Daily Devotional For Saturday, September 7, 2024

Congratulations. You made it to the weekend. If you have been reading these devotionals, you know we have been looking at the greatest and most famous sermon ever – Jesus’ Sermon On The Mount. This is found in Matthew chapters 5, 6, & 7. We are currently looking at what are called The Beatitudes, found in Matthew 5:3-12. More specifically, we are on the 8th and final Beatitude found in Matthew 5:10-12 and to be more specific – verse 12. Look at what Jesus says in Matthew 5:10-12:

“Blessed are those who have been persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. (11) “Blessed are you when people insult you and persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me. (12) Rejoice and be glad, for your reward in heaven is great; for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you” (NASB).

Now please read verse 12 again. Thank you. So, let's break down some words Jesus uses here:

1. First, “rejoice.” We are supposed to rejoice and be what? Glad? Yes, glad when we are persecuted. The Greek New Testament word translated as “rejoice” is [χαίρω, chairo]. It means “to rejoice, to be merry, to be thrilled, to be overcome with joy, reward.” “This  refers to deep, spiritual joy (see Luke 1:46–47; Acts 16:34; 1 Peter 4:13). This type of rejoicing is eternal—unhindered and unchanged by what happens in this present life” (Source: Bruce B. Barton, Preaching The Word, “Matthew,” p. 82). This is not the word we often think of when we are being persecuted. 
2. Second, “glad.” This is not an emotion most people think they should experience when they are being persecuted. The Greek New Testament word is [ἀγαλλιάω, agalliao]. It means “to adorn, to exult, to be joyful, to be overjoyed, to be exceedingly glad.” Again, this is not something we normally think of when we are being persecuted.

So why should we rejoice and be glad when we are being persecuted?

1. First, it reveals our loyalty to Jesus Christ. Polycarp, was a disciple of John the disciple. New Testament scholar William Barclay tells this story about Polycarp. “One of the most famous of all the martyrs was Polycarp, the aged bishop of Smyrna. The mob dragged him to the tribunal of the Roman magistrate. He was given the inevitable choice—sacrifice to the godhead of Caesar or die. ‘Eighty and six years’, came the immortal reply, ‘have I served Christ, and he has done me no wrong. How can I blaspheme my King who saved me?’ So they brought him to the stake, and he prayed his last prayer: ‘O Lord God Almighty, the Father of thy well-beloved and ever-blessed Son, by whom we have received the knowledge of thee … I thank thee that thou hast graciously thought me worthy of this day and of this hour.’ Here was the supreme opportunity to demonstrate his loyalty to Jesus Christ” (Source: William Barclay, The New Study Bible Series, “Matthew,” p. 133).
2. Second, to suffer persecution was to walk the same road the prophets did, Jesus said. 
3. Third, to suffer persecution is to model for others and hopefully, make their decision to stand for Christ in spite of persecution easier. To some degree, in America we enjoy our religious freedom because so many others were persecuted and martyred for Christ. 
4. Fourth, history has shown that the church has historically grown the fastest when it is persecuted. This means, Christians who endure persecution become a beacon that attracts others to Christ, the Gospel and salvation. Christian pastor and author Martyn Lloyd-Jones once said this: 

“The glory of the gospel is that when the Church is absolutely different from the world, she invariably attracts it. It is then that the world is made to listen to her message, though it may hate it at first” (Source: Martyn Lloyd-Jones, Studies In The Sermon On The Mount, p. 28). 

1. Our reward is in heaven. When God judges us, our persecution will seem insignificant and small in comparison to our reward in heaven. Jesus talked about this in:

• Matthew 16:24-27, “Then Jesus said to His disciples, “If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me. (25) For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it; but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it. (26) For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul? (27) For the Son of Man is going to come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and will then repay every man according to his deeds” (NASB).
• Matthew 19:28-30, “And Jesus said to them, “Truly I say to you, that you who have followed Me, in the regeneration when the Son of Man will sit on His glorious throne, you also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. (29) And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or farms for My name’s sake, will receive many times as much, and will inherit eternal life. (30) But many who are first will be last; and the last, first” (NASB).

New Testament scholar Bruce B. Barton gives us several reasons Jesus says we should rejoice and be glad when we are persecuted:

“There are four reasons that persecution can be good: (1) It can take our eyes off earthly rewards, (2) it can strip away superficial belief, (3) it can strengthen the faith of those who endure, and (4) our attitude through it can serve as an example to others who follow. We can take comfort in knowing that God’s greatest prophets endured persecution (Elijah, Jeremiah, Daniel). Persecution proves that we have been faithful; faithless people would be unnoticed. In the future, God will reward the faithful by receiving them into His eternal kingdom, where there is no more persecution. No matter what you face today, if you remain faithful to Christ, one day you will receive a joyful reward” (Source: Bruce B. Barton, The Life Application Bible Commentary, p. 83).

Pastor and author Chuck Swindoll reminds us that we may be persecuted for nothing other than simply being a Christian:

“Jesus focuses on the persecution that occurs against believers simply because they are Christians. People with different religious beliefs can sometimes be hostile to Christianity. This was the case in the first century, and it remains the case today. People may insult, slander, and persecute Christians not for any wrong they have done but simply because they are Christians. In some parts of the world today, we hear of official, government-sponsored persecution of Christians—especially those who outwardly proclaim the gospel of Christ. Add to this the unofficial social and religious persecution that occurs in many non-Christian and post-Christian cultures, and the situation seems overwhelming” (Charles R. Swindoll, Swindoll’s Living Insights New Testament Commentary, “Matthew,” Vol. 1-15, 1A, p. 91).

This means the world can take away a great deal from God’s people, but it cannot take away their joy and their happiness. As Nehemiah 8:10 says, “For the  joy of the Lord is your strength” (NASB). We know that nothing the world can do to us is permanent. When people attack us for Christ’s sake, they are really attacking Him (cf. Gal. 6:17; Col. 1:24). And their attacks can do us no more permanent damage than they can do to Him.

Jesus says our reward is great. This is both a present reality and a future one. The Apostle Paul writes this in Ephesians 3:20, “Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us” (NASB). I like what pastor and author John MacArthur writes on this:

“We often hear, and perhaps are tempted to think, that it is unspiritual and crass to serve God for the sake of rewards. But that is one of the motives that God Himself gives for serving Him. We first of all serve and obey Christ because we love Him, just as on earth He loved and obeyed the Father because He loved Him. But it was also because of “the joy set before Him” that Christ Himself “endured the cross, despising the shame” (Heb. 12:2). It is neither selfish nor unspiritual to do the Lord’s work for a motive that He Himself gives and has followed” (Source: John MacArthur, The MacArthur New Testament Commentary, “Matthew,” p. 231).

Questions To Consider

1. When you think of persecution, do you normally think “rejoice and be glad?” If not, what do you think and why?
2. One of the reasons we Americans have a tough time relating to persecution is because currently we do not experience on the scale others have biblically nor around the world. We might experience some verbal assault, but this is usually the extent of it. How do you think you would respond under persecution as the early Christians did and how some do today in other countries?
3. Have you ever been “persecuted” simply because you are a Christian? If so, how did you handle it and what was the final outcome?
4. Would you today pray intensely and passionately for people around the world who are being persecuted for their Christian faith?
5. Read Martyn Lloyd-Jones comments above. What do you think about them and why?

Scripture To Meditate On: James 1:12, “Blessed is a man who perseveres under trial; for once he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him” (NASB).

Prayer To Pray: “Dear Jesus, I must confess that I take my religious and Christian freedom for granted. There are people all over the world being persecuted for their Christian faith and I never really think about them. Please forgive me. Please convict me to become a prayer warrior for them. Jesus, I pray that I will never compromise or deny You if and when I experience persecution. I love you Jesus. In Jesus’ name, Amen!” 

I love you Southside!--Pastor Kelly