Eighth Beatitude

"Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven." Jesus followed this last beatitude with several verses that expand on the idea of persecution to include insults, lies and enduring all kinds of evil for His namesake ( Matthew 3:10-12 ). Persecution was a familiar concept to Jesus's disciples in that day. Through Christ's strength, they daily bore the burden of horrific oppression and torture for the sake of the gospel. While rare in the U.S., it might surprise you to know that in other parts of the world christian persecution is considered one of the largest human rights issues of our era. According to Open Doors, a ministry dedicated to the radical idea that every christian belongs to one church and one family, within the last year 4,761 christians were killed for their faith, 4,488 churches and other christian buildings were attacked, 4,277 believers were detained without trial, arrested, sentenced or imprisoned. As the body of Christ if one of us is persecuted so are we all. We have the responsibility to support our brothers and sisters in Christ who suffer persecution. ( Hebrews 13:3 ). We should do this with the awareness that : while evil men and imposters go from bad to worst, deceiving and being deceived," there may be a day coming when we are the ones standing in need of prayer. For if you live a godly life, you will be persecuted. You can count on this.It is not a matter of if; it is a matter of when and how much. ( 2 Timothy 3:12 ). Those who suffer because of their loyalty to the kingdom of heaven are blessed by being bound more closely to that kingdom for which they suffer. What did Jesus Hope to Convey through the Beatitudes ? The word beatitude comes from the latin word beatitudo, meaning blessedness. Eight times during the opening lines of Jesus's revolutionary sermon, He repeats the phrase "blessed are." The message He means to convey through these proclamations of blessing - or beatitudes is simple, but it flies in the face of everything the spiritual leaders were teaching at that time. With each conditional promise of provision came an instruction in true righteousness, illustrated by one character trait. Up to that point, the Jewish people had been raised on long lists of strict rules and regulations taught by scribes and pharisees through the law of Moses. But no one had ever been able to fulfill all the requirements of the law and obtain righteousness. No. Not one. Yet Jesus was taking these impossible laws, boiling them down to their truest essence, and then baiting the proclamation with promises of provision from God rather than judgement. He spoke to His audience as if these collective traits were attainable and theirs for the taking. Through Christ's indwelling Spirit those who were once bound to the deeds of the flesh, and perishing under the burden of the law, would be set free to live in Jesus's righteousness, as God's own children ( Romans 8:11-15 ) Most of us approached the beatitudes as if there's some sort of platitude ... and principals on how to live life. I mean that's usually how they're approached, but that is very far removed from what they actually are. These are laser guided bombs in the culture that Jesus was preaching to. These statements, these things that we've come to recite in the flannel board of our youth are devastating statements that turn Jesus' culture on its ear completely. It is not what they expected to hear. It takes direct aim at at all of these prized dispositions and virtues and their worldview. I'll give you an example. Blessed are the poor in spirit for theirs is the kingdom of God. Well they believed self - righteousness because of who they were. Jesus says No, its actually the broken people, those who recognize their need for God, people who are spiritual beggars inherit the kingdom. He did not say descendants of Abraham, He did not say Jews, and did not say pharisees. He did not say good people. He did not say moral people. He said broken people. Those are the ones that inherit the kingdom. So Jesus' audience is sitting there having learned what they have learned from their tradition, and Jesus drops this gernade and it touches every nerve in the audience because every single one of them underneath the facade of their life realizes they actually are poor in spirit. They realize. as the bible will go on to explain, that they need righteousness which is much greater than their own, which is exactly what Matthew chapter five says, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and pharisees, you shall not enter the kingdom of heaven. To boil it down to eight words, " You are not getting in on your own righteousness." And so the beatitudes go through and they just throw off all of the misunderstandings about what constitutes a devotion to God and what man truly needs. And so back to the eighth beatitude, we are going to be persecuted for our faith. Like I said earlier, its not a matter of if, its a matter of when and to what degree. You can count on it. Jesus said that they hated and persecuted Him, and they will hate us and persecute us just as they did Him. I don't know who said it but I have always remembered for a very long time, " If you were put on trial for your faith in Jesus Christ, would there be enough evidence to convict you ?" My brothers and sisters the apostle Paul said to count all joy when we are persecuted for the name of Christ. Jesus commanded that we take up our cross and follow Him. Jesus also said that if we remain silent , and faint away in the face of persecution that the rocks and trees would cry out in testimony to the glory of God. Please understand that was a paraphrase. Those who stand firm till the end will receive the crown of life. please know that I love you all, and will not fail to mention you in my prayers. The Lord bless you, and keep you; The Lord make His face shine upon you, And be gracious to you; The Lord lift up His countenance on you, And give you peace.

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