Skip to main content

79. Persecuted? You've Arrived!


Matthew 5:10-12, Luke 6:22-23, Psalm 17
Key Verse: "I call on you, O God, for You will answer me; give ear to me and hear my prayer.” 
Psalm 17:6

There's a chorus to a popular song from a few years back that says:
Where can I go when I need a shelter? 
Where can I go when I need a friend? 
Where can I go when I need some helpin'? 
Where can I go, back on my knees again!     (Amy Grant) 

In Psalm 116, another Psalm written by a persecuted believer, the Psalmist says, "Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His saints.”  (Psalm 116:15)  But that leads us to ask, "why is that?”  While in the case of this Psalm, the Psalmist was obviously rescued, we know that isn't always the case. 

Why didn't Jesus say, "Blessed are you when you are persecuted because God will rescue you in miraculous ways!”  Why are some people allowed to continue to suffer in this world, "for His name's sake?”  How does God get the glory for this? 

This is a history in scripture that we are all too familiar with. Jesus acknowledges this history Himself when He says, "for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.”  (Matthew 5:12B) The truth is, following Christ will mean that you are not in lock step with the world any more. 

In the next few verses, Jesus encourages His listeners to "let their light shine before men so that they will see your good works and glorify your Father who is in heaven.”  (Matthew 5:16)  If you are not in lock step, if you are being different, you are bound to be noticed. Many won't like the ways you’re different and they will cause you grief, but if they see your good despite how they are treating you, and you give the credit for that goodness to God, He will get the glory, even through your persecution. 

Think of it like this. If it were easy to be a Christian, you would probably attract some who would want to get on board the Christian band wagon because they also want to receive the kinds of blessings that you have. They want the blessings, but they may not necessarily want the sacrificial walk. If, however, you stay with Christ even through the hard times, whatever that may be, then the world will notice and consider that there may be more to God than just receiving blessings. There may be something deeper that they don't understand.

You are showing them a life, centered on God, your refuge, your rock. You aren't tossed to and fro by emotions and feelings, or reacting to circumstances in the way of the world. Your difference is something solid, that just might get them through their storms of life as well. Blessed are you when you are persecuted because you are being given the opportunity to be a testimony to God's goodness and dependability through it all. That is something that the world needs to see.

"We Pray that you will live a life worthy of the Lord and may please Him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, being strengthened with all power according to His glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, and joyfully giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the kingdom of light.”  (Col. 1:10-12)  Amen. 

Song: "Through It All”

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

211. The Sons of Thunder's Request

Matthew 20:20-28 , Mark 10:35-45 , Key verse: "Whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all." Mark 10:43B-44 In our readings for yesterday, in which Jesus outlined what was about to happen to Him, for His disciples, the passage in Luke ends: "The disciples did not understand any of this. It's meaning was hidden from them, and they did not know what He was talking about." ( Luke 18:34 ) Now, we see just how truly clueless they were. Jesus had laid out a plan before them of pain and suffering and death and now James and John are focused on a promotion. The disconnect is so obvious. It's really not important to know whether James and john came up with this request on their own or if their mother put them up to it. The request was made and James and John thought that they could handle the responsibility that would come with it. What is that saying, "Fools rush in where angels fe...
Post a Comment
Read more

These Boots are Made for Walking

Scripture: Ephesians 6:10-15 These Boots are Made for Walking. Of course, I picked that title because it has a reference to popular culture, and it connects with our text today about “feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace.” I was tempted to play the video of that song, but it’s really not amenable to worship. If you remember that old song, it was quite confrontational. The singer had a righteous complaint against a boyfriend or spouse who was cheating on her. She’s not going to put up with that, and the song goes on to say, “One of these days these boots are gonna walk all over you!” And that “take a stand” bravado made her a hero! It was a #1 hit in 1966. I mention it because it has one interesting parallel and one major contrast with the message of grace and forgiveness. That parallel is this. God has a righteous complaint against the entire human race for cheating Him out of the loving relationship He desires with us. As the God who created us, he h...
Post a Comment
Read more

186. Ten Healed, Or One?

Luke 17:11-19 Key Verse: Then He said to him, "Rise and go; your faith has made you well." Luke 17:19 At last, Jesus has left the crowd behind and again is continuing His journey toward Jerusalem. His path takes Him and His disciples along the border of Judea and Samaria, between the pure Jews, and the hated half breeds of the day. On His way, Jesus encounters an interesting group of people. We only learn the nationality of one of them and, though we don't know the nationality of the others, because Jesus sends them to the priests in Jerusalem we can probably assume that at least some of them are Jews. Isn't it interesting that through leprosy, a disease that causes much suffering, the dividing wall of hatred has come down for the sake of companionship? We encountered one leper earlier on our Journey. Lepers were the dreaded untouchables of the day. Their disease cut them off from all they loved. It was a very lonely life. No wonder these people had ...
Post a Comment
Read more