Matthew: God Bless Those The World Hates
January 18, 2021
Following Jesus is not always going to be easy. There will be times when people will oppose you, say bad things about you, reject you, and sometimes even kill you because you follow Jesus. Now up till recent days, the thought of being opposed or hated because you follow Jesus has rarely been on our radar. After all most of us grew up believing our country was a Christian nation. Church attendance on Sundays was a normal occurrence. Pastors were often revered and respected. And Christ followers were seen as people who benefited society. But no more. In fact, our country has not been a Christian nation for some time now. Secular humanism has captured the classroom, causing many to reject the faith of their parents. Christian morals are now ridiculed and considered archaic. What was once considered bad is now considered good. And what was once regarded as good is now regarded as bad. And God’s Word is no longer seen as a source of authority for life. No, the individual is the new authority, but only as long as you are in the majority. So then, since Christ followers do not follow the status quo, there is a growing disdain and opposition to those who claim to follow Jesus today. But none of this is new. For followers of Jesus have been the object of disdain and opposition from the very beginning.
That’s why Jesus concludes the beatitudes in the Sermon on the Mount by announcing: Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you. Matthew 5:10-12
We live in a day where persecuting Christ followers is growing. Right not there are over 70 countries that restrict Christianity or are openly hostile to those who follow Jesus. Not only that, but every two minutes a Christ follower is martyred. That means during the course of this message, perhaps as many as 15 Christ followers will be killed simply because they are living for Jesus. And today in our country, if you call yourself a Christ follower, there are plenty of people who want you out of the picture simply because you follow Jesus. So yes, its becoming harder to follow Jesus today. But the good news is that God blesses those the world hates.
So if you’re feeling anxious or even fearful because of growing opposition to your faith, then what we’re going to unpack from this last beatitude, will not only help you learn how God would have you handle persecution, but will give you an unexpected joy whenever others oppose you. So here’s what we’re going unpack this morning: We’re going to look at two factors that provoke people to hate Christ followers. And we’ll conclude by looking at how God would have us respond when persecution comes our way. So if you’ve found Matthew 5:10-12, let’s begin by looking at what provokes people to attack Christ followers:
First: Your Righteous Living Will Provoke Personal Attacks Jesus says, Blessed are those who are persecutedbecause of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. When we attempt to live righteously, we become objects of ridicule or hate simply because by our righteous actions we are saying there is a righteous One. And if a righteous One exists, i.e., God, then there will come a day of judgment for the unrighteous. Therefore our righteous living condemns those who are living selfish and sinful lives. Our righteous living tells them they are living wrong, so they hate us for it. And many will seek to discredit us, slander us or oppose us any way they can, so they can feel better about themselves.
Let me say this another way: Righteous living is confrontational. And even when it is not preached in so many words, it CONFRONTS wickedness by its very contrast. For example: Abel did not preach to Cain, but Abel’s righteous living, typified by his proper sacrifice, his proper worship of God, was a CONSTANT REBUKE to his wicked brother. After a while Cain just couldn’t take it anymore. He hated what Abel represented, so in his rage toward Abel he murdered him.
Now your righteous living may not cause someone to murder you today, but it will cause others to resent your godliness. Your good living will make them look bad. For when you live out God’s will, you will stand out as different from those who do not. And your righteousness will make them feel condemned, so they may slander you or attack you simply because your life makes them look bad.
Now this truth leads me to believe that one of the reasons why there hasn’t been very much outright persecution in our culture today – is that the world has been pretty good at getting Christians to compromise their faith. I mean, think about it: If you are never criticized or attacked for your faith, it may be because you are not living any different than them. So then, if you do happen to be attacked for how you live, that could actually be a good thing. That’s why when Jesus says, if you are persecuted for righteousness, yours is the kingdom of heaven. For It proves that you don’t belong to this world. It proves that you belong to Him. And that’s good news.
That’s the first reason you will face personal attacks for your faith – it’s because your godly lifestyle CONFRONTS ungodly lifestyles – and you be hated for this. But the good news is that if you are attacked for living right you get the kingdom of heaven. For this evil world is not our home, heaven is our home. And Jesus says there’s a place for you there with Him. That’s the good news of this beatitude. And that’s why you can expect to be opposed or even attacked for living like Jesus today.
That’s the first reason a Christ follower can expect to be persecuted. Now, let’s look now at the next reason: Your Faith in Jesus will Provoke Personal Attacks Jesus says, Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Matthew 5:11
When you are hated, maligned or tormented as a Christian, the real animosity is not against you but against Jesus. Satan’s great enemy is Jesus Christ, and he will oppose anyone who belongs to Jesus. You see, if you are hated and personally attacked because of your faith in Jesus, the real target is Jesus, because Jesus lives in you. The evil one wants to make your life miserable by attacking you, so you will quit Jesus. He will use people to slander you so he can discredit your faith. He wants the world to turn against you, so he can destroy you. And the reason he does this is because of Jesus. That’s what Jesus says in verse 11: Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me.
I think we forget this. Too often when bad things happen to us, we are quick to blame God. When we are ridiculed, opposed or even ostracized for our faith, we are often surprised. We think people will like us because we follow Jesus. But what does Jesus say? “If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you. Remember what I told you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also. If they obeyed my teaching, they will obey yours also. They will treat you this way because of my name, for they do not know the one who sent me.” John 15:18-21
Remember, Jesus is the most loving, most gracious, most merciful and helpful person who ever walked this planet. If he was criticized, condemned and killed, how do we think that if He lives in us, that we get a free pass? No, Paul was clear on this. He wrote: For it has been granted to you on behalf of Christ not only to believe in him, but also to suffer for him. Philippians 1:29
So here’s the deal. If you follow Jesus, YOU CAN EXPECT to suffer for Him. So don’t be surprised by those who will try to hurt you. Expect to be tested. Expect to be hated. Expect to be slandered. Expect to be ridiculed, ostracized, laughed at, insulted, treated with contempt and even physically abused for your faith in Jesus. For if you bear the name of Christ, this world has it out for you – because the evil one has it out for you.
But here’s the good news: When you are attacked for your faith in Jesus – it shows that Jesus is alive in you. And when you realize that – the reality is that it is not you who is being persecuted, it’s Jesus. Hatred toward you proves you’re a legitimate child of God and it proves you are a faithful follower of Jesus. And that is why GOD BLESSES THOSE THE WORLD HATES, because God blesses His Son. And if His Son lives in you, He will bless you. Now, that’s not normally how we think of being blessed by God. We normally think that God is blessing us when everything is going well for us. That’s why we need to understand that this world is not our home. And remember Jesus’ promise: In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” John 16:33.
So then, if following Jesus means we can expect to be opposed or even persecuted for our faith, How Are We to Respond When Persecution Comes Our Way?
God’s Word actually has a lot to say about responding to persecution. Here Jesus says, “Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven” and we will get to that. But there are at least three other responses we are to have when people turn on you for your faith in Jesus. And our first response is this:
Do Not Fear God’s Word commands us to refuse to give in to fear when others openly oppose us or attack us. Peter writes: Who is going to harm you if you are eager to do good? But even if you should suffer for what is right, you are blessed. “Do not fear their threats, do not be frightened.” But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander. 1 Peter 3:13-16
The key to not fearing those who oppose us or threaten us is to revere Christ as Lord. The idea is to set Jesus Christ above all other allegiances. Jesus must me set apart in your heart above your family. He must be set-apart above your country, and even above your political affiliation. Those who set Jesus Christ apart as Lord in their lives have only One Master; only One Allegiance. Jesus Christ is your King, and you live as a subject of His Kingdom. And when Jesus is your Lord you will not fear. However, if you’ve never settled this matter in your heart, you will constantly battle with fear. So this is a command to settle matters in your heart once and for all. Have you set apart Jesus as Lord, or is someone or something of greater worth to you? For some of you here today, this is the response God is calling you to. You need to settle this matter. He is either Lord or He is not. If you have settled this matter. If Jesus is your Lord, then you have nothing to fear. He has already taken the worst the world can throw at Him and He has won. As he has said, In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” John 16:33.
Gone is the day where you can go through life in our country as a nominal Christ follower. Those who hate Christ will hate you. It’s probably not going to get better. In fact, it may get worse. But Jesus doesn’t want you to fear. He says: Do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather fear Him who can destroy both soul and body in hell. Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? And not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father. But even the hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not, therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows. Matthew 10:28-31 Do not fear what man can do to you! But in your heart set apart Jesus as Lord, for He has overcome the world.
This is our first response. Do not fear. Here’s the second: Do Not Be Surprised Listen to how Peter describes persecution as a blessing and a joy: Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice insofar as you share Christ’s sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed. If you are insulted for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you. 1 Peter 4:12-14
Don’t be surprised if someone ridicules you or attacks you for your faith in Jesus. Rather rejoice, because when you are attacked – it shows that the SPIRIT OF GLORY and of God RESTS ON YOU. This may seem a little strange – but when you are insulted or attacked because of your faith in Jesus – it CONFIRMS that Jesus is living in you. And when you realize this, rather than being surprised, you can rejoice for you are revealing the glory of God. That’s pretty amazing. Therefore, don’t be surprised, but rejoice for the attack on your faith only proves your faith is real. That’s our second response. Now the third:
Do Not Be Ashamed of Your Faith Again, Peter writes: If anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in that name. 1 Peter 4:16 You see, as animosity towards Christians grow, all of us will be tempted to compromise our faith or to hide the fact that we are Christians, and so avoid persecution. But be careful about compromising or hiding. Listen to how one prominent Christian pastor addresses our tendency to compromise. He says, “The way to avoid persecution is obvious and easy. To live like the world, or at least to “live and let live,” will cost us nothing. To mimic the world’s standards, or never to criticize them, will cost us nothing. To keep quiet about the gospel, especially the truth apart from its saving power men remain in their sins and are destined for hell, will cost us nothing. To go along with the world, to laugh at its jokes, to enjoy its entertainment, to smile when it mocks God and takes His name in vain, and to be ashamed to take a stand for Christ will not bring persecution.”
Therefore let us not be ashamed of the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, rather let us remain faithful to His name, be people of His Word, love our neighbors, and even love those who opposes us and attack us. For that’s what Jesus did. In fact, later in this very chapter, Jesus speaks to this saying: “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven.” Matthew 5:43-45
So let us not compromise the gospel but stand firm with Jesus! Let us live and love like Jesus and pray for those who persecute us. That’s how we are to respond to persecution: Do not fear! Do not be surprised! Do not be ashamed! Love and then we can Rejoice and Be Glad As Jesus said, Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
REJOICE AND BE GLAD! We are not to retaliate like those who don’t know God. We are to love our neighbors and pray for our enemies. We are not to go into some kind of funk and feel sorry for ourselves. We are to be glad others see Jesus in us. We are not to wallow in self-pity, or just grin and bear it when trouble comes our way. We are to rejoice and be glad because we are worthy to bear the name! So rejoice!
Rejoice when others see you as worthy to be attacked. Rejoice that you resemble Jesus. Be glad that your life reveals a genuine faith in Jesus. And rejoice and be glad for the glory of God rests on you. The world may hate you, insult you and even seek to destroy you, but the world can never take away the joy you have in Christ. So yes, it is not always easy to follow Jesus. But it’s worth it. For this world is not our home – heaven is.
So the next time someone attacks you for living for Jesus, remember it is the Jesus in you they are attacking. So rejoice and be glad. For God always blesses those the world hates. For He blesses Jesus, and you belong to Him. Let’s pray.
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