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CHRISTIANS AS BRETHREN:

PERSONAL CHARACTER AND CONDUCT

LESSON EIGHT

INTRODUCTION:  

      1.  Jesus reveals the eighth and final “beatitude” in His sermon on the mount: “Blessed are they that have been persecuted            for righteousness sake for theirs is the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 5:10)

           a. The second “blessed” is not a new beatitude, but Jesus is explaining the type of persecution that the righteous have    faced in the past and will experience in the future (v.11).

           b. The second reference to the kingdom of heaven is Jesus explaining what is ahead of those who possess the king of    heaven – great will be their reward (v. 12).

I. “PERSECUTION” DEFINED:

      A. The Greek word translated “persecuted” is DIOKO.

           1. “Pursuing” others – making them “flee” (Matthew 10:23)

   a. Not only kill and scourge, but persecute from city to city (Matt. 23:34)

   b. Persecuted them” even unto foreign cities” (Acts 26:11)

      B. Persecution is manifested in hostile actions fueled by strong emotions (Matt. 5:11)  

          1. Some will revile you and say all manner of evil against you.

  a. speaking “against you” – “cast out your name as evil” (Lk. 6:22)

  b. speaking “falsely” as you continue to live for Christ’s “sake”

  c. “reviling” often comes in the form of “reproach” or “upbraid” – the mocking of you with chiding remarks or taunts (Mark 15:31-32, Matt. 27:39-44; cf. James 1:5)

          2. Fueled by strong emotions:

  a. being “exceedingly mad” (Acts 26:11)

  b. “Breathing threatening and slaughter” (Acts 9:1)

  c. “Being exceedingly zealous” – leads to persecuting “beyond measure” – making “havoc” of the church” – seeking to destroy it (Gal. 1:13-14)

     C. Personal persecution comes because of “godly” living is unlike “worldly” living (2 Tim. 3:12, Jn. 15:19-20, Acts 14:22)

         1. If you do not run with the worldly crowd in drunkenness – the world will speak evil of you (I Pet. 4:3-4).

II. PERSECUTION FOR RIGHTEOUSNESS SAKE – CHRIST’S SAKE (Matt. 5:10-11)

     A.  “Righteousness sake” is synonymous with “Christ’s sake” – one living godly in the righteous relationship with Chirst.

     B. Not all persecution is for righteousness sake:

         1. no glory in being persecuted or suffering for your own sins (I Pet. 2:20, 4:15)

  a. murderer

  b. thief

  c. an evil doer

  d. meddler in another’s matters

     C. Method of the persecutors: “justify self” by “putting down” others (Lk. 16:14-15)

         1. Jesus spoke the truth of God: you cannot serve God and mammon (riches)

  a. must love one…

  b. …must despise the other

  c. Jesus is speaking the truth with a pure heart (no antagonistic insults) –manifesting the wisdom from above: “first pure then peaceable”- by seeking to correct the error of loving the wrong things.  

         2. To justify self – they “put down” Jesus – They “scoffed” at Him

  a. Mock the person who is pure in heart and seeking to bring God’s peace to their lives.   They scoffed at Jesus – taunting derision – speaking evil of him.

  b. They rather be exalted among men instead of being right with God.

  c. They rather justify self in the sight of men than fear what is an abomination before God.  

  

III. THE BLESSEDNESS OF THE PERSECUTED (Matt. 5:12)

     A. Looking ahead: Great is reward in heaven

         1. “eternal weight of glory” comes through our “afflictions” (2 Cor. 4:17-18).

         2. “greater riches” - look to recompense of reward (Heb. 11:26)

     B. Looking back: to God’s servants, the prophets, whose blood was shed in persecution for righteousness sake.  

         1. What they did to the prophets… (Matt. 23:30, I Kings 18:13, I Kings 19:10, Nehemiah 9:26, Jeremiah 26:23, Heb.              11:36-38)

         2. …they will do to you (Matt. 24:9)

     C. The heart must be centered in heaven to “rejoice” and “be exceeding glad” when persecuted (Matt. 6:21).

         1. God’s three-step reaction to persecution:

  a. first step: do not retaliate (absorbing the evil speaking about you with “meekness” (I Pet. 2:22-23)- like Jesus we must “stay the angry word” (Jn. 15:3-5)

  b. second step: do not be resentful – “glad agony” (2 Cor. 6:10, I Cor. 4:12)

  c. third step – greatly rejoice in fathoming the great reward ahead in heaven. (Matt. 6:12).

         2. John Hooper’s letter written three weeks before being burned at the stake In England A.D. 1555: You must now turn all              your [thoughts] from the Peril you see and mark the felicity that followeth the peril . . . Beware of  beholding too much the              felicity or misery of this world; for the consideration and too earnest love or fear of either of them draweth from God”              (Ryle, Light from Old Times, p. 115).

 

QUESTIONS:

1. Do we have eight beatitudes or nine?

2. How does the Greek word, translated “persecution” denote both pursuing and fleeing?

3. What emotions fuel persecutions?

4. Explain why every Christian will suffer persecution:

5. What is the synonym for suffering for Christ’s sake?

 

6. Suffering can come from _______________- doing as well as _____________-doing. Why is this fact important in our lives?

7. What is the method often used in persecuting others?

8. Why does Jesus call the reward of heaven a “great” reward for the persecuted Christian?

9. How do you know that Jesus had being “killed” in mind when speaking of the Christian’s persecution?

10. When persecuted, what two steps must a Christian take on the way to rejoicing in being persecuted?

11. Where must my heart be placed to rejoice in being persecuted for Christ’s and righteousness sake?