#1220 Matthew 5 Part 5 What Were You Expecting?

 

Now when Jesus saw the crowds, he went up on a mountainside and sat down. His disciples came to him, 2 and he began to teach them.

The Beatitudes

He said:

3 “Blessed are the poor in spirit,

for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

4 Blessed are those who mourn,

for they will be comforted.

5 Blessed are the meek,

for they will inherit the earth.

6 Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,

for they will be filled.

7 Blessed are the merciful,

for they will be shown mercy.

8 Blessed are the pure in heart,

for they will see God.

9 Blessed are the peacemakers,

for they will be called children of God.

10 Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness,

for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

11 “Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. 12 Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you. Matthew 5: 1-12 NIV

Matthew 5: 10-12

…21To my shame I concede that we were too weak for that! Speaking as a fool, however, I can match what anyone else dares to boast about. 22Are they Hebrews? So am I. Are they Israelites? So am I. Are they descendants of Abraham? So am I. 23Are they servants of Christ? I am speaking like I am out of my mind, but I am so much more: in harder labor, in more imprisonments, in worse beatings, in frequent danger of death.…

…24Five times I received from the Jews the forty lashes minus one. 25Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was stoned, three times I was shipwrecked. I spent a night and a day in the open sea. 26In my frequent journeys, I have been in danger from rivers and from bandits, in danger from my countrymen and from the Gentiles, in danger in the city and in the country, in danger on the sea and among false brothers,… 2 Corinthians 11: 21-26

Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness - Apparently some people will not receive the peace makers well. It twist the mind, it is so unnatural, "blessed, happy, enviable" are they, there Jesus goes again, what is He implying, persecuted? I am a supervisor, and I have done hundreds of interviews for the company I work for, but can you imagine selling this? I can't imagine sitting across the table from someone and saying, "come work for me" and they ask, "well, what will I get in return?" "Oh, you will be hated by all men for this job's sake." They answer, "Oh, and so what will I use to retaliate?" Then I tell them, "no, it's not like that, you will not return evil for evil, and you will have to deny yourself, take up your cross, in order to follow my Boss." And listen, this Jesus was not looking for people with a martyr complex; He didn't pick guys like that at all. They fought over who would sit next to Him and rule in the kingdom. Peter got upset at the thought of John living out a full life, knowing that he himself would be called to a humiliating death. I laugh when I hear people say they're thinking about going into the ministry, but waiting for the right gig to pop up. Is that what you're thinking about, the ministry like the Apostles had, or a nice little church in the country with a cute cottage and adoring parishioners who all love each other and listening to you talk? You will notice something about Jesus preaching, it culls the herd. People come for the miracles, they come for the fish and chips, but what He says sends them packing. No one was ever persecuted like Jesus was, so when He ask you to follow Him, don't be surprised if He ignores your list of demands. 

…18Truly, truly, I tell you, when you were young, you dressed yourself and walked where you wanted; but when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will dress you and lead you where you do not want to go.” 19 Jesus said this to indicate the kind of death by which Peter would glorify God. And after He had said this, He told him, “Follow Me.” 20Peter turned and saw the disciple whom Jesus loved following them. He was the one who had leaned back against Jesus at the supper to ask, “Lord, who is going to betray You?”…

…21When Peter saw him, he asked, “Lord, what about him?” 22 Jesus answered, “If I want him to remain until I return, what is that to you? You follow Me!” 23Because of this, the rumor spread among the brothers that this disciple would not die. However, Jesus did not say that he would not die, but only, “If I want him to remain until I return, what is that to you?”… John 21: 18-23

For theirs is the kingdom of heaven - You are no longer so bound to this place, and your present tabernacle is fading away, your permanent citizenship is in heaven, and a new body, imperishable, will take this one's place. 

…35“Am I a Jew?” Pilate replied. “Your own people and chief priests handed You over to me. What have You done?” 36Jesus answered, “My kingdom is not of this world; if it were, My servants would fight to prevent My arrest by the Jews. But now My kingdom is not of this realm.” 37“Then You are a king!” Pilate said. “You say that I am a king,” Jesus answered. “For this reason I was born and have come into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone who belongs to the truth listens to My voice.”… John 18: 35-37

…14But who am I, and who are my people, that we should be able to give as generously as this? For everything comes from You, and from Your own hand we have given to You. 15For we are foreigners and strangers in Your presence, as were all our forefathers. Our days on earth are like a shadow, without hope. 16O LORD our God, from Your hand comes all this abundance that we have provided to build You a house for Your holy Name, and all of it belongs to You.… 1 Chronicles 29: 14-16

…13All these people died in faith, without having received the things they were promised. However, they saw them and welcomed them from afar. And they acknowledged that they were strangers and exiles on the earth. 14Now those who say such things show that they are seeking a country of their own. 15If they had been thinking of the country they had left, they would have had opportunity to return.… Hebrews 11: 13-15

Insult you, persecute you and say all kinds of evil against you falsely - More good news, just the kind of popularity you were looking for, right? Who wouldn't sign up for this? Jesus was accused of doing miracles by Beelzebub. He was falsely accused of insurrection against Caesar, and His mother accused of being a hussy. His disciples were imprisoned and murdered, the Apostle Paul actually murdered some of Jesus's followers before he was saved, and then you can read his job perks above from 2 Cor. 11. 

17This is My command to you: Love one another. 18If the world hates you, understand that it hated Me first. 19If you were of the world, it would love you as its own. Instead, the world hates you, because you are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world.… John 15: 17-19

Rejoice and be glad - If you are telling the truth, not retaliating in anger, dying to yourself, killing that old man, pride, yet people hate you for telling them the truth that saves. If people are calling you a bigot for saying that what God has called sin is sin, and for speaking of eternal damnation, for pleading with them to repent, rejoice. If they hate you for doing good, for seeking righteousness, for warning them of the wrath that is to come, then you may be doing some things right. 

The prophets who were before you - This is nothing new and you are not alone, especially when men hit the point of calling good evil and evil good. 

…36Still others endured mocking and flogging, and even chains and imprisonment. 37They were stoned, they were sawed in two, they were put to death by the sword. They went around in sheepskins and goatskins, destitute, oppressed, and mistreated. 38The world was not worthy of them. They wandered in deserts and mountains, and hid in caves and holes in the ground.… Hebrews 11: 36-38

11Then the LORD said, “Go out and stand on the mountain before the LORD. Behold, the LORD is about to pass by.” And a great and mighty wind tore into the mountains and shattered the rocks before the LORD, but the LORD was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the LORD was not in the earthquake.…

…12After the earthquake there was a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire. And after the fire came a still, small voice. 13 When Elijah heard it, he wrapped his face in his cloak and went out and stood at the mouth of the cave. Suddenly a voice came to him and said, “What are you doing here, Elijah?” 14“I have been very zealous for the LORD, the God of Hosts,” he replied, “but the Israelites have forsaken Your covenant, torn down Your altars, and killed Your prophets with the sword. I am the only one left, and they are seeking my life as well.”…

…15Then the LORD said to him, “Go back by the way you came, and go to the Desert of Damascus. When you arrive, you are to anoint Hazael as king over Aram. 16 You are also to anoint Jehu son of Nimshi as king over Israel and Elisha son of Shaphat from Abel-meholah to succeed you as prophet. 17Then Jehu will put to death whoever escapes the sword of Hazael, and Elisha will put to death whoever escapes the sword of Jehu.…

18Nevertheless, I have reserved seven thousand in Israel— all whose knees have not bowed to Baal and whose mouths have not kissed him.” 1 Kings 19: 11-18