Matthew 5:11 (NKJV)

JANUARY 25, 2010

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

For many people, The Beatitudes rank among their favorite passages. The problem is that so few take time to grasp the words of comfort, strength, and love that Jesus imparts in this outstanding Sermon.  The words of these two verses are well known, but seldom do we see any relationship to our lives today.  We do need to take these Words seriously and spend time in prayer and meditation on the question, “In the face of persecution would I Stand Firm in my Faith and put my entire trust in God?”

During my Senior Year at Wartburg Theological Seminary, each student would be invited to the President’s office for an appointment.  When the invitations were received, we knew that a Congregation had voted to send a Letter of Call to be their Pastor.  Of course, we were excited about knowing which Congregation we would serve and in which State it was located.

The President of the Seminary at that time was the late Reverend Doctor Alfred Ewald. Before accepting the Call to be the Seminary President, he had served as the President of one of the Districts of the American Lutheran Church.  At that time, the District President was the Pastor to Pastors, unlike today where the Presidents, Bishops, Moderators, or whatever title they carry, seems to be in the role of a CEO, with the Pastoral role being a very small part, and sometimes forgotten part, of the call.

Dr. Ewald was the Pastor to the Pastors-to-be at that time. He counseled me about little things that were important, but seldom talked about, in the role of a Pastor. As the time of the appointment drew to a close, he said to me. “Just one more thing. I believe that in your lifetime you will be persecuted because of your faith if you remain true to the teachings of God’s Holy Word.”  He told me that I may not see it right away, but he was convinced that the persecution of Christians was already being practiced, even in the United States.  It is important to note that the persecution would not be because of being a Pastor, but because of being a Christian.

Each Senior Seminarian who received these words from Dr. Ewald had his own individual reaction. For the majority, the reaction was it could happen, but I don't think so, and therefore I am not going to worry about it. Is it any wonder then that when people read these verses from the Beatitudes, they pass right over them without giving them any thought?

“Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake.”  How do you understand this verse?  One example could be the recent comments of Britt Hulme suggesting that Tiger Woods needs the forgiveness that comes from Jesus Christ which his faith, Buddhism, cannot offer.  Mr. Hulme has been publicly attacked by so many because he chose to offer to Tiger the Only Way that he might once again return to a life free from the obsession of this particular sin is through Jesus.

A little bit closer to home.  Have you ever been in a group or a conversation where you did not speak up because you were afraid of the reaction of others? Maybe you feared you would lose a friend. Maybe you thought people would laugh at you.  Noah let them laugh while he built the ark.  Maybe it is in regard to some of the major social issues of the day and the difference between what the world thinks and what the Bible says. Maybe it is being around those who take God’s name in vain. Maybe it is when you are with those who like to spread gossip no matter how it might hurt someone. Maybe it is neglecting to act when the need for action is so strong. 

It is important that we remember that we have been called to a life in Christ to free people from their sins as Christ has freed us, not to encourage them to continue in their sinful ways by being silent so that we don't lose a friend, a promotion, or some status that we covet so much.

“Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.”  As hard as it is to grasp the idea of persecution in this age in which we live, it is equally as hard to see how you could rejoice and be exceedingly glad if you were persecuted as were the prophets of old.  It is only when we understand this that we can stand up for Jesus and join with Joshua when he said, “And if it seems evil to you to serve the LORD, choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.” Joshua 24:15 (NKJV). 

The truth is that we have to go to God and ask Him to fill us with His Holy Spirit in order that we might even have a glimpse of His Greatness and Power.  This is not something we just ask for; it is something on which we must act.  We must take time for prayer.  We must take time for Bible study. We must take time to meet for prayer and study with others.  We must invite Jesus to be a part of everything that we do and every decision we make. We must understand that Jesus is our confidant and our friend.  When we begin to allow the great Love of God to enter in and flow though our lives, it is then and only then that we can be willing to stand up for Him and confess His Name and His Love before others.  If we reject God before others by our silence, then God will also reject us.  If we confess Him before others, we may well face persecution, but we know that beyond awaits of the Peace of God that passes all human understanding.

WE PRAY:   Heavenly Father, You have called us to be Your witnesses in all places, even to the ends of the Earth.  We need your help. Fill us with Your Holy Spirit and open our eyes and our hearts that we might see and respond to every opportunity that is placed before us.  Help us not to worry abut how your Word might be received; help us only to have the power and courage to proclaim it. Amen.

LIVING THE DEVOTION

We can all identify every day activities that we do without giving them much thought.  Some of these are not pleasing to God.  Make a set of 3 X 5 cards with one such thing on each card. Then review the cards every day and note where you have continued to do that which you know you should not do.  If you have made some progress, make a note of what you might have done to make that change. As you are in Bible Study and Prayer, if you see a passage, hear a hymn, or read something that relates to that issue, add the information to the card.  There are two reasons for this. One is to daily remind you of what needs to be changed or needed to be changed and what a struggle it can be. The other reason is for when you are given the opportunity to help someone else through the same issue, you will understand the need for your patience as you try to help them through the small steps that you have taken.

GOD’S PEACE.  SEE YOU AT THE HOUSE.