11 and 36 to 38 he goes and gives that
great litany of people who did valiantly and they delivered people and it was
just wonderful. Verse 36 and others had trials of mockings and scourgings yes
and a chains and imprisonment. They were stoned, sawn in two that's Isaiah by the
way, tempted that's tested, slain with a sword. They weren't about in sheep skins
and goat skins being destitute afflicted, tormented, tormented of whom the world
was not worthy. They wandered in deserts and mountains and dens and caves of the
earth. I mean just look at that list they're enslaved, they're beaten, they're
scourged, they're imprisoned, they're stoned, they were literally drawn and
quartered, they were sawn in two, they were killed by the sword, they were left
homeless and poorly clothed and the Bible says they were
destitute, afflicted, and tormented. And Jesus says they're blessed. They're
blessed. Why? They all lived for righteousness. Go to the New Covenant you
see the same dynamic at play. All the Apostles everyone in face persecution
they all died as martyrs except the Apostle John. The first martyr the church
that we see record in the book of Acts was Stephen and he is stoned to death.
Why? Because he's preaching the truth about Christ and they didn't like it. You
go over to Acts chapter 12 James the brother of John he's beheaded by the
order of King Herod. Why? King Herod didn't like what he was saying. Go through
church history and time would fail me. Fox's book of martyrs. History is
replete with examples of men and women who were persecuted simply because they
took a stand for truth and righteousness. The reformers many of them were
seriously persecuted. Many martyrs throughout the time of the Reformation.
Today right now currently in other parts of the world we have brothers and
sisters in Christ who are being hunted down and killed because of their
faithfulness to Jesus Christ. And then there's us. Now we are not in danger
right now of being persecuted physically. Most of us don't sit and worry that
we're going to have our lives taken from us because we are Christians. But I will
say this to you. If you are faithful to Christ it will cost you something. If you
just think if you stand for biblical morality right now in our own culture
here in the United States that bastion of freedom may cost you a promotion at
work. You may not even get the job in the first place. In some states you won't be
able to adopt a child. In some states like Indiana, the Midwest, children are
being removed from their parents home because their parents refuse to give
their children gender-affirming care meaning they're not going to go along
and allow their child to be transgender. There's court case in Indiana. Many forms
of persecution become. Many Christian parents being denied access to adoption.
Why? Because if you can't espouse the LGBTQ plus movement you're not going to
adopt. But why are the righteous persecuted? I mean if they're doing what
is right and they're doing what is good why would anyone want to harm them? That
doesn't make sense. And here the answer. Because there's something different
about them and there's something in them that condemns other people. You and I
live in a world of darkness, fallen world, and you are light and you're light
exposes their darkness and people don't like it. I love what Alexander McLaren
says, a true Christian ought to be a standing rebuke to the world and
incarnate conscience. Your life you don't have to say a word sometimes a rebuke to
those who are living evil. I think about the Pharisees. They looked they were the
most righteous upstanding citizens of their day and yet they hated Jesus
because his righteousness showed them their lack of. Darkness hates light. John
3 19 Jesus said this is the condemnation this is why men are condemned. Light has
come into the world that's Christ. Men love darkness rather than light. Why?
Because our deeds were evil. It's the same today. Paul talking to the
Sainte-Cédière Ephesus there he says for you were once darkness you and I
once darkness but now you are light in the Lord. You are light in the Lord and
the world doesn't like light because it exposes them for what they are. That's
why they love the cover of darkness. I mean just even naturally if you're in a
completely dark room in the morning and I have to have pitch darkness I can't
stand any light so ever but someone comes in when my kids we have there's
strong LED lights and they turn it on do I love the fact that light just suddenly
came on in the solid dark room? No of course not. If our lights are going to
shine a dark world you and I will stand out. You will be conspicuous and while
you are you're stirring up the anger of the world against you. Now let me just do
a little caveat here. Here's a little statement. Don't seek to be offensive.
Don't seek to be foolish but by mere virtue of you being a light bearer you
will invite the hatred and scorn of the world system because they don't like the
light that condemns them and they'll try to snuff it out. They hated our Lord. Jesus
they hated me. They're going to hate you but some some don't want to stand out.
They don't want to shine brightly. They go along with the culture and they try
to live in both worlds. Vance Havner a lot of you my generation older remember
Vance Havner. He said one of our biggest problems today is that most of our
church people have never really made up their minds to follow Jesus Christ. They
are like Mr. Looking Both Ways in Pilgrim's Progress or they are like Lot's
Wife looking back towards Sodom. They're like the man in the Civil War who wore a
blue coat and a gray trousers and who shot it from both sides. They're like a
donkey between two bales of hay undecided as which to eat. They're like
the son in our Lord's parable who said I go sir and yet went not. They receive the
word with joy but they have no root nor depth and they soon fall away. They never
really make up their minds and are like the man who was asked do you have trouble
making decisions and he replied yes and no. To live for Christ, to stand for
righteousness will cost you but this is the question. Who are you going to serve?
You cannot serve Christ in culture. You cannot serve Christ in the gods of this
culture. If you want to avoid persecution it really is pretty easy. Live as a
cultural Christian. Oh yeah you may say you're a follower of Christ but you live
in the same manner of the world. Just be quiet about Christ and him being the
only way of salvation. That won't cost you anything. Don't say anything about
sin and certainly less about eternal judgment. You won't be hunted down. Just
embrace the philosophy of the world. Religious pluralism. Live and let live.
Live and let live. That won't cost you anything. To be ashamed of Christ don't
take a stand for him. No persecutions come in your way but when and if you
stand for Christ and you let your light shine for Christ you will pay a price
but it's worth it. For Jesus said for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. The
kingdom of heaven belongs to those who stand amidst great persecution. This
doesn't earn you a spot in heaven. This is an evidence that you are a citizen of
heaven. Look at verse 11. We're going to go through this lesson quickly. Bless are
you when they revile and persecute you and say all kinds of evil against you
falsely for my sake. Really? That's blessed? Yeah he said there's three types
of persecution in the verse 11 there. There's physical persecution. This is
obviously unjust treatment on a physical level. We think of martyrs or imprisonment.
People who are beaten for their faith. Today that still happens in many
communist countries and the church is forced to be underground. They can't meet
openly but you know what the churches in those places like China and North Korea
they're vibrant and they're growing in places where there is persecution. From
what I'm told there's like revival happening in Iran. Just hordes of Muslims
converting to Christ. Persecution always purifies the church because persecution
will always separate the weak from the chaff. It separates the saints from the
inks is how one person put it. Jesus said this there are people who receive the
word with joy and they're not a Christian. They received the word the
gospel with joy and they're not a Christian. Jesus said he who received the
steed on stony places he hears the word he immediately receives it with joy but
there's no root there's no depth there. He springs up he endures for a while but
when tribulation or persecution arises because of that same word they received
a joy immediately he stumbles and the word there it means it is scandalitsa
it means he falls into apostasy. He falls away. There are Christians who are
Christians in name only and they may stand around when things are smooth but
when you are called to suffer for Christ they're nowhere to be found because
there's no depth in there there's no root holding them there. So persecution
the trying of our faith as Peter said serves to purify our faith and show our
resolve. It's good. Secondly there are verbal insults. When men shall revile
you. Literally in Greek it's to cast in your teeth. This is when someone speaks
about you in a very critical insulting way. When others mock you viciously or
hurl abusive words toward you. Now it's what's interesting the rabbis of Jesus
they considered reviling such a terrible sin on the level of murder because they
said when you revile someone what you do is you defame their character and when
you defame their character you lowered their status in society and you can make
life unbearable for them. Think of today just think with me I mean you can think
of examples of times when someone is attacked when he takes a stand for
Christ in the public square. To stand up let me just give you a few examples even
in the church. When someone stands up for male headship in the home he's called a
misogynist. If he stands up for male headship in the church he's called a
misogynist. To say that the man is the head of the home and only mentioned
service pastors and elders is to invite scorn and derision. You're backwards
you're not progressive. To stand up for biblical sexuality you will be called a
bigot, homophobic. When you say that marriage is reserved only for men and
women in a lifelong monogamous covenant that is to invite the hatred of our
sexually permissive and perverse culture. If you say that Jesus Christ is the only
way to the Father and the only way to heaven you will be called arrogant,
narrow-minded, and again a bigot. If you want to say Christ is not just a way but
the way, the only exclusive way, they hate you. They don't like it. You and I live in
a cancel culture where they're going to seek to cancel your any influence. If
you're out of step with them maybe your job. There have been people we know on
TV that's been removed. Why? Because they said something that the culture didn't
like. I think about the medical community. I think about Christian OBs right now,
obstetricians, gynecologists, doctors who raise their voice over concerns with
abortions and some of these medicines and the transgender movement and gender
reassignment surgeries particularly upon minors. There are states where these
doctors and nurses are in real danger of losing their job and their medical
license. But remember what are you going to do? Our Lord promises great blessing
to those who are treated this way if it's on the count of Christ. I will say
this, if you're loyal to Christ it may even cost those closest to you. You may
have family and friends who turn their backs on you. Jesus said, I have come to
set a man against his father and a daughter against her mother, a daughter-in-law
against her mother-in-law, and a man's enemies will be those of his own
household. What's he saying? The allegiance that we naturally feel toward
our families cannot supersede the allegiance we have to our Lord. He can't.
Thirdly, and he said there's false accusation. They're going to say all kinds
of evil against you falsely for my sake. So insults, well those are abusive words
but at least they're said to your face. False accusations are abusive words
but they're said behind your back. These are hurt harder and they hurt more
because you can't protect yourself because you may not even be aware that
they're being said. But here's the truth, unbelievers will try to personally
discredit you and lie about you to remove any influence you may have. They
secretly lie about you. Think about what do they call Jesus? They said, it's King James, a
wine-bibber and a glutton. He's a drunk. He's a wine-bibber. He's a glutton. The
guy has no self-control. It's a lie. They said about Jesus. What do you think
they're gonna say about you? If your ways please the Lord you can be sure that you
will expect difficulties to arise. 1st Peter 4, we read it earlier. If you
are reproached for the name of Christ, blessed are you. The Spirit of glory and
of God rests upon you. On their part he's blessing but on your part he's
glorified. How do we endure then? You focus on the promises of God. Look at
verse 12. Rejoice, be exceedingly glad. For great is your reward in heaven. For so
they persecuted the prophets who were before you. Persecution takes many forms
but we don't hide from it. Let your light shine. Literally when he says rejoice and
being seen glad, this literally means to skip and jump with happy excitement. You
ever seen a child like promised Disney World and they're skipping around and
jumping with excitement? That's what he's saying there. Why? Why would you do that?
You're getting pummeled. Two reasons. For great is your reward in heaven. I'm like
okay. So here's how you do that. I go back to the Hebrew believers. They endured
persecution because they believed that God was telling the truth. They took him
at his word. This is one of my favorite passages and every time I read it I'm
convicted by it. The author of Hebrews writing to believers he says, recall the
former days in which after you were illuminated you endured a great struggle
with sufferings. Partly why you were made a spectacle both by reproaches and
tribulations. So some of you really suffered. Partly why you became
companions of those who were so treated. Some people got put in prison and you
decided to identify with them. But look at verse 34. For you had compassion on
me and my chains and I can't believe it's here but it is. And you joyfully
accepted the plundering of your goods. This is where you lose homes and lands.
Knowing that you have a better and an enduring possession for yourselves in
heaven. Now this doesn't make, I can understand. I mean what choice do you
have? The state comes and takes your home, takes your horse, takes your
livelihood. Okay. I mean I can't do anything about it. He said no. Here's what
you did. You joyfully accepted that. You rejoiced. You're plundered. You're left
bereft of all property and you rejoiced in that. They knew they had a better and
an enduring eternal lasting possession in heaven. And listen that's so good.
John Piper says whatever measure of material and physical loss that God may
call you to in this world, one thing is certain. Being a Christian means being
willing and ready to let it all go for the sake of Christ and his word. Are you
willing and ready if you lose it all? Do you see this Christ is greater? I might
lose everything I have but I can't lose him. I see we're not prepared like this.
Parents prepare your children. Our days are growing darker. Suffering may come.
They're not going to come with little tiny devotions. They're not going to cut
it with cute little Bible stories. Our Lord he tells you rejoice when you're
slandered. Rejoice when you're attacked because you have a great reward in
heaven. Now some people brag about gifts but they never live up to the hype. But I
would say this when the Lord Jesus Christ says your heavenly reward is
great, it must be great. I mean can you not get excited about that gift? What
does a great reward from great God look like? There's no promise here. You can
lose it all. Earthly possessions, yep they can go. Eternal dividends, they're
there. Now some of you are very falsely pious. You're saying well I don't think
we should serve God for reward. Well it's true we serve him because we love him
but the Bible often speaks of motivation reward for faithful living. I don't want
to be more spiritual than the Bible. It is not unscriptural to look for reward.
God speaks of it so many times. Jesus endured the cross for the joy that was
set before him. The Apostle Paul told believers to labor for that crown and
reward which is and the crown and reward which is imperishable. He said labor for
it. Jesus said God knows how to give good gifts to his children. I bet he does.
Christ says your reward is great in heaven if you suffer from him on the
earth. And secondly, we're closing here. You and I are in good company. They also
persecuted the prophets who are before you. It's a mark of your faithfulness. It
confirms that we are members of the righteous line. It confirms that you and
I are members of seed of the woman. When the world can't tolerate you and seeks
to silence you, rejoice. Remember who Israel accepted? They loved the false
prophets but they couldn't tolerate the righteous ones. They were persecuted. It's
not easy and I think it's even harder to stand alone. That's why church you and I
need each other. You and I will not stand isolated as isolated believers. We need
the community of the church if we're going to stand in perilous times
especially with the looming threat of persecution. You don't know if any of
y'all ever heard of Dietrich Bonhoeffer? Many of y'all probably have. He was the
famous German martyr, died under Hitler. He was in a Flossenburg prison cell and
he wrote this, 1937. Suffering is the badge of the true Christian. The
disciples not above his master, Luther, that is Martin Luther because he's
Lutheran, reckons suffering among the marks of the true church and one of the
memoranda drawn up in preparation for the Augsburg Confession simply defines
the church as the community of those who are persecuted and martyred for the
gospel's sake. Discipleship means allegiance to the suffering Christ and
it's therefore not at all surprising that Christians should be called upon to
suffer. All right so now what? What do we do? The Holy Spirit lives in you
believer. He's going to begin to produce these character qualities in you, poor
in spirit, mourning, meek, hungry for righteous living, merciful, pure in heart,
peacemaking, and a willingness to suffer for the cause of Christ. That's going to
show others that you are indeed a follower of Christ. Everyone's going to
know you follow the word Jesus but not everyone's going to like it. It's foolish
if you seek it out. Don't do it but it will seek you out. Simply be faithful to
the Lord and be faithful to his call and he will give you all the persecution you
can handle. I'm gonna leave you with these last words that the Apostle Paul
gave to Timothy. These are Paul's some of his last words before he goes and has
his head cut off by the king. Youth, therefore, my son, be strong in the grace
that is in Christ Jesus and the things that you've heard from me among many
witnesses, commit these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.
Verse 3. You therefore must endure hardship as a good soldier of Jesus
Christ. Just endure it. No one engaged in warfare and tangles himself with the
affairs of this life that he may please him who enlisted him as a soldier. As a
good soldier make it your aim in all things to live a life pleasing unto the
Lord Jesus. But rejoice you get the kingdom. Be exceedingly glad because you
have a great reward. Do you believe that? Do you believe Jesus was telling the
truth there? Do you believe that Jesus is better than all the lands that this
world has to offer? If you lose everything you have tomorrow but you
can't lose him, you put it in the scales, there is no comparison friends. Do you
see Jesus as the all-glorious Son of God that he is? If you do, ask the Holy
Spirit to help you to stand for him whatever it may cost you. Let's pray.
Father we thank you Lord. It's a difficult word.