THE BEATITUDES

Transition to Mt 5:11.
    Remember that I said that verses 10 & 11 are actually two inextricably interrelated beatitudes, with verse 11 zeroing in on one particular reason for the persecution mentioned in verse 10.
     Verse 10 can be viewed as mostly (but not totally) persecution for how we act.

        Verse 11 can be viewed as mostly (but not totally) persecution for why we act as we do.

 

 

Matthew 5:11 "Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake."

C. Specific persecution for the sake of Christ.
1. persecution.
    "Bad-mouthing" (speaking evil) to you, at you, and about you to others.
     "Revile," Gk oneidiswsin (on-i-didzo-sin), to defame, i.e., to rail at, chide, taunt.
    Translated here as, "revile." Also translated as, "cast in teeth, reproach, upbraid."
2. Physical persecution along with the verbal persecution.
        "... revile you, and persecute [you]..."
3. Portion that ties verses 10 & 11 together.

           "... and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake."
4. Whether they persecute you for how you act or why you act, the bottom line is Christ and your   
        Christianity.

D. Rejoicing and Reward.    1. Rejoicing.       a. I Pet 4:12-19            1) Verse :12 "Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery               trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened                unto you:                              Don’t be befuddled- i.e., thinking "I don’t know what’s going on!"            2) Verse :13 "But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ's                          sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be               glad also with exceeding joy."

                            Rejoice now, looking forward to the "exceeding joy" you will have later.
        3) Verse :14-16
            a) Verse :14 "If ye be reproached for the name of Christ, happy [are ye];
                  for the spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you: on their part he
                                is evil spoken of, but on your part he is glorified."
                Be happy reproaches.
            b) Verse :15 "But let none of you suffer as a murderer, or [as] a thief,
                                         or [as] an evildoer, or as a busybody in other men's matters.
                    Not when you are bad and suffer for it- that’s nothing to be glad about.
            c) Verse :16 "Yet if [any man suffer] as a Christian, let him not be
                       ashamed; but let him glorify God on this behalf.
                                    But when you are a good Christian and suffer for it, then glorify God and be
                 happy in your reproach.
        4) Verse :16-18
                    :16 "Yet if [any man suffer] as a Christian, let him not be
                                ashamed; but let him glorify God on this behalf."
                    :17 "For the time [is come] that judgment must begin at the house
                  of God: and if [it] first [begin] at us, what shall the end
                               [be] of them that obey not the gospel of God?"
                    :18 "And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where
                              shall the ungodly and the sinner appear?
                                Glorify God that judgment HAS BEGUN!
        5) Verse :19 "Wherefore let them that suffer according to the will
                             of God commit the keeping of their souls [to him]
                             in well doing, as unto a faithful Creator. "
                                God, He is faithful.

b. Mt 5:12 "Rejoice, and be exceeding glad..."                    That’s like saying, "JUMP UP AND DOWN FOR JOY!"    2. Reward.        a. Mt 5:12b " for [is] your reward in heaven:"                  I Cor 2:9 "But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard,                            neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which                           God hath prepared for them that love him."

       b. God is keeping the records of our deeds and the rewards for them.
                Prov 15:3 "The eyes of the LORD [are] in every place,
                         beholding the evil and the good."
                II Cor 5:10 "For we must all appear before the judgment seat
                        of Christ; that every one may receive the things [done]
                        in [his] body, according to that he hath done, whether
                        [it be] good or bad."

E. You’re in good company.     1. Christ was persecuted and slain for righteousness sake.     2. The Prophets were persecuted and slain for proclaiming righteousness.                Mt 5:12b "... for so persecuted they the prophets which were                 before you."                Neh 9:26 "Nevertheless they were disobedient, and rebelled                 against thee,  and cast thy law behind their backs, and                 slew thy prophets which testified against them to turn                            them to thee, and they wrought great provocations."     3. The New Testament preachers were persecuted and killed.        a. John the Baptist in Mt 14:6-12.        b. Stephen in Acts 7:51-60.

       c. Paul.
          II Cor 11:25-27 "Thrice was I beaten with rods, once was I stoned, thrice I
              suffered shipwreck, a night and a day I have been in the deep; [In]
              journeyings often, [in] perils of waters, [in] perils of robbers, [in]
                        perils by [mine own] countrymen, [in] perils by the heathen, [in] perils
                        in the city, [in] perils in the wilderness, [in] perils in the sea, [in] perils
                        among false brethren; In weariness and painfulness, in watchings
                        often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness."

4. The reformers were persecuted and killed.            Some even had their bones dug up and burned years after their deaths.    5. Independent Christians have been killed by the MILLIONS for their       beliefs over the centuries.    6. But, in these last years, we haven’t even BEGUN to suffer and die for       our faith here in the United States as those in other countries are in       ever-growing numbers. However, the persecution in the U.S. is growing       fast and even the laws of the land are changing toward us to bring about       legal repercussions if we dare preach  righteousness.          When it finally comes we will be IN GOOD COMPANY!  That being: Christ,       and the prophets, and the preachers, and the other Christians, who HAVE       died for their faith- in the past by the millions and today by the thousands!