well today we conclude our study in the beatitudes and we come to matthew chapter 5 matthew chapter 5 and considering verses 11 through 10 through 12 that's the text i'll read the beatitudes one more time and today we conclude this wonderful section of scripture by the way i asked last week what maybe i should preach keep going in matthew through the sermon on the mount or go to daniel and that was a mistake because i got 50 50 so it didn't help me at all so i may just do both we'll see i haven't figured that out yet but matthew chapter 5 beginning at verse 1 and this is the word of the lord seeing the crowds he went up on the mountain and when he sat down his disciples came to him and he opened his mouth and taught them saying, blessed are the poor in spirit for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are those who mourn for they shall be comforted. Blessed are the meek for they shall inherit the earth. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness for they shall be satisfied. Blessed are the merciful for they shall receive mercy blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see god blessed are the peacemakers for they shall be called sons of god and now our text blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness sake for theirs is the kingdom of heaven blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against against you falsely on my account rejoice and be glad for your reward is great in heaven for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you and there will end the reading of god's word well there is no doubt that all of us desire especially me to live a comfort comfortable life and a happy life and a prosperous life and to not face any of the ills that are often described in the scriptures especially what we just read about in the psalms about foes who maliciously attack us that is not the kind of thing that we enjoy hearing about and this is somewhat of a challenge as we're confronted with christianity on jesus's terms that says things like what we just read blessed are you when you are persecuted for righteousness sake there has been a pursuit of christianity in the west since we've had so much outward blessing and prosperity that we really can't conceive of a Christianity that is one of suffering. It's difficult for us at the hand of foes, at the hand of those who persecute us, even though the scriptures are very clear, through much tribulation we enter the kingdom of God. It's all over the place. It was David Wells who once said, one of the biggest struggles for evangelicals in our day is that God rests ever so lightly upon us. We've consumed a steady diet of sermons and books which portray a God whose chief end is to relieve our stress and increase our wellness. Well, a God who has rested ever so lightly upon us. And so what we've done is turn Christianity into a therapy. Because it's been so good and because we've had so much outward prosperity, the messages turn into God is just there as a therapy God to solve every little pain that we have in life. He's right. He's right. That's what's happened in the West. You could see how confusing that might be for us when circumstances change. You could see how that would cause a lot of challenges for us. It was the parable of the sower that Jesus gave, that one of the soils he was concerned about that did not endure were those who received the word immediately. They received the word in the good times. They received the word when everything is going well in life, when there's outward prosperity, and we especially tie that to the blessing of the Lord. But when he said tribulation and difficulty comes because of the word, many people do not endure. You imagine in America after decades of prosperity and no outward persecution where people have never really had to take a stand for much and having a wrong conception of what Christianity is and being used to therapy, How difficult this would be for us if it actually turned into physical persecution for our faith. I often think about that. You know, we're probably products of what we know. What have I known? A pretty remarkably, in light of the history of the world, easy life in terms of not having to face opposition for my faith. So it's been easy to not stand for much in the midst of all this. It's been easy to cruise along in the midst of all this. We have assumed that we are blessed in this life if we have a life of ease and we just can stay to ourselves and enjoy family and have that good life, as we call it, ever thinking that that is all God resting ever so lightly upon us. The big challenge would be to try to process if times actually got really hard. That would be hard. I admit it would be hard for me. If times actually got really hard in terms of persecution and the struggle that we would have, the sense that we would have, is this question, has God abandoned us? Has God abandoned us? Beloved, I think that's why Jesus saves the most shocking beatitude for last. Really is the most shocking beatitude and provides, I think, one of the most profound encouragements in the scriptures to help us with perspective when there are changing providences, changing seasons, when the favor of the Lord no longer is received. Think about the favor of the Lord on his church when that is no longer valued in the society and the world. That's what we've enjoyed in the country is Christianity embedded in the Constitution and embedded in the principles of it so that we have enjoyed so much, so much freedom that it was really, as Dr. Godfrey has helped us with, Christendom embedded in law so that we have been protected. And it's been, well, you know that's changing. You know that's changing radically and it's changing fast. And so we have to think through these things. We have to think about what Christianity is designed to be And that we are centered and really rock solid no matter the circumstances that come upon us. Whether we are living in, as our Heidelberg says, in outward prosperity. Whether it's fruitful years or lean years. Whether it is received time in the public eye where we are loved and embraced. Or whether we are hated. That really does not affect who we are as Christians. because no matter what the providence is, we look to the Lord and trust Him. But Jesus told us constantly what to expect. You think of John 15. If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. If you belong to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world. Why don't you belong to the world? He says, because I've chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you. The reason the world hates you is sovereign election. The reason the world hates you is sovereign election. I chose you. And I set you apart. And they hate you for that. He said, that is why, remember what I told you, a servant is not greater than his master. In other words, Jesus suffered a cross and you and I are not greater than him. And so he says, if they persecuted me, they will persecute you also. So we have to give ourselves to understand this today because it is the last beatitude that Jesus addresses. And I want to look at this morning briefly with you sort of persecution misapplied today so that we would think about this and see how it's been misapplied and then persecution explained by Jesus as to what it looks like and what it is and then to apply it to help us appreciate who we are in the world and why that matters and why that's so special. This is a special designation that he's given to us here, and we have to understand it. So for a minute, we have to appreciate where the beatitude comes. It comes in a very unique place at the end of a long list of describing who the Christian is in the world, how the Christian gives flavor to the world, how he is salt and how he's light to the world. He's been explaining these Beatitudes and the characteristics of the Christian as to who he is as those who have entered the kingdom of God. The peculiar marks that really demonstrate they are Christ's followers in this world. But this Beatitude is fundamentally different than all the rest. For all the other Beatitudes provided a sort of direct description from Jesus of the Christian in this life. that characteristics and qualities and virtues and things that are practiced by the believer in this present age. He is peacemaker. He's a peacemaker. He is merciful and so on. But this one's different. It is indirect. In other words, Jesus saved this one for last to describe what is going to happen to the Christian in this life. That's different. It's not something we ever choose. And let me say up front, it's not something we celebrate. Well, look at that at the very end. It's not something we celebrate. Nobody wants to be persecuted. Nobody asks for it. Nobody delights in it. It's a sad state of affairs when God's people are persecuted. It's not something we pursue in this life. It is something that results from simply being who we are in this life, which is very important to understand. It naturally results from being who you are if you are indeed being a Christian. That's what it earns, Jesus is describing. So Jesus attaches a shocking blessing to the fact that because of who you are in this life, you will then be persecuted. So it becomes a sort of capstone and summary conclusion of all the Beatitudes in a way. For when we are these things that are upside down in the world, as we've been describing, peacemakers, merciful, when we sorrow for our sins, when we are filled with righteousness, when we have these kinds of things in us and things that we pursue, one would think that if we are humble and if we are kind and if we are pure in heart and if we are poor in spirit And if we are merciful to people, and most of all, peacemakers in a world, a dog-eat-dog world, that would earn the world's favor. That would earn the world's favor. I mean, it should, right? Jesus says the opposite. That is peculiarly true with regard to peacemakers. That's where we landed last time. that you would think any peacemaker in this present age would be warmly embraced, right? Jesus says the opposite, that actually when we are peacemakers, that's why there's a direct tie to the previous beatitude, or precisely because we are peacemakers, the true effect of that, the thing that will happen in our lives is that will result naturally in the hatred of the world, right that's what he says the very thing that we're all embarrassed about because we're so afraid that everyone's going to think we're better than ever no we don't think we're better but it's precisely the humility in the christian it's precisely the peacemaking quality of the christian that earns those kinds of charges and we don't understand that we don't appreciate that now you remember what we looked at in peacemakers they are most concerned about the most important issue in people's lives. We have this great concern that people need to be right with the Lord. That is the burden of you, beloved. Think about it. Why are we here? What do we care about with our neighbor? What do we think about when it comes to our neighbor? We're burdened ultimately that they don't know the Lord and that they don't have peace with him. And that because of that, they're at war with God. And Jesus is here describing the connection to this. Now, I think before we address what it means today unless there are those who are persecuted we should spend a moment on what it doesn't mean i think that'll be helpful i hope for a minute and this may be one of the most misunderstood statements by our lord throughout history there have been all kinds of zealots there have been all kinds of zealots for the faith you think of some of the zealots that rose up in jesus's time and there were there were always those trying to pull jesus in to become a revolutionary there were always those who were trying to pull jesus into the war the culture war and they were they were zealous they were fighting and they developed a character in them that is contrary to what jesus is saying here however they would have heard it and said yeah that's right, blessed are those who are persecuted. This is exactly what Peter warned against in his little epistle when he said, listen, for dear friends, don't be surprised at the fiery ordeal that has come upon you to test you. As though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice in as much as you participate in the sufferings of Christ so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed. And he says this, if you are insulted for the name of Christ, you are blessed. That's not what we typically run around saying I'm blessed about. But he said, you're blessed if you're insulted. He said, for the spirit of glory and of God rests on you. If you suffer though, it should not be as, now think about this. This is why I said we need to kind of consider what it's not for a minute. It should not be as a murderer or as a thief or as any other kind of criminal or even as a meddler. That's a really interesting interjection, you know. Not as a murderer or a thief or any other kind of criminal. there was a reason jesus was always concerned to not give offense pay the taxes lest we offend pay the taxes this is really important god um god in times and his providence sends fiery trials upon us and they are to test us they are to test us they are to show the character of the christian and show what's in our hearts but some are persecuted in this life for the sole reason that they become, with the badge of being a Christian, obnoxious rebels. Peter even mentions a meddler here. You can bring a lot of hardship on your life simply because you are meddling in things that God never called you to meddle in. Your calling is to lead a quiet life in all godliness and to not meddle in things you shouldn't meddle in. That can lead to a lot of persecution in your life, even from the government. In some way, we kind of lived through a fiery ordeal not so long ago with COVID, didn't we? Yeah, that was such a blur. What a weird time. What a strange time we endured. God sent this fiery trial on the whole world, really. In my opinion, you know, I look back at it and I thought about how much should I say about this? I was frustrated with the government and the way they handled it big time. I was really frustrated. I thought it was handled terribly in many ways. In my opinion, that's what my position is looking back on it. They shut down everything. Remember that time? Remember all the emotions and the things that drew out? Remember the war in the church? Remember all the fighting over this? Remember the rebels? The church was faced with an important question, of course, of what that meant for worship. We saw all the inconsistencies. We saw all the problems. We had to wrestle strongly with what does that mean for the command of God to worship? Churches everywhere initially shut down, remember? And some of the well-known churches cited even Richard Baxter that said for a pandemic of course we shut down we believed that the need to worship pure and simple and what we did as a church is we tried to work through the ordinances at the time to still gather you know we were outside for a while you know was that all that bad i mean you got to bring lawn chairs you know i saw some of you in shorts that never wore shorts before we didn't want to draw attention to ourselves through that did we i mean if we could work through the avenues to try to still worship and not bring a fence wasn't that probably the best way if you look back at covet it was really remarkable for almost the whole duration of covet maybe not those first weeks we were out worshiping we were trying not to draw offense or attention to ourselves i thought the elders here were very wise in the way they handled it others said of course forget the government we're going back inside and we're denying it all now they had that i guess right those churches were held up when the government came down on them as being persecuted as the most faithful churches because they stood strong in the face of opposition. In some cases, directly challenging the government did receive backlash when the offense probably was avoidable. I didn't like any of it. It was a confusing time. What a confusing time, whatever position people landed in. What a confusing time. The point is, many people viewed that as persecution. let me ask there were probably some cases of persecution but were we really persecuted really i mean i think it's an important question can anybody say that really in a widespread level covid brought persecution on christians only or was this even if you call it irresponsible a massive shutdown of everything sure i thought really unjust when casinos were open and churches couldn't be that was bad were we still able to worship clear answer is yes and we figured it out my point is a lot of so-called christians are persecuted in this life because as martin lloyd jones says they are fighting for a cause and in that way they become obnoxious john calvin described in his day today also and i quote those crackpot anabaptists who cause so much trouble in the world who denounce denounce governments and magistrates the unity of the church never tire of repeating this phrase blessed are those who suffer persecution yes but he says do they suffer persecution for righteousness sake the answer is no the opposite is true we should have the word righteousness firmly written in our hearts and ensure that whenever we are persecuted, our conscience testifies before God that our cause is just. And that takes wisdom, doesn't it? He says, for that is the mark chosen by Christ to distinguish his disciples from those who are brigands, thieves, murderers, blasphemers, and adulterers. In general, we misunderstand persecution, I think, in America. A lot of people went out of California right now, you know. They have a right to do. I'm not condemning that. But the reason that a lot of people went out of California is because they think the government's persecuting them. I had someone write to me this week and say, about those staying in California, about you. Throughout church history, including the last century, there are times when God's people must flee the onslaught of the wicked. Firsthand, my German grandparents and my mother fled oppression, rape, and starvation under Soviet military. My heart breaks to watch Christian friends and missions colleagues in California frequently lose their children and grandchildren to the local pagan culture. I said, well, I said, if that were true, my friend, then I'd probably flee too. Guns are not put to my head for preaching the gospel today. I can still send my kids to whatever form of schooling I want, Christian schooling. Am I being persecuted for the faith? Really? Hardly. Right now. That day may come. But until we receive actual persecution, then I believe I'm called to minister in Nineveh unless God calls me out of here. I don't want to be at the bottom of the ocean. Most are leaving for political reasons. Is that right? Most are leaving because of the culture war. But let's be clear. That's not persecution. Remember when I thought about coming back to California from Washington. I said, I don't want to pay high taxes. I was like, I don't want to go back to that place. I don't want to deal with the politics as if Washington's was better. I remember Reverend Camminga said, you know, it's hard. I don't know if I want to put my children in a California culture. I've got Linden. It's safe. He goes, what do you mean? In his, you know, direct way. And I said, well, he goes, you mean safe, maybe riding your bike. But it's not safer spiritually. It was that comment that so affected me in considering this call. Now, what is Jesus talking about? And by the way, I haven't lost my kids as far as I know to the pagan culture. The Lord has really upheld my children here, and it's been wonderful. Thankful for their teachers. What does Jesus say? Blessed are those who are persecuted not for a cause. Not for the expediency of living a better life. So one pastor said, blessed are those who are persecuted not because they're having a hard time in their Christian life or because they're being difficult or because they seriously lack wisdom and are really foolish and unwise in what they regard as being their testimony or are objectionable, blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake. That's something entirely different. The persecution Jesus is talking about It has to do with who you are and what you believe. Acts 5.29 is your verse. The apostles were brought in and made to appear before the Sanhedrin and questioned by the high priest, we gave you strict orders not to teach in that name. Because Caesar's Lord and you will bow to Caesar. Yet you have filled Jerusalem with your doctrine and are determined to make us guilty of this man's blood. You're done teaching and preaching the name of Jesus Christ. Do you hear us or you will go to prison? And what was their response? We must, said Peter, obey God rather than human beings. That's what he's talking about. He's describing who we are and what we believe. Our fundamental difference in this life, it's all counterintuitive, of course. We are not hated because we're quarrelers and fighters. or when people offend us as we looked at last week and we take it personally and once we take it personally then the war starts no no no we are patient it is that we are patient and we are pursuing righteousness sake for righteousness sake it's what you stand for we hate evil we promote what's good we live in a culture that calls evil good and good evil and we can't go with that we see the bigger picture that people need peace with god and that our concern is is that in our jobs and in who we are we we don't have to just do that for people to see us it's in us that we promote honesty and integrity and we deal honestly and we pay taxes and we are people who are upright. We love truth. We do the best we can to live our lives blamelessly in this crooked generation. We love our enemies. We're called to bless them and not curse them. We try to help the needy and we do it sincerely. We bless those who hate us and we bless and do not curse. We do kindness to all and we want to see justice. We want to see what's right in the world. We want to see what's morally true in the world. We care about what is true and what is right to advance in the world. That's best for our neighbor. And we bear witness to the gospel. We tell people the truth even when it's hated. And we get all this pressure not to. But we know it's best for them because it was best for us. And because of all that, you are naturally hated. The character of the Christian as a peacemaker seeks peace with God and man earns at times the rising up of the world's hatred in God's providence. That's one of the great examples, I think, in the scripture. You say, well, show this to me. Show me an example of this. I'll give you, I think, a really clear example right from the beginning. Why did Cain kill Abel? What did Abel do? He worshiped the Lord. He was faithful in worship. He trusted Christ. He was an aroma of life and death to Cain. And why did he murder him? That's John's question. Why did Cain murder his brother? He said this, because his own actions were evil and his brothers were righteous. In other words, Abel patiently worshipped the Lord with a sincere heart. It wasn't, people can play the game, and it wasn't fun. No, Cain knew it was real. Cain saw it. It bothered him. Because it was real. And that drove his hatred of Abel. Abel was not a rebel rouser. Abel was not provoking Cain. Abel was not taunting Cain. Abel loved Cain. Abel wanted the best for Cain. Abel wanted Cain to be in worship. Abel wanted Cain to be righteous. And Cain's jealousy rose up and murdered his brother. There's your first account of persecution in the Bible. We look at everything, as I said last time, through the lens of the gospel. Why does the world hate us? Why is there someone in your life who provokes you and treats you terrible and who's always bothered with you and who is cruel and unkind? It's not because you're behaving as a jerk, is it? You might earn it for that, but that's not persecution for righteousness' sake. It's precisely the opposite. You're the aroma of life or you're the aroma of death. It's because you care for them. It's because you pray for them. It's because you speak what's most important to them. It's because you love them and at some point, like Judas, they snap. And that's true in the church. Let me say, you know, the greatest enemies of the faith have been in formal Christianity to persecute the righteous. If you stand for something today, listen, in a culture that has no conviction, church culture, and you stand for worship, and you stand for the holiness of God above all, and you take worship seriously, When you value who God is and you take sin seriously and people see that, they will say, what a bunch of fuddy-duddies. Is that the worst of our persecution right now? And we try to downplay all that. Because we're afraid. The people will think we're better. This naturally goes with conviction. Jesus said, they'll throw you out of the synagogues. Remember the man born blind? All he did was testify to the fact that Jesus gave him sight and they ex-synagogued him. They cast him out. You see, now I come back to where we started. God's hand has rested ever so lightly upon us for a long time. But there will be times in providence under His control that persecution is going to come. That's part of His sovereign appointment too. That is His sovereign plan to mark you as His people. We're all trying to stop it today because we're afraid of it. We don't retaliate. We don't return evil for evil. We bless and do not curse. that's his way of distinguishing us you see every square inch we hear today amen every square inch is under his lordship and guess what that includes persecution that we are not called to escape at times but to realize the blessedness of what jesus is saying to us. And it's at this point Jesus leaves us in the Beatitudes with the greatest encouragement. When we face things, and it may be boys and girls at the school for simply standing up for what's right and you're ridiculed, it may be as basic as that. When we face these things, we tend to be discouraged or we think god's protection has left us his sovereign shield around us has left us remember what job said when he felt that sovereign protection had left he said wait wait wait does god not send both good and evil when we face these things jesus says this blessed are you when people insult you and they persecute you and they falsely say all kinds of evil against you why what's the big reason they don't really hate you they hate him because of me and here is how he encourages us when you're persecuted for righteousness sake He says, yours is the kingdom. He elaborates, rejoice and be glad because great is your reward in heaven for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you. That's what Jesus says is evidence. You're his children. A much better reward is held out for you. Think about your reward, you know, and the Lord encourages us. Sometimes I think we get nervous about rewards. He wants you to know he's going to reward you. He has a reward for you. He's rewarding you for just being who you are as His children. Wow. What a privilege. You have a better home that awaits and these things that happen to us of which we have no control in a culture gone mad because you can't help being who you are. This is who you are. You are Christ. He's bought you. He's purchased you. And He has identified you with the living God since he identified with us. I don't know what's coming. All indications are that a time of serious persecution is going to come on the church in the West. I hope I'm wrong. I don't think we celebrate that. I don't think Jesus is saying, just be glad when you're persecuted. He's not saying to celebrate persecution. He's telling you to celebrate what it says about you. It's a sad state of affairs for them but never think that being hated for righteousness sakes indicates god is absent from you there's no reason for fear for he himself jesus has promised i'll never leave you nor forsake you may we have grace to see the privilege of being hated as jesus was when the apostles were beaten for their faith I have never yet had rods put to my back for the faith when the apostles were beaten for the faith what did they do they went away rejoicing when Paul and Silas were in prison for the faith every square inch sovereign appointment by God they sang psalms they rejoiced that they were counted worthy to suffer for his namesake that's the perspective jesus wants us to have if god in his providence calls us to suffer for righteousness sake take joy be cheerful it's all a mark you're my children and if it's in god's providence that this is to come he will uphold us and that will be a great witness to those who are in the darkness let's bless the name of the lord in prayer heavenly father thank you for helping us to understand this marvelous section of scripture help us oh lord to as the book of revelation says be faithful unto death for there is a martyr throng in heaven right now saying how much longer and the word comes back rest a little while longer till the rest of your brethren come in give us that perspective oh lord of where we belong and give us the grace and the help to be christians who are faithful in our witness and sincere in who we are in the world for that can't be hidden jesus will say a lamp you can't put a light under a bowl and hide it let our light so shine before men that they would respond in great fear and turn in repentance and faith and glorify our father in heaven help us oh lord and give us this kind of perspective in whatever circumstance we are in, in good times and in bad, that we might live for your glory and not our own. In Jesus' name we pray, amen.