Series: How to Have a Blessed Life! #8 Today: Blessed are the Persecuted Matt 5:1-10 Pastor Dan Hiatt 3-19-17 Sermons at www.christcenter.net
Blessed means: (Matt 5:1-10) Happy - But more than happy An inner peace and joy - Above the circumstances A hope and promise of God s reward - In the here and now - In the life to come
Being blessed by God is a result of being in right relationship with God and people. Blessed are the poor in spirit for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. V3 those who mourn, for they will be comforted. V4...the meek for they will inherit the earth. V5 those who hunger and thirst for righteousness for they will be filled. V6 the merciful, for they will be shown mercy. V7 the pure in heart, for they will see God. V8 the peacemakers, for they will be called the children of God. V9 those who are persecuted for righteousness sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. V10 The Be Attitudes Matt 5:3-10
Blessed are the Peacemakers (3/5/17) Peacemakers receive Jesus peace to make peace Peacemakers help others find the peace of Jesus Peacemakers live in peace with others Peacemakers own their wrong and make it right Peacemakers facilitate conflict resolution Peacemakers lovingly confront to gently restore for they will be called the children of God! (Matt 5:9) (in the present and in eternity)
Blessed are the Persecuted 10 Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 11 Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake. 12 Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you. Persecuted = mistreated, discriminated, harassed, wronged, oppressed, or harmed by attitudes or actions For righteousness = because of our identity of being a disciple of Jesus Christ; of carrying His name and mission
Who is the Source of Persecution? Satan, the Devil: The chief rebellious fallen angel and his demons (other fallen angels) whose mission is to destroy the works of God, including all followers of Jesus. Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. 1 Peter 5:8...the accuser of our brothers and sisters Rev 12:10 12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Eph 6:12
Who are the persecutors? Persecutors are people deceived and blinded by Satan s lies, who are joining him on his mission against Jesus followers. BUT People are not the enemy Jesus loves and died for them! What is to be our response to the persecutors? Jesus: But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you. Matt 6:44 Jesus: So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets. Matt 7:12 (The Golden Rule) Jesus said as he was crucified: Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing. Luke 23:34
Persecution In the Rearview Mirror The Old Testament prophets were persecuted. Hebrews 11:35-40 (Hero s of Faith) Jesus said If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also. John 15:18-20 (Remember: They killed Jesus.) The Apostles were immediately persecuted and then the church was scattered by great persecution Acts 5:41, 8:2 (Many were killed but the church multiplied and the message of Jesus salvation spread all over the world.) "The blood of the martyrs is the seed of the Church." Tertullian, ~200 AD
Today: 1 in 12 Christians are Persecuted Worldwide https://www.opendoorsusa.org/christian-persecution/world-watch-list/ https://youtu.be/npl_flwnoee
Persecution In The Dalles Today? Tomorrow? 23 Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me. 24 For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will save it. Luke 9:23-24 (NIV) They triumphed over him (Satan) by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony; they did not love their lives so much as to shrink from death. Rev 12:11 (NIV) How is our testimony - do we name and live Jesus? Is who are we and how we live worthy of righteous persecution?
Why are Persecuted Blessed? 10 for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 12. for great is your reward in heaven The Kingdom Now the presence and power of Jesus (as we do as Jesus did and experience opposition as he did) The Kingdom Not Yet A great eternal rewards 16 The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God s children. 17 Now if we are children, then we are heirs heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory. 18 I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us. Romans 8:16-18
How I Can Be Blessed in Righteous Persecution! Is my life about the testimony and mission of Jesus? When persecution comes for doing what is righteous, do I recognize people are not the enemy? Do I love and pray for the persecutors like Jesus? Do I rejoice to participate in the sufferings of Jesus and ask for these experiences to shape me into His image? Do I live daily with an eternal mindset recognizing the reward in eternity matters much more than my temporary cross of here and now? Do I support in prayer the missionaries and disciples of Christ that are being severely persecuted around the world? Blessed are the persecuted for righteousness sake!
Turn you eyes upon Jesus, Look full in His wonderful face; And the things of earth will grow strangely dim In the light of His glory and grace.