LIVING IN YOUR CITIZENSHIP
Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Matt. 5:10, R.S.V.
If the only forms of persecution were the dungeon and a sword, we might escape heartache more readily than we do. The agony of today's text is that, for most of us, we don't think it applies to our lives.
At the time Jesus spoke these words, Roman soldiers often made life quite miserable for the Jewish people. Surely He meant to comfort them in their days of bondage. But what about you and me? Unless we live in countries where the practice of Christianity is prohibited, or at least politically unpopular, how much do we know of this kind of persecution?
I believe that everything that Jesus said had this overriding reason: to show us the Father. Surely, as He sat on that Galilean hillside speaking to the throngs of people, it was with careful deliberation that He spoke. Surely He knew that you and I would ponder His words in today's world.
Consider: God openly tells us again and again that He desires that we come back into right relationship with Him, that being friends with Him is what enables us to live responsibly and accountably. Those who refuse to be convinced that this is indeed the absolute truth have a vested interest in proving that they are right. One way to do this is to get rid of any contradictory evidence. And that does not just mean getting rid of believers. It means making the responsible and accountable choices of believers appear to be irresponsible and unaccountable.
This can be done very subtly. An unbelieving husband becomes irate because his Christian wife didn't get dinner on time. Maybe he couldn't care less about the actual time; he's making a point--she's unaccountable! Or an unbelieving wife makes a wisecrack about her Christian husband's choice of a vacation spot. If he hadn't thought of it, she might have suggested it herself. Her real point is--he is unreasonable!
Down through the corridors of time Jesus says, "Take heart! You are the ones who are learning to live in your Father's kingdom." You are learning to appreciate how just and true are God's ways. These experiences in life are your best teachers. And that is cause for rejoicing!
Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Matt. 5:10, R.S.V.
If the only forms of persecution were the dungeon and a sword, we might escape heartache more readily than we do. The agony of today's text is that, for most of us, we don't think it applies to our lives.
At the time Jesus spoke these words, Roman soldiers often made life quite miserable for the Jewish people. Surely He meant to comfort them in their days of bondage. But what about you and me? Unless we live in countries where the practice of Christianity is prohibited, or at least politically unpopular, how much do we know of this kind of persecution?
I believe that everything that Jesus said had this overriding reason: to show us the Father. Surely, as He sat on that Galilean hillside speaking to the throngs of people, it was with careful deliberation that He spoke. Surely He knew that you and I would ponder His words in today's world.
Consider: God openly tells us again and again that He desires that we come back into right relationship with Him, that being friends with Him is what enables us to live responsibly and accountably. Those who refuse to be convinced that this is indeed the absolute truth have a vested interest in proving that they are right. One way to do this is to get rid of any contradictory evidence. And that does not just mean getting rid of believers. It means making the responsible and accountable choices of believers appear to be irresponsible and unaccountable.
This can be done very subtly. An unbelieving husband becomes irate because his Christian wife didn't get dinner on time. Maybe he couldn't care less about the actual time; he's making a point--she's unaccountable! Or an unbelieving wife makes a wisecrack about her Christian husband's choice of a vacation spot. If he hadn't thought of it, she might have suggested it herself. Her real point is--he is unreasonable!
Down through the corridors of time Jesus says, "Take heart! You are the ones who are learning to live in your Father's kingdom." You are learning to appreciate how just and true are God's ways. These experiences in life are your best teachers. And that is cause for rejoicing!
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