| Introduction For centuries, people of all kinds have said that the Sermon on the Mount is a good set of principles to live by. When Thomas Jefferson prepared his Bible by cutting out all the parts that he didn't agree with, he left in it the Sermon on the Mount. Some say, "I don't need all this cross and salvation stuff, just the Sermon on the Mount." However, this liberal and humanist love for the Sermon on the Mount is completely without basis. The Sermon on the Mount is not a feel-good sermon. As a matter of fact, the things that this sermon speaks about are unattainable apart from the work of regeneration by the Spirit in one's heart. The beatitude before us today is proof of that. Blessed are those who are persecuted? Rejoice and be exceedingly glad when you are attacked, and slandered, and hurt? No, thank you. My natural tendency is not toward liking that. The Sermon on the Mount can only be lived by the one who has been saved by the Lord Jesus Christ. Otherwise, it is impossible to follow it. I. This Beatitude Is Different than the Other Ones A. It describes a circumstance instead of a characteristic – persecuted. 1. Should it surprise us that the citizens of the kingdom of God suffer persecution in direct relationship to their love for righteousness? "We follow a crucified Savior. We should not think it strange, therefore, if we ourselves encounter fiery trials. We are called to be made in His image. We are called to follow in His way, and so we will follow in the way of opposition." Sinclair Ferguson 2. Why should we be surprised at that when our Lord himself is called a Samaritan, an illegitimate child, and demon-possessed by his own people? 3. Why should we be surprised by that when his own people came with trumped-up charges accusing him of attempting to overthrow the government for the sake of seeing him crucified? 4. How can we be surprised when the world so treats us? We are but his disciples. 5. The world hates Jesus and we are united to him, so the world hates us. Mt. 10:21-22 – Now brother will deliver up brother to death, and a father his child; and children will rise up against parents and cause them to be put to death. And you will be hated by all for My name's sake. But he who endures to the end will be saved. Jn. 15:18-20 – If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. Remember the word that I said to you, 'A servant is not greater than his master.' If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you. 1 Jn. 3:11-13 – For this is the message that you heard from the beginning, that we should love one another, not as Cain who was of the wicked one and murdered his brother. And why did he murder him? Because his works were evil and his brother's righteous. Do not marvel, my brethren, if the world hates you. B. This beatitude is different form the others in that it changes from the third person to second person. 1. This is a shocking beatitude. 2. So, to make the point more vivid, Jesus switches from the general third person and brings it to the disciples and to us as if pointing a finger and saying, "YOU will be persecuted." C. It repeats the blessing – possession of the kingdom of God from v. 1. 1. This indicates the end of this section. 2. The initial description of the citizen of the kingdom of God is coming to an end. 3. From here on the Sermon on the Mount describes the actions of the citizen of the kingdom. D. As far as the original audience is concerned, the last beatitude brings an anti-climatic conclusion to this section of the Sermon on the Mount. 1. It was a common belief among Jews that all suffering including persecution was an indication of God's displeasure and of the wickedness of the one afflicted. 2. So, the idea that persecution is a blessing must have thrown his disciples for a loop. 3. We find an illustration of this belief in Lk. 13:1-5. Lk. 13:1-5 – There were present at that season some who told Him about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. And Jesus answered and said to them, "Do you suppose that these Galileans were worse sinners than all other Galileans, because they suffered such things? I tell you, no; but unless you repent you will all likewise perish. Or those eighteen on whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them, do you think that they were worse sinners than all other men who dwelt in Jerusalem? I tell you, no; but unless you repent you will all likewise perish." II. What Are the Actions in This Beatitude That Mark the Blessing? A. Persecution for righteousness's sake, 10. 1. It is very important to keep in mind that it is not any type of persecution, but persecution for righteousness's sake. 2. Sometimes we are justly persecuted because of our own sin and we try to spin it as being persecuted for righteousness's sake. 1 Pt. 2:20 – For what credit is it if, when you are beaten for your faults, you take it patiently? But when you do good and suffer, if you take it patiently, this iscommendable before God. 3. An example of persecution for righteousness's sake is Paul and Silas's being thrown in jail because they cast a demon out of a girl in Philippi. 4. Throughout the centuries, Christians have been well acquainted with persecution for righteousness' sake. a. Nero using Christians as human torches. b. The Covenanters being killed under Charles II. c. Christians in Muslim countries – the well-publicized video of ISIS operatives beheading Christians with swords. B. Reviling – reproach, insult, mock, 11a. 1. Our Savior was mocked by the Roman soldiers with a crown of thorns and a robe. 2. He was mocked by the religious leaders while on the cross. 3. He has gone through it and he can carry us through it to when we are mocked because of our faith. 4. We don't have to fear man. C. Slander, 11b. 1. Our Savior was condemned to the cross because of false accusations. 2. Christians have been falsely accused of incest, atheism, disloyalty to the ruling authorities, intolerance, etc. D. It is important to note that the persecution itself is not the blessing. 1. The blessing is the possession of the kingdom of God. 2. Persecution for righteousness's sake brings the knowledge that we are in possession of the kingdom – that this world is not our home. Rom. 8:35, 37-39 – Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? … Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. III. How Is It Possible to Rejoice in Persecution? A. This is not just rejoicing. 1. It is being exceedingly glad. 2. Older translations even translated this word as "leap for joy" in order to capture the intensity of this word. B. But how is it possible? I think the key is in verse 12. 1. Persecution indicates the genuine character of one's faith. a. When you are persecuted for righteousness's sake, you are following on the footsteps of the prophets. b. They were faithful to God, so they were persecuted. c. You are faithful to Christ, so you are persecuted 2. Persecution is followed by great reward in heaven. a. Not a wage earned by human merit, but the reward of grace. b. This reward is in proportion to, yet much greater than, the sacrifice. Rom. 8:18 – For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. 2 Cor. 4:17-18 – For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen aretemporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal. 3. Often this reward seems so small because we are so attached to this world and this life. 4. We don't rejoice because we are not convinced that eternal life before the presence of Jesus is that great. 5. Yet Paul says: Phil 1:21-23 – For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain. But if I live on in the flesh, this will mean fruit from my labor; yet what I shall choose I cannot tell. For I am hard-pressed between the two, having a desire to depart and be with Christ, which is far better. IV. Does This Beatitude Fit with a Wealth and Health Gospel? A. This is not speaking about all kinds of suffering, just a specific one – persecution. B. But it does give us the gist of the Christian life. 2 Tim. 3:10-12 – But you have carefully followed my doctrine, manner of life, purpose, faith, longsuffering, love, perseverance, persecutions, afflictions, which happened to me at Antioch, at Iconium, at Lystra—what persecutions I endured. And out of them all the Lord delivered me. Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution. C. There is great enmity between the children of God and this world. 1. The light that righteous lives shine on the sin of the world is uncomfortable. 2. So, the world will try to put out the light. V. Why Am I not Experiencing This Persecution? A. Because I would disgrace the cause of Christ if I were persecuted. 1. Perhaps God is protecting us and his glory by not allowing us to be blessed through persecution. 2. Perhaps we are not strong enough to go through persecution, and we might take Job's wife's advice and curse God and die, rather than rejoicing in persecution. B. Because we are not hungering and thirsting after righteousness. 1. There is no reason for the world to persecute us if our faith is so weak and our conduct so harmless to them. 2. Our passions, desires, behavior, love are not that different from the world. C. Because we are not poor in spirit and meek – pride. 1. We might be able to go through persecution, but we would take all the credit for persevering through it. 2. Because of pride we cannot bear receiving this blessing. D. Because we are not peacemakers. 1. Did you notice that this beatitude comes right on the heels of the peacemaking one as if to say that peacemakers are persecuted because they are peacemakers? 2. Satan and the world want those who disturb peace or fake peace to continue unharmed because they are furthering Satan's cause. Conclusion Do you know the blessing that comes through persecution? Do you know what it is to meet opposition for the sake of Christ? Perhaps the reason that we find so little of this in our own experience is that we are not enough for righteousness to the point that the world can tell a difference between us and itself.
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