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| “Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil 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.” |
| —Matthew 5:11-12 |
At the beginning of the famous sermon of the Lord Jesus Christ found in Matthew 5, 6, and 7—the passage that Bible scholars have titled the “Sermon on the Mount”—we find a list of items that begin with the word “blessed.” Often referred to as “The Beatitudes,” these items chart a pathway for the life of one who believes in the life-transforming power of the risen Lord Jesus Christ.
- 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 children of God.
- Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Then, we come to the last of this list of pathways to blessing. It is found in the Scripture verse at the beginning of this blog post:
Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil 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.
In an age where many people despise the idea that there is a God who rules over the universe, a God who is holy and condemns sin, a God who expects people to worship Him, we who believe find ourselves experiencing both subtle and not so subtle persecution. In some parts of the world, this persecution has terrible physical consequences. Here in the United States, the persecution has a more psychological substance. Whether physical or psychological, the persecution is very real.
Our only hope comes from understanding that those who believe will become persecuted and this persecution comes with a great reward from the God who loves us and whom we serve. So, we need to take heart, hold our heads upright, and speak forth the praise of which our God is worthy.
We must not hide the Light of Christ under a bushel of our fear or reluctance. We must forthrightly proclaim that we belong to the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. In so doing, we will fulfill the purpose for which God has called us to Himself and redeemed us from our sins through the precious blood of His one and only Son, Jesus.
