By: Mike Kelly
Retired Pastor
“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.” (Matt 5:10-12)
This is the final beatitude. From here we will move into being salt and light. And just a reminder that being blessed is God cheering us on, telling us what a great job we are doing, encouraging us to proceed.
Telling us in effect, blessed are those of you who, when persecuted for God’s sake, endure because great is your reward in heaven. First, let me point out that being persecuted for being uncaring, tactless, dogmatic is not what Christ is saying.
He is saying that those who are doing Kingdom business in love, in gentleness, in meekness, in humility will be blessed and approved of by God.
Walking over people is not how a Believer is supposed to show God’s love and care. We need the same heart and attitude that Jesus had (Phil 2).
So what makes the world want to persecute us?? Why will they/do they hate us? What is it about the message of the Gospel that will drive people who know us and people who don’t, to want to throw stones, or curse us or blame us or even kill us?
We are hated because of Him in us. When we live in a world of darkness the light hurts when shined into their faces.
People don’t want to hear that they are wrong or unreasonable. In the last few decades the dislike for Christians has grown to such proportions that society prefers to make light of us, to laugh at us, to devalue what we stand for.
And, truthfully, it takes little imagination or knowledge of history to see what is coming and that is active persecution here in America. We already live in a post-Christian nation and soon it will become an anti-Christian nation.
Twenty years ago I told a zoning commission that in 25 years cities would try to keep churches out. I was told that would not happen in Bryan. Really?
What’s wrong with Christianity? In today’s world of instant gratification and nearly complete selfishness, any voice saying you can’t have it now or you can’t have it all is unwelcomed.
No one wants to be told that they have obligations and responsibilities because they live in this world. We live in a society that says without any shyness, we want it all and we want it now.
God made man to care for and about each other. That’s what the word society implies. Yet, the culture is almost just the opposite. What’s mine is mine and what’s yours is mine if I can take it.
God set in place rules to help us care for each other. He established us to be there for each other but our society is quickly moving away from that standard. It’s no longer about “us”, it’s now about “me”.
Rules frequently limit how much I can have or what I can do. The speed limit sets a rule on how fast I can go regardless of the whether or road conditions. The government says I can’t rob someone for their share of the wealth regardless if I have the gun and they don’t.
Our marriage covenant says we can’t be with another person no matter how much we may want to. I just saw in the paper where several men were indicted for child abuse and child porn. I’ll bet they felt the government had no right to tell them who they couldn’t harm.
The more our society strays from the way God intended the world to run, the more the persecution of the church will increase. I think I can say that if you are a Believer and are not being persecuted to some extent for your beliefs, you may not have them on display the way God intends.
We are so far into a society that has moved away from God that it would be hard to be a Christian and not find yourself challenging those around you.
Parents talking to their teens about promiscuity is an uphill battle today given our societal standards. Having co-workers who think it’s OK and not stealing to work only when someone is looking.
I couldn’t count the number of people who have been angry with me because I wouldn’t give them what they want. The number who shouted “What kind of a Christian are You?”, when I told them there were limits to the help we would extend.
If we live a righteous lie, we will offend those who feel we are getting in the way of their goals. And, if we speak righteousness, we are almost guaranteed a dressing down, a rolling of the eyes, or “What an idiot!” snide comment.
Try telling people what the scripture says about how to get to heaven. Tell them that Jesus is the only way. There is no other. Not Buddha, not Mohammed, not Joseph Smith, not good works, not your family.
Acts 4:12AMP says it in black and white “And there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among people by which we must be saved [for God has provided the world no alternative for salvation].”
But, don’t forget Matt 5:12a “Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven…”
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Mike Kelly is the founding pastor of Bryan’s Grace Community Church (retired) and Board Chairman of Bryan’s Sanctuary Homeless Shelter and Williams County’s Compassion (free) Medical Clinic.
