WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:09.700 Good morning, church. Would you turn with me to Matthew chapter 5? We're returning to Matthew 00:00:09.700 --> 00:00:18.260 chapter 5 today as we come to the eighth and last of Jesus's Beatitudes. That's page 759 in the Pew 00:00:18.260 --> 00:00:25.679 Bible. I'm going to read verses 1 through 12, but our sermon will focus on the last three verses. 00:00:25.679 --> 00:00:30.620 So, as you turn there, let me pray as we come to God's Word together. 00:00:37.619 --> 00:00:45.379 Father in heaven, as we come now to your Word, we ask for your Spirit to be present as you promise, 00:00:47.280 --> 00:00:53.719 teaching us and guiding us into all wisdom so that we might behold Christ, our King, 00:00:53.719 --> 00:00:58.399 and all of His beauty, and be shaped more and more into His likeness, 00:00:59.420 --> 00:01:04.500 that we might be salt and light in the world that you've made, 00:01:05.959 --> 00:01:10.980 be bearers of your kingdom and your grace. We pray this in Jesus' name. Amen. 00:01:12.420 --> 00:01:14.960 All right, Matthew chapter 5, 1 through 12. 00:01:14.959 --> 00:01:20.919 Seeing the crowds, He went up on the mountain, and when He sat down, His disciples came to Him, 00:01:21.919 --> 00:01:26.919 and He opened His mouth and taught them, saying, Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the 00:01:26.919 --> 00:01:33.500 kingdom of heaven. Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted. Blessed are the meek, 00:01:33.659 --> 00:01:38.859 for they shall inherit the earth. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, 00:01:38.859 --> 00:01:47.039 for they shall be satisfied. Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy. Blessed 00:01:47.039 --> 00:01:53.379 are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called 00:01:53.379 --> 00:02:00.640 sons of God. Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of 00:02:00.640 --> 00:02:07.079 heaven. Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against 00:02:07.079 --> 00:02:15.960 you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven. For so they persecuted 00:02:15.960 --> 00:02:31.300 the prophets who were before you. Well, is Christianity hard or easy? Is Christianity hard or easy? On the 00:02:31.300 --> 00:02:39.140 one hand, following Christ seems incredibly hard. Take up your cross and follow me, Jesus says, to all 00:02:39.140 --> 00:02:44.060 who would consider being His disciple, being His follower. In other words, Christ doesn't just demand 00:02:44.060 --> 00:02:52.140 part of us, He demands all of us to bring everything that we are under His good lordship with nothing 00:02:52.140 --> 00:02:58.380 remaining. He wants our time, our money, our desires, our relationships, everything. So Christianity seems, 00:02:58.379 --> 00:03:05.639 in that perspective, hard. But then again, Christianity also seems incredibly easy. Jesus says, 00:03:05.759 --> 00:03:14.359 come to me, all you who are weary and heavy laden, and I will give you rest. We are accepted by God in 00:03:14.359 --> 00:03:22.039 Christ freely, by grace, as a gift, through what Jesus has done, not through any works of our own. 00:03:22.039 --> 00:03:29.879 So, Charles Spurgeon once wrote, my Lord is more ready to pardon than you are to sin, 00:03:30.419 --> 00:03:34.759 more able to forgive than you are to transgress. 00:03:36.979 --> 00:03:43.359 So the call of Christ is both a call of radical free grace, where the only thing you need is nothing 00:03:43.360 --> 00:03:50.340 at all. And at the same time, it is a call of radical surrender, a centering of the whole life 00:03:50.340 --> 00:03:58.300 around Christ, His way, His words, His love, His desires. It's both the dying to self, and it's the 00:03:58.300 --> 00:04:06.100 gift of becoming our true selves. Now, this same dynamic, Christianity, is both hard and easy as it 00:04:06.100 --> 00:04:11.620 works in our passage today, this last of Jesus' Beatitudes. We've seen that all of these statements 00:04:11.620 --> 00:04:18.360 of blessing are a bit upside down, aren't they? They're not what we'd expect. The world values the 00:04:18.360 --> 00:04:25.540 strong, the rich, the powerful, and if we're honest, we kind of do too, don't we? But Jesus says, 00:04:25.939 --> 00:04:35.720 blessed are the poor, the merciful, the mourners, the peacemakers. But this last one in verses 10 through 00:04:35.720 --> 00:04:42.900 12 is maybe the most upside down of all. Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake. 00:04:45.460 --> 00:04:51.780 Being persecuted for doing right, that sounds like the exact opposite of a blessed life, a flourishing 00:04:51.780 --> 00:05:00.840 life, doesn't it? But remember, when Jesus speaks these words of blessing, His frame of reference is not 00:05:00.839 --> 00:05:10.519 our own petty dreams and desires. For Jesus, the only real frame of reference for a genuinely human life, 00:05:11.359 --> 00:05:16.120 the only right way to frame a life worth living is the kingdom of God. 00:05:17.799 --> 00:05:26.079 The kingdom of God, the world-healing rule of the triune God that is broken into history in Jesus' 00:05:26.079 --> 00:05:32.439 ministry, that reached its climax with Jesus' death, resurrection, and ascension, that continues to advance 00:05:32.439 --> 00:05:38.159 today through the outpouring of the Spirit and the proclamation of His Word, the kingdom that will one day 00:05:38.159 --> 00:05:46.620 be consummated when Jesus returns in glory. Only living for that kingdom and no other will you find a life 00:05:46.620 --> 00:05:49.299 worthy of your humanity. 00:05:49.300 --> 00:05:59.939 And in this kingdom, Jesus says, blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake. Why? 00:06:01.139 --> 00:06:06.780 For theirs is the kingdom of heaven. They belong to God's kingdom. 00:06:10.180 --> 00:06:14.920 So you see, being a follower of Jesus is both hard and easy. It's hard because following Jesus 00:06:14.920 --> 00:06:23.759 carries a great cost. But at the same time, we might say it's easy because the cost does not compare 00:06:23.759 --> 00:06:31.800 to what you gain. So that's how we'll consider Jesus' last beatitude today. If you're going to 00:06:31.800 --> 00:06:39.400 follow Jesus, there's a very real cost. But second, if you're going to follow Jesus, the cost doesn't 00:06:39.399 --> 00:06:48.099 compare to what you gain. So let's consider first there's a very real cost if you're going to follow 00:06:48.099 --> 00:06:55.079 Jesus. Jesus says there's a very real possibility of being persecuted for righteousness' sake. And then 00:06:55.079 --> 00:07:00.179 He goes on to explain a bit of what that persecution may look like in verse 11. He says, others may revile 00:07:00.179 --> 00:07:06.439 you. That is, they'll criticize you and insult you. They'll utter all kinds of evil against you falsely. 00:07:06.439 --> 00:07:11.319 You'll be mocked and ridiculed. You'll be falsely accused. In other words, there's going to be great 00:07:11.319 --> 00:07:19.540 loss. You may lose your reputation. You may lose friends or family. You may lose influence or wealth. 00:07:20.439 --> 00:07:26.379 You may lose work or well-being. In some cases, you may lose health or even your life. As we just 00:07:26.379 --> 00:07:34.000 prayed, there are many places today where professing the name of Christ is a dangerous act, an act that might 00:07:34.000 --> 00:07:43.160 put you in prison or risk your very life. Now, it's important to clarify as we consider 00:07:43.160 --> 00:07:48.860 the blessing for those who are persecuted. Jesus says, blessed are those who are persecuted 00:07:48.860 --> 00:07:55.920 for righteousness' sake. That is, blessed are those who are persecuted for living according to Jesus' 00:07:55.920 --> 00:08:04.620 words and ways. You know, experiencing ridicule or exclusion just because you're being a jerk or because 00:08:04.620 --> 00:08:08.360 you're advancing your own agenda isn't what Jesus is talking about here, right? 00:08:10.580 --> 00:08:14.939 John Christosom in the fourth century made the same observation in his sermon on this passage. He wrote, 00:08:14.939 --> 00:08:23.199 do not expect to be blessed if you are reviled for something evil and what is said is true. 00:08:26.800 --> 00:08:32.740 Rather, Jesus is talking about being persecuted for his name's sake, as verse 11 says, for taking the 00:08:32.740 --> 00:08:39.879 name of Jesus upon oneself and all that that means. And if you do, if you identify with Christ, if you make 00:08:39.879 --> 00:08:47.379 him your life, if you shape your life around his ways and his words, his righteousness, not just in private, 00:08:47.500 --> 00:08:54.120 but in public, then you can expect that there will be a cost. It will be hard. 00:08:57.580 --> 00:09:05.059 But you might wonder, well, how can that be? I mean, if Jesus is who he says he is, if he is the Lord, 00:09:05.059 --> 00:09:12.039 if he is God incarnate, if he is the way, the truth, and the life, shouldn't his words and his ways always 00:09:12.039 --> 00:09:16.779 bring prosperity and healing? If he created the world, doesn't he know how it works best? Shouldn't 00:09:16.779 --> 00:09:22.439 following his ways always lead to our good? And yet here it seems like Jesus is saying that they'll 00:09:22.439 --> 00:09:27.359 lead to our death, to reviling, to false accusation, to pain. How do we make sense of this? 00:09:30.500 --> 00:09:34.439 Well, think of it a bit this way. It's a bit like an organ transplant, you know, 00:09:34.440 --> 00:09:39.920 an organ transplant. You know, when a body is sick and needs a new organ, the best thing for that body 00:09:39.920 --> 00:09:44.340 is to get the right new organ as soon as possible. If your heart is failing, you need a heart transplant, 00:09:44.560 --> 00:09:52.060 right? But what can sometimes happen is that when a body receives a new organ, that body can turn 00:09:52.060 --> 00:09:56.820 against it. It can start to reject the new organ that's just been transplanted. In other words, the 00:09:56.820 --> 00:10:04.420 body begins to attack the very thing that is meant to give it life. The gospel, the good news, 00:10:04.440 --> 00:10:11.520 of Jesus Christ is just like that. You see, humanity as a whole, we're like a sick body, 00:10:12.000 --> 00:10:19.860 and all of us together suffer under the illness that the Bible calls sin, this willful rejection 00:10:19.860 --> 00:10:27.580 and separation from God, which leads to spiritual death. But the gospel comes like an organ transplant. 00:10:27.580 --> 00:10:34.920 It's the very thing that can make spiritually sick people whole again. Why? Because it's the only 00:10:34.920 --> 00:10:43.020 thing that deals with our sin problem. Under sin, we all deserve death and wrath, but Jesus Christ became 00:10:43.020 --> 00:10:50.900 a human being, died on the cross in the place of our sin so that we can receive forgiveness. 00:10:50.899 --> 00:11:00.840 He was afflicted so that we can be made whole. And those who come to Christ in faith, taking hold of 00:11:00.840 --> 00:11:08.600 what He's done for us, are made alive spiritually. We're brought from death to life. They become a new 00:11:08.600 --> 00:11:16.539 organism, as it were, in the midst of the old body. And flowing through the followers of Jesus is the 00:11:16.539 --> 00:11:22.779 message of grace and the way of righteousness. They embody in their life together a new way of being 00:11:22.779 --> 00:11:31.179 human. The church is like a new organ in the midst of the old body. But just like a sick body can often 00:11:31.179 --> 00:11:36.919 reject a new organ, so too the fallen world will often reject the people of Christ. Tragically, 00:11:37.539 --> 00:11:41.799 the fallen world will turn against the very thing that is meant to give it life. 00:11:41.799 --> 00:11:47.379 Some of you here maybe experienced that in your own life before you became a Christian. 00:11:47.759 --> 00:11:52.959 You thought of Christianity as something silly or outlandish or ridiculous or just plain out bad. 00:11:56.139 --> 00:12:01.859 But why is it that the fallen world can turn against the very thing that's meant to give it life? 00:12:02.500 --> 00:12:06.179 Why is that? Well, there are lots of reasons why the gospel might be rejected, 00:12:07.179 --> 00:12:11.699 but one big reason is that the gospel says that we can't save ourselves. 00:12:11.799 --> 00:12:21.199 Our problem spiritually as humans is so radically dire that we need a rescue from outside of 00:12:21.199 --> 00:12:30.299 ourselves. You know, we spend our entire lives practicing and being formed to be our own lords 00:12:30.299 --> 00:12:39.000 and our own saviors, right? To build our own way, to make our own righteousness, to solve our own 00:12:39.000 --> 00:12:46.299 problems. And if you're really good at that, you get a lot of reward and success and fame, right? 00:12:47.840 --> 00:12:58.860 But the gospel comes and says, you can't rescue yourself. You need a salvation so radical that only God can 00:12:58.860 --> 00:13:07.200 provide it. You need a salvation so radical that God had to lay on His life to purchase it for you. 00:13:09.460 --> 00:13:14.560 So you must humble yourself and not earn it, but receive it. 00:13:16.460 --> 00:13:20.320 You have to stop trying to run your life your own way and surrender to Christ. 00:13:20.320 --> 00:13:27.180 But of course, the problem is we cling so tightly to our own righteousness and our own autonomy that our 00:13:27.180 --> 00:13:30.000 fallen human heart simply cannot accept it, right? 00:13:33.020 --> 00:13:38.720 But the good news is, is that by God's grace, He can break through our pride. 00:13:39.860 --> 00:13:45.280 The message of Christ crucified does have the power to soften our hearts. 00:13:45.279 --> 00:13:52.779 When the Holy Spirit works on the human heart, He can bring us to see our sin, our need for a Savior. 00:13:52.959 --> 00:13:58.639 He can cause us to see the beauty of Christ. He can grant us repentance and faith and new life. 00:14:01.480 --> 00:14:06.159 But apart from the grace of God, the fallen human heart rejects the radical nature of the gospel 00:14:06.159 --> 00:14:11.939 and the person of work of Christ, and it also rejects His ways and His righteousness. 00:14:11.940 --> 00:14:17.480 Because the righteousness of Christ, again, is according to the kingdom of God, 00:14:17.860 --> 00:14:20.060 not according to the kingdoms of this world. 00:14:20.760 --> 00:14:25.800 So a group of people living according to that kingdom are always going to seem out of step and out of place. 00:14:29.220 --> 00:14:31.740 So we mustn't be surprised then when hardships come, 00:14:32.580 --> 00:14:36.520 when co-workers don't understand us, when family members ridicule us, 00:14:36.560 --> 00:14:38.460 when friends at times seem a little less friendly. 00:14:38.460 --> 00:14:42.759 You know, that doesn't mean we should go looking for a fight, right? 00:14:43.139 --> 00:14:47.639 We ought to pray that God will open their eyes by His grace, just like He did for us, right? 00:14:47.800 --> 00:14:50.180 We haven't deserved this. We haven't earned anything. 00:14:53.019 --> 00:14:54.680 It doesn't mean we go looking for a fight, 00:14:54.740 --> 00:14:58.259 but it does mean that the path of following Jesus has a very real cost. 00:15:00.740 --> 00:15:04.420 So two questions then before we move on to the second part of our passage. 00:15:04.419 --> 00:15:13.519 First question, have you experienced any of this cost or tension that Jesus describes? 00:15:14.379 --> 00:15:16.019 Have you experienced this cost? 00:15:17.579 --> 00:15:20.439 Has being a Christian ever put you in an awkward social situation? 00:15:20.579 --> 00:15:23.019 Have you ever been the brunt of a cynical remark? 00:15:23.019 --> 00:15:34.240 If not, then perhaps your identification with the name of Jesus isn't quite what it should be. 00:15:36.939 --> 00:15:39.740 Again, I'm not saying that Christians should go looking for conflict, 00:15:40.740 --> 00:15:47.220 but we must also not hide the fact that we're followers of Jesus for fear of facing social ridicule. 00:15:47.220 --> 00:15:53.860 If we've never felt this cross current that being a follower of Jesus produces, 00:15:55.019 --> 00:16:01.240 then perhaps our lives and our aims and our desires and our goals are shaped far more 00:16:01.240 --> 00:16:05.060 by the world around us than by God's kingdom. 00:16:07.220 --> 00:16:12.139 Now look, I'm not saying you need to grab a megaphone and go hit the New Haven Green, right? 00:16:12.139 --> 00:16:16.159 That would be one way to get a lot of funny looks, you know? 00:16:19.480 --> 00:16:24.019 But what I am saying is that, you know, when your co-worker asks you what you did this weekend, 00:16:25.019 --> 00:16:30.639 you might say, you know, I went to church on Sunday and it was really encouraging. 00:16:31.759 --> 00:16:35.679 The pastor kind of blabbed on and on and on and on, but everything else was great, you know, I loved it. 00:16:35.679 --> 00:16:44.839 No, seriously though, in other words, what I'm saying is let your identity in Christ 00:16:44.839 --> 00:16:48.419 be a natural part of your identity everywhere. 00:16:50.559 --> 00:16:51.439 Don't hide it. 00:16:52.879 --> 00:16:55.139 As Jesus will say in the next section of the Sermon on the Mount, 00:16:55.559 --> 00:16:57.059 let your light shine before others. 00:16:58.479 --> 00:17:00.459 You know, we often think that to be a faithful witness, 00:17:00.559 --> 00:17:04.399 we need to kind of hit someone up with the four spiritual laws every time we have a conversation. 00:17:04.400 --> 00:17:07.140 Some of you don't know what the four spiritual laws are. 00:17:07.200 --> 00:17:08.700 You can come talk to me or Pastor Matt afterwards. 00:17:08.800 --> 00:17:10.240 We'll tell you what the four spiritual laws are. 00:17:12.200 --> 00:17:16.680 You know, and there may be some times when having a conversation really gets into the nitty-gritty 00:17:16.680 --> 00:17:20.460 of the gospel and what Jesus did to die for our sins and offer us new life. 00:17:22.100 --> 00:17:27.519 But, you know, perhaps the first step is simply identifying with the name of Christ where you are 00:17:27.519 --> 00:17:33.519 and then prayerfully asking God how you might make your identity in Christ a natural part of your identity 00:17:33.519 --> 00:17:39.480 and then seeing what God will do in those contexts. 00:17:39.960 --> 00:17:43.619 And, yeah, being ready to have some good conversations when they come. 00:17:46.460 --> 00:17:47.359 Second question. 00:17:48.339 --> 00:17:49.059 Second question. 00:17:49.900 --> 00:17:52.200 If you are experiencing this cost or tension, 00:17:52.299 --> 00:17:55.299 if you are experiencing some of what Jesus is talking about right now, 00:17:55.299 --> 00:18:01.379 do you have a group of fellow Christians to support you? 00:18:02.759 --> 00:18:06.960 You know, many of us face challenges that are unique to our particular workplaces 00:18:06.960 --> 00:18:10.680 or to our particular schools or to our particular cultures. 00:18:10.680 --> 00:18:17.320 And we need to have fellow Christians that we can share these challenges with 00:18:17.320 --> 00:18:21.620 to pray with us, to help us discern what's the right way forward. 00:18:21.799 --> 00:18:25.820 Sometimes navigating these things, there isn't a playbook that we just implement. 00:18:26.000 --> 00:18:26.660 We need wisdom. 00:18:26.779 --> 00:18:27.620 We need discernment. 00:18:28.080 --> 00:18:28.920 We need encouragement. 00:18:28.920 --> 00:18:32.240 And we've got to find that together with one another. 00:18:33.600 --> 00:18:37.600 You know, even if you don't find someone who has the exact same challenges as you, 00:18:37.680 --> 00:18:41.360 maybe they're not in the exact same line of work from the exact same family background, right? 00:18:41.880 --> 00:18:44.860 We still need fellow believers to follow Jesus well. 00:18:46.140 --> 00:18:52.160 So if you aren't connected to a small group or a campus fellowship or a Christian professional group, 00:18:52.340 --> 00:18:54.220 by all means, join one. 00:18:54.340 --> 00:18:55.900 Use the start of a new season. 00:18:56.420 --> 00:18:57.360 The fall is here. 00:18:57.359 --> 00:19:03.899 Remember, maybe one of your, you know, resolutions for the start of a new school year, 00:19:03.959 --> 00:19:08.619 for the start of a new season, is to get plugged in to a fellowship group if you haven't had one yet. 00:19:10.179 --> 00:19:13.659 We aren't meant to face the cost of following Jesus alone. 00:19:17.019 --> 00:19:18.179 So that's our first point. 00:19:18.500 --> 00:19:19.839 There's a cost of following Jesus. 00:19:20.139 --> 00:19:21.319 He makes that very clear here. 00:19:22.159 --> 00:19:23.459 But that leads to our second point. 00:19:23.460 --> 00:19:29.559 The cost of following Jesus doesn't compare to what you gain. 00:19:29.559 --> 00:19:36.559 Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 00:19:37.440 --> 00:19:39.980 Jesus goes on to reiterate all this in verse 12. 00:19:40.099 --> 00:19:43.679 Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven. 00:19:44.079 --> 00:19:46.859 For so they persecuted the prophets who were before you. 00:19:46.859 --> 00:19:52.559 If you're persecuted for my sake, Jesus says, you're in good company. 00:19:53.979 --> 00:19:55.159 Think of the prophets. 00:19:55.459 --> 00:20:00.079 Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Daniel, Hosea, and on and on. 00:20:00.159 --> 00:20:04.719 Nearly every one of them faced opposition, faced ridicule. 00:20:05.299 --> 00:20:06.259 Some of them were imprisoned. 00:20:06.819 --> 00:20:09.479 Some of them were literally thrown to the lions, right? 00:20:09.480 --> 00:20:15.620 So when you face opposition, remember, you're in good company. 00:20:17.000 --> 00:20:20.039 There's a whole host of saints who've run this race before you. 00:20:20.940 --> 00:20:25.400 And through persecution, you are counted among them. 00:20:27.599 --> 00:20:33.400 In the moment of being reviled or falsely accused, you know, we can often feel that exclusion, 00:20:33.980 --> 00:20:36.860 that ridicule, that shame so poignantly, so deeply. 00:20:36.859 --> 00:20:41.319 You might feel like you're losing your community, you're losing your proper place, 00:20:41.419 --> 00:20:43.240 you're losing your bearings, right? 00:20:44.519 --> 00:20:51.259 But Jesus says, no, in that moment, you are not losing, you're gaining, 00:20:51.419 --> 00:20:56.819 you're joining the ranks of the great prophets and saints who've gone before you. 00:20:57.919 --> 00:21:03.139 The world wants to strip you of your dignity, but in that very moment, you're finding Him. 00:21:03.140 --> 00:21:11.140 For you stand in the long line of courageous men and women who have treasured God 00:21:11.140 --> 00:21:16.140 more than the fleeting praise of this passing world. 00:21:18.759 --> 00:21:19.900 The cost is real. 00:21:21.100 --> 00:21:25.620 You might lose family, friends, reputation, but look at what you gain. 00:21:25.619 --> 00:21:31.479 A place among the prophets, a place among the saints, you're in good company. 00:21:34.479 --> 00:21:37.000 But it's not just good company, Jesus says. 00:21:37.699 --> 00:21:39.319 There's also a great reward. 00:21:41.839 --> 00:21:46.159 We're often too short-sighted as Christians, aren't we? 00:21:46.939 --> 00:21:51.099 We tend to live with merely the next 50, 60, 70 years in view, 00:21:51.099 --> 00:21:54.359 and the older you get, that number gets shorter and shorter and shorter and shorter. 00:21:56.679 --> 00:21:58.679 But Jesus says, lift up your gaze. 00:22:00.119 --> 00:22:04.559 You've been made an inheritor of an eternal kingdom, 00:22:05.059 --> 00:22:08.459 one that will not fade, one that will not grow old, 00:22:09.259 --> 00:22:11.579 a city where the rivers flow with life, 00:22:12.139 --> 00:22:15.019 where the leaves of the trees are for the healing of the nations, 00:22:15.019 --> 00:22:18.519 where the living God dwells in the midst, 00:22:18.519 --> 00:22:21.299 so present, so radiant, 00:22:21.420 --> 00:22:23.839 that there's not even need for the sun or the moon, 00:22:24.079 --> 00:22:27.720 because the Lamb is its light for all eternity. 00:22:28.740 --> 00:22:31.720 And there you will reign with Him forever 00:22:31.720 --> 00:22:34.099 in a completely renewed creation. 00:22:35.819 --> 00:22:36.819 And best of all, 00:22:37.940 --> 00:22:39.460 a fellowship with God. 00:22:39.460 --> 00:22:43.160 A fellowship with God that's like 00:22:43.160 --> 00:22:46.120 eating the best meal you've ever had. 00:22:48.519 --> 00:22:49.620 Fellowship with God. 00:22:52.200 --> 00:22:53.519 Paul says in Romans 8, 00:22:53.579 --> 00:22:56.079 I consider that the sufferings of this present time 00:22:56.079 --> 00:22:58.360 aren't worth comparing 00:22:58.360 --> 00:23:01.779 with the glory that's to be revealed to us. 00:23:02.779 --> 00:23:04.779 They're not worth comparing. 00:23:06.240 --> 00:23:07.740 You know, if on your 21st birthday 00:23:07.740 --> 00:23:09.440 you were set to inherit 00:23:09.440 --> 00:23:12.000 like this massive fortune, right? 00:23:12.140 --> 00:23:13.120 Millions of dollars. 00:23:13.319 --> 00:23:14.079 You just had to like 00:23:14.079 --> 00:23:15.940 turn the next year old. 00:23:17.420 --> 00:23:18.480 You know, would you freak out 00:23:18.480 --> 00:23:21.200 if someone stole $100 from your purse 00:23:21.200 --> 00:23:22.500 like two days before your birthday? 00:23:24.420 --> 00:23:25.880 It'd be annoying, right? 00:23:26.380 --> 00:23:27.180 It'd be inconvenient. 00:23:28.000 --> 00:23:29.339 You know, that was going to be your gas money 00:23:29.339 --> 00:23:29.940 to get around, 00:23:30.079 --> 00:23:31.579 so now you've got to bum a ride off your friend. 00:23:33.099 --> 00:23:34.720 But would it rock your world? 00:23:36.480 --> 00:23:36.880 No. 00:23:37.740 --> 00:23:38.900 It's not worth comparing 00:23:38.900 --> 00:23:40.120 to what you're about to gain. 00:23:42.200 --> 00:23:43.319 In the same way, 00:23:43.380 --> 00:23:44.200 Jesus is saying here, 00:23:45.759 --> 00:23:47.359 it's not worth comparing. 00:23:48.620 --> 00:23:51.120 Yes, there's real suffering in this life. 00:23:51.700 --> 00:23:53.579 Yes, it ought to be taken seriously. 00:23:54.640 --> 00:23:56.620 Yes, we ought to pray regularly 00:23:56.620 --> 00:23:59.120 for our persecuted brothers and sisters 00:23:59.120 --> 00:24:00.359 in the worldwide church. 00:24:00.819 --> 00:24:02.440 But let us not forget 00:24:02.440 --> 00:24:04.019 that in Christ, 00:24:04.559 --> 00:24:07.200 ours is a very great reward. 00:24:07.740 --> 00:24:11.220 Nothing that is taken from us in this life 00:24:11.220 --> 00:24:14.599 can really steal the ultimate foundation 00:24:14.599 --> 00:24:15.259 of our hope, 00:24:15.599 --> 00:24:16.099 our joy, 00:24:16.420 --> 00:24:17.140 our life. 00:24:19.460 --> 00:24:22.200 These afflictions are simply preparing for us 00:24:22.200 --> 00:24:24.079 an eternal weight of glory 00:24:24.079 --> 00:24:26.759 as they draw us 00:24:26.759 --> 00:24:29.539 closer to Christ and His sufferings, 00:24:30.200 --> 00:24:31.859 as they draw us closer 00:24:31.859 --> 00:24:33.240 to eternity with Him 00:24:33.240 --> 00:24:34.279 in His resurrection. 00:24:36.279 --> 00:24:37.079 And for that, 00:24:37.159 --> 00:24:37.859 Jesus says, 00:24:38.699 --> 00:24:39.179 rejoice 00:24:39.179 --> 00:24:41.099 and be glad. 00:24:42.039 --> 00:24:43.240 You're in good company 00:24:43.240 --> 00:24:45.839 and your reward 00:24:45.839 --> 00:24:46.920 is greater 00:24:46.920 --> 00:24:48.819 than you could ever imagine. 00:24:51.380 --> 00:24:52.579 So brothers and sisters, 00:24:53.700 --> 00:24:54.740 live for Christ 00:24:54.740 --> 00:24:56.039 and His righteousness. 00:24:57.400 --> 00:24:58.460 Don't be afraid 00:24:58.460 --> 00:24:59.160 of what the world 00:24:59.160 --> 00:25:00.079 can do to you. 00:25:00.940 --> 00:25:01.960 If you're misunderstood, 00:25:02.319 --> 00:25:02.960 if you're slandered, 00:25:03.039 --> 00:25:04.099 if you're falsely accused 00:25:04.099 --> 00:25:05.120 for the sake of Christ, 00:25:05.799 --> 00:25:06.839 don't respond 00:25:06.839 --> 00:25:08.279 the way the world responds. 00:25:08.920 --> 00:25:09.920 Don't be surprised 00:25:09.920 --> 00:25:11.880 as if something strange 00:25:11.880 --> 00:25:12.900 is happening to you. 00:25:13.700 --> 00:25:14.000 No. 00:25:14.360 --> 00:25:14.940 Jesus says, 00:25:15.300 --> 00:25:16.440 rejoice and be glad. 00:25:17.380 --> 00:25:19.000 You're right where you need to be, 00:25:19.000 --> 00:25:21.480 in the footsteps of your Savior, 00:25:22.160 --> 00:25:24.340 who also walked a road of righteousness 00:25:24.340 --> 00:25:26.380 and who was also persecuted 00:25:26.380 --> 00:25:27.039 and reviled 00:25:27.039 --> 00:25:28.400 and despised for it, 00:25:29.539 --> 00:25:31.160 but who through God's power 00:25:31.160 --> 00:25:31.920 was raised 00:25:31.920 --> 00:25:33.640 for you. 00:25:35.880 --> 00:25:37.340 The way of the cross 00:25:37.339 --> 00:25:39.619 is the way of the crown. 00:25:40.959 --> 00:25:42.679 As we suffer for Christ's sake, 00:25:42.720 --> 00:25:43.599 we can be assured 00:25:43.599 --> 00:25:46.419 that we will also be glorified with Him. 00:25:48.339 --> 00:25:49.519 Blessed indeed are those 00:25:49.519 --> 00:25:50.199 who are persecuted 00:25:50.199 --> 00:25:51.419 for righteousness' sake, 00:25:52.299 --> 00:25:53.619 for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 00:25:54.879 --> 00:25:55.459 Let's pray. 00:26:00.539 --> 00:26:01.720 Father, we admit this morning 00:26:01.720 --> 00:26:02.819 that it's easy to talk 00:26:02.819 --> 00:26:05.939 about persecution 00:26:05.940 --> 00:26:06.980 and being reviled 00:26:06.980 --> 00:26:08.180 and being falsely accused. 00:26:08.279 --> 00:26:09.519 It's easy to talk about it 00:26:09.519 --> 00:26:12.140 in this peaceful space. 00:26:13.259 --> 00:26:13.660 But God, 00:26:13.720 --> 00:26:14.259 we know that 00:26:14.259 --> 00:26:16.019 when we're in the midst of it, 00:26:16.779 --> 00:26:18.220 we so desperately 00:26:18.220 --> 00:26:19.100 need your help. 00:26:20.799 --> 00:26:21.759 So help us 00:26:21.759 --> 00:26:22.740 by your Holy Spirit 00:26:22.740 --> 00:26:24.200 in the coming days, 00:26:24.360 --> 00:26:24.660 weeks, 00:26:24.940 --> 00:26:25.259 months, 00:26:25.660 --> 00:26:26.039 years. 00:26:27.440 --> 00:26:28.039 Help us 00:26:28.039 --> 00:26:28.880 by your Holy Spirit 00:26:28.880 --> 00:26:29.759 to be reminded 00:26:29.759 --> 00:26:30.700 again and again 00:26:30.700 --> 00:26:31.799 of what Jesus 00:26:31.799 --> 00:26:32.740 has taught us here. 00:26:33.940 --> 00:26:35.299 And by your Holy Spirit, 00:26:35.299 --> 00:26:36.980 help us to know 00:26:36.980 --> 00:26:38.619 the communion with Christ 00:26:38.619 --> 00:26:40.500 that you promise us now 00:26:40.500 --> 00:26:42.879 that can enrich 00:26:42.879 --> 00:26:44.039 and enliven our hearts 00:26:44.039 --> 00:26:45.299 even when we face 00:26:45.299 --> 00:26:46.519 opposition and persecution. 00:26:48.419 --> 00:26:49.339 Oh, Christ, 00:26:49.440 --> 00:26:51.220 would you be our treasure 00:26:51.220 --> 00:26:52.919 more than anything else 00:26:52.919 --> 00:26:53.599 in this world. 00:26:54.139 --> 00:26:55.399 And with the great hope 00:26:55.399 --> 00:26:56.359 that we have in you, 00:26:57.359 --> 00:26:58.980 be a great ballast 00:26:58.980 --> 00:26:59.919 that carries us 00:26:59.919 --> 00:27:00.740 through the storms. 00:27:00.740 --> 00:27:02.740 Father, 00:27:03.279 --> 00:27:04.160 we do pray again 00:27:04.160 --> 00:27:04.779 for our brothers 00:27:04.779 --> 00:27:05.400 and sisters 00:27:05.400 --> 00:27:07.359 in the global church 00:27:07.359 --> 00:27:08.700 who know 00:27:08.700 --> 00:27:10.099 what these verses mean 00:27:10.099 --> 00:27:11.400 far more 00:27:11.400 --> 00:27:12.359 than we ever 00:27:12.359 --> 00:27:13.660 could know. 00:27:16.180 --> 00:27:16.660 Christ, 00:27:16.779 --> 00:27:17.420 be their comfort, 00:27:17.559 --> 00:27:18.460 be their good shepherd 00:27:18.460 --> 00:27:19.200 this morning. 00:27:20.279 --> 00:27:21.099 As our brothers 00:27:21.099 --> 00:27:21.980 and sisters gather 00:27:21.980 --> 00:27:23.059 around the world 00:27:23.059 --> 00:27:23.759 on this day, 00:27:23.859 --> 00:27:24.319 your day, 00:27:24.400 --> 00:27:25.200 the Lord's day, 00:27:25.940 --> 00:27:27.019 would you protect them, 00:27:27.519 --> 00:27:28.079 keep them, 00:27:29.259 --> 00:27:30.140 help them too 00:27:30.140 --> 00:27:30.700 to see 00:27:30.700 --> 00:27:33.700 that the sufferings 00:27:33.700 --> 00:27:34.320 we experience 00:27:34.320 --> 00:27:34.900 in this life 00:27:34.900 --> 00:27:35.980 are not worth comparing 00:27:35.980 --> 00:27:37.720 to the glory 00:27:37.720 --> 00:27:38.640 that will be revealed 00:27:38.640 --> 00:27:40.000 when you return 00:27:40.000 --> 00:27:40.600 and we share 00:27:40.600 --> 00:27:41.300 in your resurrection. 00:27:42.920 --> 00:27:44.280 Pray this in Jesus' name. 00:27:44.560 --> 00:27:44.840 Amen.