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Today’s Word Is PERSECUTED

The Steps of Christian Maturity
Beatitude #8
Persecuted for Doing What’s Right
Thu-Feb-27-2020

“Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 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.” – Jesus (Matthew 5:10-12) (Beatitude #8)

The 8^th Beatitude, unlike the other seven, is three verses long, because Jesus had a lot to say about what it means to be persecuted. It was the very thing that was going to end his life, being arrested, tried, convicted, and put to death for doing what was right. He knew it was coming. But it did not stop him from fulfilling God’s purpose and doing God’s will.

The night before his death, Jesus told the Disciples in the Upper Room, “If the world hates you, you know that it has hated Me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, because of this the world hates you. Remember the word that I said to you, ‘A slave is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you… “ (John 15:18-20b)

A reasonable expectation would be that if we do the right thing, people will appreciate it. Not always so. As the saying goes: “No good deed goes unpunished!”

The calling on your life to be a peacemaker is higher than you may think. It’s not just about solving disputes. There is a sense of “big picture” to it. You are building people. You are paving highways. You are seeking justice and mercy, spreading the love of Jesus. As you do the work of the peacemaker in your realm of influence, at some point someone is not going to like what you’re up to! You’re going to offend someone along the way! Guaranteed!

But when you get insulted, when you are not appreciated for your kindness, when you get told to “mind your own business” … there is one last step of maturity … and that has to do with how you handle being ill-treated. Jesus says to consider yourself blessed when this happens. Wow … It’s not very American to think of being persecuted as a blessing! But we must have the higher attitude of Jesus, even when people insult us, persecute us and falsely say all kinds of evil against us.

If your sense of identity and security comes directly from God, and you are reaching higher levels of maturity, then you will reach a point where the criticism really doesn’t bother you as it did in your earlier days. You will not be ruffled by it. You may almost come to expect it. In America people get offended easily, but not you. Remember, you and I are different than the world. Jesus said, ”You are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world.” (John 15:19) Thus your response might even be to smile and take the criticism as an indication that Satan is upset because you are invading his territory!

Jesus is telling us as disciples that when we are doing the business of the kingdom, touching lives, making a difference … we will get insults, but must not let them shake us up. We just accept them as part of the package … we don’t get angry … nor do we try to over-analyze.

Jesus listed the issue of persecution as the last of the eight Beatitudes for a reason. He is saying that fulfilling your calling (Beatitude #7, being a peacemaker) is not the highest level of maturity. It is fulfilling your calling AND not being bothered by the criticism, not being angry or derailed when persecuted. What a peace there is when the insults don’t irritate you anymore.

Climbers know that as you scale a high mountain there is a place called the “fly line,” where annoying insects cease to exist. They can’t live or function above that elevation. May it be the same for you, as you grow forward in faith and operate at a high elevation, that you cease being irritated by opposition. Instead, you pray for those who persecute you, and you carry no anger or resentment. I suspect very few people in the church get there. But you can and should, because it is a place of peace and fulfillment.

Persecution, says Jesus, is a blessing … after all … if the enemy shows up to persecute you, it could be a clear sign that you are on the right track, doing something good, advancing the kingdom!

Keep on keeping on,

Chaplain Mark

COMMENT: The Beatitudes, like much of Scripture, have various levels of interpretations or points to make. This study is not meant to replace the things you have understood and believed about the meaning of these verses, but to add a new depth to their meaning.

NOTE: This is the last of the 8 Beatitudes. If you have not read the previous articles about each Beatitude, you should scroll further down and read previous days’ entries and catch up. This series has described the faith journey toward Christian maturity as spoken by Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount.

The Beatitudes … Matthew 5:2-10 (NRSV)

2 Then he began to speak, and taught them, saying:

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 receive 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 for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”

Today’s Word Is PURIFICATION

The Steps of Christian Maturity
Beatitude #6
Filtering Out the Junk
Tue-Feb-25-2020

“Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.” – Jesus (Matthew 5:8) (Beatitude #6)

In this series, I haven’t told you yet what the word Beatitude means. The dictionary says it is “a state of extreme happiness or bliss.” Each Beatitude starts with the Greek word “makarioi” [pronounced ma-kah-ree-oy] translated “Blessed.” But some versions translate it as “Happy.” To the Jewish reader in Jesus’ day, it was a word that meant to live a full life of trusting God, following his commandments, enjoying his blessings, and being thought of by others as a very blessed and happy person.

In our journey thus far, we have gone from humility, turning to God, releasing our old ways, being genuine and self-accepting, and becoming hungry and thirsty for the best life God has for us, to leaping forward into a life that shows mercy and compassion to others. In this process we are being transformed inwardly from a self-centered person into someone who is “pure in heart.”

This doesn’t mean perfect. We are human, and often must remind ourselves and others that “nobody’s perfect.” It is a way of admitting that all of us are right sometimes and wrong sometimes … and that’s OK. But as we change, we are becoming more like Jesus in our behaviors, attitudes, interests, and purposes. The word for this process is “sanctification,” meaning “being made holy.”

Growing up in my family in which my Dad was a pastor, I sensed an expectation from many sources that I was supposed to be perfect. And so, I tried … and failed miserably. Based on my personal experience, perfectionism is not recommended! There is a healthier way.

The Christian life is not about earning perfection, but rather is a relationship with God, who by his grace and through our faith, “clothes us with the righteousness of Christ.” He declares us to be acceptable in his sight because Jesus paid the price for it. (See Scriptures below.)

This “new life” has a purification aspect to it. It is not about being pressured into being perfect, constantly struggling and stressing, feeling unacceptable. Rather … it happens like this … as our life of faith gets better and stronger, we begin to lose desires for certain things we used to like that were bad for us. In addition, we see things in ourselves that hinder us and decide to lay them aside for his sake.

Think of the oil filter in a car. It removes impurities. And this is what the presence of the Holy Spirit within us is doing. Were there undesirable, unhealthy, or sinful things within you that you used to like and gravitate toward but are no longer interesting or tempting to you? As you mature in faith, you begin to be increasingly less interested in self-destructive things. This is what Jesus is talking about … the “pure in heart” … those persons who are having the “junk” filtered out of them.

Many years ago, I decided to switch from secular music to Christian music on the radio. It didn’t happen instantly! I tried a little bit at a time. After a couple of songs, I would have to go back to my rock-n-roll station. But more and more, the contemporary Christian station became my “go to.” Sometimes, I would listen to those good old songs from the 60’s and 70’s … the Beatles, Rolling Stones, Beach Boys, Simon & Garfunkel … but after two or three songs, I would have to go back to my Christian station, and I became blessed by that. Secularism was being “filtered” out of me. I still occasionally listen to those old songs, but my norm has changed.

And the more this purification happens, the more you “see God.” You see him more clearly for who he is, and you see him in many situations and people. You increasingly feel clean, alive, more interested in enjoying God’s way of life, and less interested in getting into hurtful behaviors that leave you with problems.

Today’s word is “purification” rather than “purity,” because it is more about a process than a demand for instant perfection. We still need to maintain those beginning steps of humility and genuineness, that hunger for more, and that merciful attitude, as we move on to higher levels of maturity.

Purity is a worthy concept, but be patient, purification takes time. In the meantime, are you feeling it? There is a new you, the best you, emerging.

May your life be blessed!

Chaplain Mark

CLOTHED WITH HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS

“For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” (2^nd Corinthians 5:21)

“… so that I may gain Christ, and may be found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own derived from the Law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which comes from God on the basis of faith …” (Philippians 3:8b-9)

“And to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.” (Ephesians 4:24)

NOTE: If you have not read the previous articles about each Beatitude, you should scroll further down and read previous days’ entries and catch up. We are discussing the faith journey toward Christian maturity as described by Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount.