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by Sandy Shaw
We are reading the Beatitudes in Matthew Chapter 5, and when we come to verse 10 we hear Jesus Christ say, “Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when men hate you - when they exclude you - when they insult you and reject your name as evil, because of the Son of Man. Rejoice in that day.”
Is that not one of the very last things you want to do when you are going through these experiences?
From the beginning Jesus makes it clear. Follow me and you will be blessed. Follow me and you will be confronted with conflict. Follow me and you will face hunger and weeping and hatred and rejection and being on the receiving ends of insults.
That is called later on - carrying the Cross. This is how Jesus looks at life.
You might want to sit down and cry. That is all right. Jesus did that when He entered Jerusalem, and nobody wanted Him.
Great is your reward in heaven. This is how people treated the prophets. You will face similar reactions, if you exercise a prophetic ministry.
It can sound good - to have a prophetic ministry - to speak prophetic words - to exercise the ministry of a prophet - but remember the possible reactions and consequences - and it is Jesus who spells this out in detail.
It is never easy when all this happens. Seldom is it easy to react in the way Jesus teaches us to react. Real happiness does not depend upon our feelings.
People say, "If only we could live according to the teaching of Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount, then all the world's problems would disappear." But it is not easy to live like this - and these words are spoken to disciples - not to the world.
But, this is our vision. This is our challenge - our aim - our goal.
Jesus then has a word for those who are having it easy in the world - the rich - those who are laughing now - those who are full - those who are praised and popular in the eyes of men. This is the opposite to the way most people think.
Woe is the opposite of blessed. It is a curse, which is as real as a blessing. That is why we have to be careful as to the words we use. "Woe betide you!" Never use such words. So often we can hear a parent speak to a child in such a negative manner.
Jesus turns everything around, and seems to challenge so deeply - our viewpoint - our values and our ways of looking at things. Jesus is giving us God's viewpoint.
According to Jesus - to be well liked by everybody - to be popular and accepted and praised by all - equals being a false prophet. Jesus is describing His own situation.
Jesus knew these words would not be readily received, and that is why He goes right on to teach His disciples how to react, respond and behave, as they minister in His Name - with His Power - and His revolutionary Love.
How we get on with others is important. Jesus knew that when men and women served in the world in this way, they are going to have enemies, so He says, "I tell you who hear me - Love your enemies - do good to those who hate you - bless those who curse you - pray for those who ill-treat you."
We have a slightly different recorded approach by Luke, in Luke Chapter 6, and this type of response and behaviour is so challenging that we need every available aspect.
None of us regards this as easy - obvious - or elementary. In these present days there is a fierce violent wave of persecution sweeping across our world and these words of Jesus are so relevant and apposite. I have been involved for many years now with ministries serving those disciples of Jesus who are persecuted for their faith in Christ, and the recent increase in physical antagonism to believing disciples is astounding. Make sure you are informed and involved as to what is going on in various part of the world.
When somebody ill-treats you, pray for them. Only the disciple of Jesus can keep on reacting in these ways to opposition and persecution, and it is not easy.
Jesus assumes we are all going to face these types of behaviour from people around us. Jesus is also describing His own situation. He faced all of this.
Jesus is teaching disciples that if somebody out of spite or malice or jealousy tries to have a go at you, or get one over you, let him. You won't lose!
To love someone with the love of Jesus Christ and have it abused can be distressing, but that is what Jesus is preparing His disciples to face. He prepares us in times of peace, but demands us to produce the goods in times of war. All soldiers are prepared in such a manner.
These words make you stop and think. This is how I am called to live in the kingdom of God. He spells all this out very early on - long before there is any preaching witnessing or evangelism.
They are called - chosen – and so are we – and here is one of the early lessons.
Alexander 'Sandy' Shaw is pastor of Nairn Christian Fellowship in Nairn, Scotland. Nairn is 17 miles east of Inverness - on the Moray Firth Coast - not far from the Loch Ness Monster!
Gifted as a Biblical teacher, Sandy is firmly committed to making sure that his teachings are firmly grounded in the Word.
Sandy has a weekly radio talk which can be heard via the Internet on Saturday at 11:40am, New Orleans time, at wsho.com.
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