Leaping for Joy in Hard Times
Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. Rejoice, and be exceedingly glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you. Matt. 5:10-12.
With verses 10-12 we come to the last of Christ's eight blessings. It is also the longest, with verses 11 and 12 providing a commentary on verse 10.
Christianity as Jesus presented it is something less than a peaceful picnic. Of all the world's great teachers, perhaps He is the most brutally honest. Again and again He emphasized the fact that His followers would be persecuted because they were like Him, because they would live according to principles diametrically opposed to those of the larger culture.
Christianity has resulted in persecution in every area of Christians' lives: in the workplace because of such issues as unwillingness to promote a less than honest deal or to work on Sabbath; in families because of new priorities and allegiances; in social life because of new lifestyles.
The plain fact is that true Christianity changes people. It makes them out of harmony with "normal" (spelled "sinful") human culture. The result is persecution.
Some of that persecution is gentle and almost invisible (except to the recipient), such as failure to receive a raise or a promotion or being snubbed at a social event.
Oftentimes it is brutal. The Roman emperor Nero, for example, wrapped believers in pitch and set them afire to serve as living torches to light his gardens. Others he sewed in animal skins, then set his hunting dogs upon them to tear them to shreds.
The list of atrocities goes on and on. Even Jesus was not exempt. He died the excruciating and humiliating death of the cross.
And the persecutions are not at an end yet. Revelation 13 has plenty to say on the topic. Persecution will continue to the end of time.
But please note, the persecution that Jesus is speaking about is "for righteousness' sake." All persecution does not lead to blessing.
But when people suffer for their fidelity to Christ, they should "leap for joy," for their "reward is great in heaven," Luke 6:23, RSV.
Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. Rejoice, and be exceedingly glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you. Matt. 5:10-12.
With verses 10-12 we come to the last of Christ's eight blessings. It is also the longest, with verses 11 and 12 providing a commentary on verse 10.
Christianity as Jesus presented it is something less than a peaceful picnic. Of all the world's great teachers, perhaps He is the most brutally honest. Again and again He emphasized the fact that His followers would be persecuted because they were like Him, because they would live according to principles diametrically opposed to those of the larger culture.
Christianity has resulted in persecution in every area of Christians' lives: in the workplace because of such issues as unwillingness to promote a less than honest deal or to work on Sabbath; in families because of new priorities and allegiances; in social life because of new lifestyles.
The plain fact is that true Christianity changes people. It makes them out of harmony with "normal" (spelled "sinful") human culture. The result is persecution.
Some of that persecution is gentle and almost invisible (except to the recipient), such as failure to receive a raise or a promotion or being snubbed at a social event.
Oftentimes it is brutal. The Roman emperor Nero, for example, wrapped believers in pitch and set them afire to serve as living torches to light his gardens. Others he sewed in animal skins, then set his hunting dogs upon them to tear them to shreds.
The list of atrocities goes on and on. Even Jesus was not exempt. He died the excruciating and humiliating death of the cross.
And the persecutions are not at an end yet. Revelation 13 has plenty to say on the topic. Persecution will continue to the end of time.
But please note, the persecution that Jesus is speaking about is "for righteousness' sake." All persecution does not lead to blessing.
But when people suffer for their fidelity to Christ, they should "leap for joy," for their "reward is great in heaven," Luke 6:23, RSV.
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