Blessed are you when you are persecuted because of Me

June 16, 2010

Series: The Sermon on the Mount

Passage: Matthew 5:11-12

Speaker: Daniel Sweet

The Sermon on the Mount

Blessed are you when you are persecuted because of Me; Matthew 5:11-12

 

Exposition of Matthew 5:11-12, “Blessed are you when people insult you and persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward in heaven is great; for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.”

  1. Blessed: Happiness or inward joy that comes from God
  2. Blessed are those who seek to be emptied of themselves
    • The spiritually poor, who mourn over spiritual poverty, who are gentle toward others who are spiritually poor, Matthew 5:3-5
  3. Blessed are those who seek to be filled with the things of God
    • Righteousness and Mercy with Pure Motives while seeking peace in relationships, Matthew 5:6-9
  1. Blessed are those who have been persecuted for the sake of righteousness for theirs is the kingdom of heaven
  2. Blessed are you when people
  • “For the sake of righteousness” connected with “because of Me”
  • “Because of Me” connected with John 15:18-21
  • Insult you

o   John 8:48, Matthew 27:41-42

  • Persecute you

o   Matthew 27:30-31

  • Falsely say all kinds of evil against you

o   Matthew 26:59-60

  1. For great is your reward
  • There is a reward
  •  


The Sermon on the Mount

Blessed are you when you are persecuted because of Me; Matthew 5:11-12

 

Scripture Reading and Prayer

  • Prayer guides for the week
  • The persecuted church in North Korea and dinners in September
  • Read Matthew 5:3-12 (slides)
  • Karen Bullock and the State of the Persecuted Church
  • Video: North Korea and the persecuted church (Video)

 

Exposition of Matthew 5:11-12, “Blessed are you when people insult you and persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward in heaven is great; for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.”
(Slide 1 – Header Slide)

  1. Blessed: Happiness or inward joy that comes from God
  • Those who have believed the Gospel become part of the kingdom and these attributes mark their lives
  • They are happy, they are truly happy because of these attributes
  1. Blessed are those who seek to be emptied of themselves
    • Overview again of the nine beatitudes and their relationship to one another
    • Not a full disclosure of doctrine in this passage, but instead an overview of the fundamental principles of spiritual life
    • However, these nine statements give a powerful, simple and comprehensive overview of what it means to be a follower of Christ
    • There is a progression in these
    • Not that you only do the first and if you wish you proceed to the next
    • This is the call for all believers in Christ is to continually progress through these attributes and to continually embrace each attribute
    • The spiritually poor, Matthew 5:3
    • Those who mourn over spiritual poverty, Matthew 5:4
    • Those who are gentle with others who are spiritually poor, Matthew 5:5
  1. Blessed are those who seek to be filled with the things of God
  • Righteousness, Matthew 5:6
  • Mercy, Matthew 5:7
  • Purity of Motive, Matthew 5:8
  • The next beatitude involves the work of kingdom citizens between other citizens and in the world
  • Blessed are those who seek peace in relationships
  1. Blessed are you when people insult you and persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me, Matthew 5:11 (Slide 2)
  • Blessed are you when people
  • “For the sake of righteousness” connected with “because of Me”
  •  
  • “Because of Me” connected with John 15:18-21
  • Read John 15:18-21 (Slides 3-4)
  • So Jesus begins His teaching ministry with the disciples by telling them about their coming persecution
  • Jesus ends His teaching ministry with the disciples by telling them they will be persecuted
  • When the disciples begin their public ministry, it is not surprising that persecution marks the start of their ministry
  • Read Acts 5:41-42 (Slides 3-4)
  • When Paul was preaching on his missionary journeys he was almost killed in Acts 14
  • Read Acts 14:19-22 (Slides 5-6)
  • This is basic discipleship. Christianity 101, tell all new believers that becoming a Christian is trouble and affliction and trials.
  • Read Matthew 5:11 (Slide 7)
  • When they insult you like they did Christ

o   John 8:48 “do we not rightly say that you are a Samaritan and have a demon Matthew 27:41-42, They cast insults at Him saying “He saved others, let’s see Him save Himself.”

  • Persecute you

o   Matthew 27:30-31, scourged and then crucified

  • Falsely say all kinds of evil against you

o   Matthew 26:59-60, the brought forth witnesses who made up stories about Christ, claiming that He was going to destroy the temple

  • “Blessed are you when people…against you because of Me.”
  1. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward in heaven is great; for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you. (Slide 9)
  • Blessed – have your hearts filled with joy over your trials because of the name of Christ and for doing works in His name
  • Why should we consider persecution a blessing?
  • Because God has foreordained that those who suffer because of Christ, those who maintain their faith through the trials that will come because of their faith, they will be greatly rewarded
  • “Rejoice and be glad, for your reward in heaven is great.” Rejoice of trials because of Christ. Rejoice over the persecution that is ours because we claim unwavering allegiance to Christ.
  • This type of mistreatment is nothing new for in the same way they mistreated the prophets. In this same way, persecution came to the faithful ones of God in the Old Testament.
  1. Three Application (Closing slide – Slide 10)
  • 1. Pray for the persecuted church around the world. The prayer guides for the week.
  • 2. Help the persecuted church in North Korea. We will give a tangible way of helping the persecuted church in North Korea during our Wednesday night meals in Sept.
  • 3. Prepare yourself for difficulties. If you are following Christ, you are not exempt from trouble.
  • Trouble does not mean you are lost or that God hates you. He loves His Son and He placed the greatest pain on His Son. All who love the Son are subject to the same type of persecution and trials. Anchor yourself in these truths.

 

Announcements:

  1. Prayer Guides, one per family
  2. Deacons meeting at 5:00 PM.
  3. Tonight summer discipleship starts. Men’s prayer study.

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