The Beatitudes Conclusion
Matthew
5:11-12 Blessed
are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil
against you because of me. Rejoice
and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they
persecuted the prophets who were before you.
Verse 11 and 12 expand and clarify the
last Beatitude (Matthew 5:10), which is also expressed in the Lord's
Prayer (Matthew 6:12; 6:14-15). Verse 11 widens the scope of persecution
to take in insult and slander. This verse also clearly shows that the
righteousness spoken of here is the righteousness of Jesus. Our Lord and Savior
taught His followers that the righteousness in their lives would be lived
through following His Example and for His honor and Glory.
The Prophets were persecuted because they
faithfully followed God's will, and gave forth God's Messages, even if it was
not popular among the people or not what they wanted to hear. Those that were
there that day could clearly see that Jesus was putting himself on an equality
with God. These are the very first claims of His Messiahship that was recorded
in the Gospel of Matthew.
It was not too many years after this
Greatest of all sermons that His followers started to experience this
persecution. They endured the insults, and people spoke all kinds of evil and
falsehoods against them. We can see this in studying the Book of Acts and other
writings in the New Testament. We do not see that much today; however, when you
are preaching and teaching the truth from God's Word, there will be those that
are not in line with the truth, that will say all kinds of evil things against
you.
We are told to rejoice and be glad, even
when we experience persecution, that could be said another way, "leap for
joy." This is because our reward is not here on this earth where things
decay and fade away, but our reward is in Heaven, where there is no end. The
persecuted can also consider themselves among good company; the Prophets that
came before were even persecuted.
The world will always persecute those that
are in line with the truth of God's Word because of pride and a desire for
self-righteousness. The true Gospel has no place for I's and ME's, it is all
about the honor and Glory of our Lord and Savior, Christ Jesus. Our persecution
cannot be compared to the persecution of the Prophets and Apostles but if there
is no persecution in our lives, we must ask ourselves, are these Beatitudes
truly traits of our life?
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