BETTER BLESSING: BLESSED ARE THE PERSECUTED FOR RIGHTEOUSNESS’ SAKE
Pastor Josh Weisbrod – March 21, 2021
SUMMARY: Persecution is inevitable but it is also a blessing.
KEY SCRIPTURE: Blessed are the persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Matthew 5:10-12 (Matthew 5:2-12 – The Beatitudes)
Persecution in the World Today
· Christians are the #1 most persecuted people group in the world today
· Last year alone, 245 million Christians experienced high levels of persecution because of their faith
· Last year, 4, 136 Christians were killed because of their faith, 2, 625 were imprisoned because of their faith, 1, 266 churches were burned to the ground
1. The Inevitability of Persecution - Why is persecution an inevitable part of following Jesus?
· Jesus’s values are not the world’s values
· John Stott: “Persecution is simply the clash between two irreconcilable value-systems.”
· Modern American secular person might write: “Blessed are the confident, for they shall inherit the earth. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for riches, for they shall be satisfied. Blessed are the tolerant, for they shall receive tolerance. Blessed are those who follow their hearts, for they shall see happiness. Blessed are the warriors, for they shall be called victorious. Blessed are those who are celebrated for their talents and achievements, for theirs is the American dream. Blessed are you when others like you and praise you and post all kinds of nice tweets and comments about you. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great on earth.”
· When you are living a life committed to Jesus, you cannot live a life committed to American secular values
· Persecution can come in other ways in addition to physical threats:
i. Social stigmatization
ii. Legal penalties
iii. Rejection from family and friends
2. The Challenge of Persecution - What is the responsibility of being a persecuted people?
· Persecution is the logical conclusion of the beatitudes, because the beatitudes are a series of progress steps to giving up your entire self to Christ. As we step into discipleship, we enter a journey of denying ourselves and saying yes to Christ. Discipleship begins in our hearts (blessed are the poor in spirit), but it ends with our whole life (blessed are the persecuted). Matthew 16:24-26
3. The Comfort of Persecution - Why is persecution a blessing?
· “This is too much to expect from me. I’m not ready to die. How can I possibly be strong enough to give up my entire life to Christ?”
“You can’t. You’re not strong enough. But Jesus is.”
· Jesus is the fulfillment of the beatitudes. When he gave his life on the cross, he completely fulfilled his own teachings.
· The end of the story of the Gospel is not Jesus hanging on a cross in misery, it is his glorious resurrection and his promise that we too will share in that glory. And that is why we must “rejoice and be glad” when we are persecuted. Romans 5:3-5; 2 Timothy 2:8-12
· Blessedness is not just in the world to come, but is also here and now. The countries with the most persecution taking place, is also where the church is growing faster than anywhere else in the world. Tertullian: “The blood of the martyrs is the seed of the church.” 1 Peter 3:14-20
· C.S. Lewis (Mere Christianity) “Look for yourself, and you will find in the long run only hatred, loneliness, despair, rage, ruin, and decay. But look for Christ and you will find Him, and with Him everything else thrown in.”
· Story of the Christian monk Telemachus, 404 A.D. (Greek name means “end of war”) Telemachus was martyred in the colosseum trying to stop two gladiators from killing each other in the name of Jesus Christ. The end result was that was the last gladiatorial battle ever held in the Roman colosseum. A few days later, gladiatorial games were made illegal, and a 1000 year long tradition of violence was ended.
Discussion Questions
1. Is a willingness to be persecuted for your faith a character trait that the world values? How do you know? Is it a character trait you value or not? Why or why not?
2. Which of the “Modern American Secular Values” (listed on the previous page) have you fallen into at times? Why do you think that is?
3. Have you ever experienced persecution for your faith—not for your personality, your ideas, or your preferences—but for standing up for your faith in Jesus Christ? If you haven’t and you are a Christian, why do you think you haven’t experienced persecution?
4. Do you accept persecution as inevitable for you specifically (not just Christians in general), or do you distance yourself from this idea because it is uncomfortable? How might this affect how you live your faith every single day?
5. Which situations in your life right now do you find yourself being careful about what you say and to whom you say it (in person or online)? Do you have any fear of backlash or being ‘canceled’ for your Christian beliefs by coworkers, followers, friends, family, etc.? Why or why not?
6. How is God asking you to stand up or speak up for your faith right now regardless of the outcome?
Full Podcast Episode: https://banner.church/podcast/2021/3/25/better-blessing-32121/