The Sermon on the Mount Part 9

[HKHaugan]

The Sermon on the Mount Part 9

“Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven (Mt.5:10).”

The last two Blesseds have to do with persecution. There are two kinds, the first because of righteousness and the second because of insults, persecution and false witness because of Jesus Himself. Let's look at the first, righteousness.

We have already seen righteousness as faith. In some way we have been seen as acting for Jesus. The target is really not us as much as it is Jesus but it does affect us personally. We don't take part in telling filthy jokes or using obscenities. We may not drink alcohol, smoke or use drugs and are ridiculed for it. So you get the negative accusation of being 'self-righteous.' Sin tempts us to give in or become defensive. Sin is always luring us away from relying on Jesus, on depending on the presence of the Holy Spirit. Jesus, being the sinless One, is the devil's target and we who believe in Him will be subject to persecution because of Him. This very fact is why Jesus tells us that persecution is a blessing. Remember, 'blessing' is being touched by God in a very personal way. Persecution is a sign of an opportunity that the persecutor will be blessed by the peace that we show. Jesus tells His disciples that “...a time is coming when anyone who kills you will think he is offering a service to God. They will do this because they have not known the Father or me (Jn.16:2-3).”

Persecutors are motivated by the false belief that they are right, that persecution is right, that persecution will accomplish some good end. Paul, while he was still Saul, was driven that way. After he met Jesus he writes frequently about Jesus being peace and His peace transcends understanding (Php.4:7). The perpetrators of 'political correctness' are really persecutors with the false sense of what it means to be right. They are driven by the need to change the world immediately and the way to do it is pick a subject that gives them a temporary, a 'now' sense of purpose. People with no sense of purpose or identity are ripe for this kind of persecutionistic behavior. They manipulate others with intimidation by twisting a perfectly good ideal and using it as a weapon as they redefine what it means. Tolerance, for example, is a natural for redefinition especially when it involves morality. Look at what has happened to the word 'love' when it is defined emotionally. It justifies any behavior stimulated by emotion. If someone feels that they have the right to define morality for themselves then they gather others who operate with the same self assumption and begin a campaign. We have seen it with abortion when it is called a 'woman's health' issue as opposed to killing. The same with homosexuality when it become a person's right and therefore their 'truth' to live by their 'choice.' Nudist camps, pornography, x-rated movies and obscenity. Every distorted point of view from the use of language to dietary indulgence becomes a personal virtue based on what any individual declares is truth for them..

The question is, when and where does self definition stop? What usually happens is that when any self defining group gains power the inevitable outcome is persecution and execution of those with whom they disagree. Persecutors have no inner peace. You can see it in rioters, demonstrators, the 'occupy' movement and where sexual rebellion becomes moral revolution and social decay results. The 'Woodstock' mentality riding the misuse of the word 'love' has invaded the youth culture with its false promise of inner peace. The results have been tragic.

Without the peace of Christ that goes before anything, we will never respond well to the needs of our own hearts nor the heart needs in others who believe in persecution as a method of self-justification. Persecution is a symptom of their need to live independently from God and rationalize their hostility. Usually the restless heart shifts its gaze to see society as the blame for their inner upset. When the need to blame takes over there is no end to its objects. Parental rearing, bad bosses, upper classes, the police, the military-industrial complex, racial attitudes, poor education, bad neighborhood; you know the list and all of us can choose to be victims and probably at one time or other were. A heart in Christ discovers something entirely different in circumstantial review.

Seeing persecution for being faithful as a blessing may very well be the hardest of the Blesseds to grasp. It is also perhaps the most important one after we recognize our spiritual poverty. One has only to look at TV news to see the restless minions who have no inner peace and the mass destruction, both social and physical, they perpetrate on others with absolutely no remorse as they spread their anger across the planet. Persecutors move heartlessly. If anything is true regarding the atmosphere we're living in it's that unrest is the condition of many hearts in our culture. What a time to share the truth of the King of Peace, the Lord Jesus. Irrational behavior can be seen and those obsessed in it need the Lord and we can share Him with them.

We need to be prepared to witness. Irrational politicians in California are seeking to force Christian schools and colleges to change their moral standards if they are at variance with local political correctness. Christianity may face being outlawed in California starting a national trend.

In summary what we can say is that the heart's restlessness will seek an outlet and usually it is vented in some anti-social, anti-God cause that promises no result except creating unrest in the restless. And maybe that's what the restless heart wants, more restless hearts like itself. Misery loves company.