LEARNING DAILY

 

Matthew 5:11-12, “Blessed are you when they revile you and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake.  Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.”

 

These two verses are an extension of verse 10.  I believe there are important thoughts for us to understand.  Jesus makes it clear that there is a clear-cut division between those who are Christians and those who are not.  The non-Christian proves that by persecuting the Christian.  Jesus further clarified this by saying those who are insulted and persecuted for His sake are blessed.  The persecution comes because Christians are living for Him.  There are often people who are unpleasant to others; for example, we are seeing this today over election results.  However, these differences are not necessarily for Christ’s sake.  That is where the difference comes in this verse.  One last thought comes from these verses.  The Christian’s life should be controlled by thoughts of heaven to come.  How does Jesus say to react?   “Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven.”  Those who are not Christians do not think of eternal life.  No, they think there is nothing after death or laugh and joke about hell.  Christians know their life on earth is lived with heaven in mind and all that happens here is only temporary.

 

Consider for a moment what is happening around the nation.  Prayer and anything Bible related was removed from the schools in the 1960s.  Prayer before games was eliminated because it was thought to be offense to a few people.  The Ten Commandments have been taken down wherever possible.  Statutes of Jesus have been desecrated and His name mocked with profanities.  Churches have been destroyed; Christian education attacked for not allowing students of other religious beliefs attend their schools.  What will be next when an ungodly people with an ungodly platform and agenda take positions of power in this nation?

 

What are Christians to do?  We cannot retaliate or become depressed when faced with any form of persecution.  You might be reacting with a question like, “Are you kidding me?”  As hard as it might behave like this, Jesus said to “rejoice and be exceedingly glad”.  Persecution is something we should regret because those persecuting us are dominated by sin because of being controlled by Satan.  Jesus said to rejoice because it is prof that you are saved by His death on the cross and His resurrection from the tomb.  Your sins have been washed as clean as snow by the Blood He shed.   You are persecuted just like the prophets were.

 

Persecution means you are being identified with Christ.  He was whispered about, He was falsely accused, He was beaten, spit upon, publicly humiliated and hung on a cross to die.  Persecution must mean we are identified with Him and that is proof of where we are going – to eternal life with Him in heaven!  Lloyd-Jones says that by persecuting you the world is telling you do not belong to it. 

 

What is the reward?  The Bible tells us we will see Jesus; we will be where He is and worship forever.  Our bodies will be changed, glorified and there will be no more sickness, no more disease.  There will be no more sorrow, all tears wiped away, no wars or rumors of wars, no separation, no unhappiness, and nothing that will cause a person to be down and unhappy, not even for a second.  There will be nothing but joy, holiness, and purity.  That’s what is waiting for us!  That is the destiny for every Christian.  That will be worth all the concentration we put into it.  It seems foolish to concentrate on anything else.

 

Here is the last thought; when you face anything due to your Christian faith – be strong and stand.  You have to know those who are against you are terribly unhappy.  What they are doing is because they do not know Jesus as their Savior and Lord.  Therefore, they do not understand you.  Be the light of Jesus to them.  Perhaps they will wonder, even ask, what is the hope you have?  That gives you the opportunity to share your hope in Jesus Christ.

 

Thoughts of heaven should make us rejoice and be exceedingly glad that Jesus has touched our lives with His saving grace.  Heaven is our home not this earth.

 

 

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