If you don't know me, my name is Sean. I'm one of the pastors of Trinity Cambridge Church,
and it is my great joy and privilege to preach God's word to you this morning.
Please turn with me in your Bibles to Matthew chapter 5. We've been in the Beatitudes for the
last six weeks. This is the seventh and final week we are in the Beatitudes.
We'll be focusing today on the eighth Beatitude from verses 10 to 12, but I will read the entire
section verses 1 to 12 before we start. Let me pray for the reading and preaching of God's word.
Heavenly Father, we confess that living in this world sometimes can feel like
being on a treadmill where the course of this world is always seeking to take us backwards.
So Lord, we seek this morning to be addressed by you from your word,
that we may not be conformed to the patterns of this world, but instead be transformed by the
renewal of our mind. Increase in our hearts this morning through the ministry of your word,
a heavenly mindset that our deepest longings would be for the hope of eternity, not
for the comforts and pleasures of this world.
Make us a people who would be glad and rejoice to be persecuted for the name of Jesus Christ.
In Jesus' name we pray. Amen.
If you are able, please stand to honor God as we read from his word.
Matthew 5, 1 to 12.
Seeing the crowds, he went up on the mountain, and when he sat down, his disciples came to him.
And he opened his mouth and taught them, saying,
Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.
Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.
Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.
Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.
Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.
Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account.
Blessed are the people of heaven, for they shall be called sons of God.
Biblical truth that has been borne out by thousands of years of history.
Speaking of the persecutions and the sufferings that Christians endure, and speaking of the persecutions that he himself endured,
Paul writes in 2 Timothy 3 verse 12,
Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.
not some but all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus and not might be persecuted but
will be persecuted because of the universality and the inevitability of persecution for Christians
all over the world it is necessary for us to be prepared by this eighth and last beatitude
Jesus means to comfort us and to console us blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness
sake for theirs is the kingdom of heaven if you are persecuted for righteousness sake then you are
not to be pitied you are to be envied because you are the happy fortunate blessed one how so Jesus
teaches us that all who see Christ's kingdom and his righteousness will be persecuted but we can
rejoice for our reward is great in heaven so first we'll talk about the reality of persecution secondly
about the reason for persecution namely righteousness and thirdly we'll talk about the response to
persecution rejoicing first I want to convince you of the reality of persecution apart from the tens of
thousands of Christians who were killed under the Roman Empire some of which is recorded in our New
Testament there have been countless more Christians killed for their faith and I've shared this with you
on multiple occasions four million Christians were killed by Genghis Khan four million by Tamerlane 1.2
million Armenians most of whom were Christians were killed by the Ottoman Empire and if you think that's
a long long time ago in a far away place 20th century was the worst scholars estimate about 12 million
Christians were killed under the Soviet Union 106,300 Christian pastors were were killed in Russia alone
scholars estimate that Christians who died from secular anti-religious violence in the 20th century number
over 25 million worldwide which is more than all the previous years in church history combined
according to open doors USA and I think I have a graphic to show for this hundreds of millions of
Christians face extreme persecution in countries like North Korea Somalia Yemen Eritrea Libya Nigeria
Pakistan Iran Afghanistan Sudan and India one in seven Christians are persecuted worldwide
one in five in five in Africa and two in five in Asia last year alone four thousand seven hundred and
forty six sorry four thousand four hundred and seventy six Christians were murdered seven thousand
six hundred and seventy nine churches or church properties were attacked four thousand seven hundred and
forty four Christians were imprisoned for their faith
now I readily concede that the persecution in the US is not as intense as the persecutions elsewhere in the world
but that doesn't mean that there aren't milder forms of persecution even here it's not only being stoned to death
that counts as persecution he says in verse 11 blessed are you when others revile you persecute you and utter all
kinds of evil against you falsely on my account persecution can involve simply being reviled
insulted excluded slandered
and I know firsthand that that happens to Christians and I know secondhand from talking to many of you
that people here in Cambridge and Boston often insult and speak ill of Christians
you believe that the Bible is God's word
you believe that this world was created
isn't that so primitive hasn't science made God unnecessary to our understanding of the world
you believe that marriage and romance should be between one man and one woman
you believe that abortion is sin
last month
president Trump commissioned a new task force on eradicating anti-Christian bias
and many Americans and media outlets collectively
roll their eyes
they openly wondered
Christianity is the largest religion in the world
and largest religion in the U.S.
how can there possibly be anti-Christian bias in the United States of America
I can understand why people think that way but if you think that way you are mistaken
the fact that some political elites invoke God's name and Christianity to get votes from Christians
doesn't mean that they are actually Christians
for the true Christians who subscribe to the historic biblical faith
growing anti-Christian bias has been obvious for many years
Aaron Wren is a cultural analyst and an author of the book Life in the Negative World
Confronting Challenges in an Anti-Christian Culture
his book has been featured on many national platforms including liberal media outlets
that usually don't cover such topics like the New York Times
he describes the years leading up to 1994 as the positive world
when being a Christian was a net social positive
and Christian moral norms were pervasive and upheld in society
this was the time of the moral majority and the Christian religious right
that dominated the culture wars and the politics
and then he describes 1994 to 2014 as the neutral world
when society increasingly took a neutral stance toward Christianity
and traditional orthodox Bible-based Christianity became one of many religious options
in a pluralistic world
it neither enjoyed broad support nor was it widely opposed by the culture
starting in about 2014
shortly before 2015 Obergefell vs. Hoge's legalized same-sex marriage
Wren argues that we entered the negative world
where being a Christian is a social and professional negative
particularly among elite circles
like the ones that many of you guys are in
this is when Christians being a Christian
meant being associated with the bad guys
Christian moral norms were increasingly viewed as harmful
regressive and as a threat to the public moral order
I can mention many concrete examples of this
in 2011 Vanderbilt University banned 15 faith-based groups from campus
for their refusal to follow their school's new policy
of mandating that all student organizations must accept any student
regardless of their religious beliefs or affiliation
as leaders of their campus groups
so a staunch atheist who opposes God
and thinks that Christ
maybe was a myth and a legend and didn't even exist
can become a leader of the Christian campus group
that was mandated by Vanderbilt University
out of those 15 faith-based groups that were banned
almost all of them were Christian groups
with the few exceptions of some of the Mormon groups
that were kicked out
University of Iowa followed suit in 2018
in 2014 Bowdoin Christian Fellowship was kicked off campus
for upholding traditional Christian sexual ethical standards
for its student leaders
in 2017 when reformed Christian pastor Timothy Keller
was selected for the prestigious Princeton Theological Seminary's
prestigious Kuiper Prize for Excellence in Reformed Theology
and Public Witness
many students, alumni, and faculty of Princeton Theological Seminary
protested because of Keller's commitment to complementarianism
the belief that men are called to lead their households
and that men are called by God to be elders and to lead churches
despite the fact that that has been the historic view of the church
for most of the last two millennia
Princeton gave into pressure and rescinded the award
despite the fact that Tim Keller has really been
an exemplary, thoughtful, and compassionate
public theologian for decades
in Massachusetts
pro-life pregnancy resource centers
many of them explicitly Christian
that's where they get their pro-life convictions
that try to help women in crises pregnancies face enormous political backlash and pressure
Senator Elizabeth Warren and Governor General Healy are on the record for saying that they want to shut down
every single one of these crisis pregnancy centers in Massachusetts
and throughout the country
since 2023 Massachusetts has been spending millions of taxpayer dollars
to fund the campaign to steer women away from these crisis pregnancy centers
and to other places where they can get abortions instead
on Easter 2023
an arsonist burned down a church building here in Cambridge
persecution is very real, my friends
it's worse in other parts of the world
so let us not be caught complaining about persecution that we experience
because it's really nothing compared to what most of the world experiences
but exists here
and it has existed everywhere in every age
because that is what the Bible says
that is the reality of persecution
now let's look at the reason for persecution
verse 10 tells us
blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness sake
sometimes I admit
Christians are persecuted for being obnoxious
or rude
that's not what this verse is talking about
even when we disagree with people
we are commanded by God's word
to not be quarrelsome
to correct our opponents with gentleness
if we are persecuted because we are
disagreeable and quarrelsome
we are not blessed
as this verse talks about
it says in 1st Peter 2 20
for what credit is it
if when you sin and are beaten for it
you endure
but if when you do good and suffer for it
you endure
this is a gracious thing in the sight of God
if we are persecuted for our own wrongdoing
and our own misbehavior
then the consolations and the promises
that this beatitude offers do not apply to us
if we are maligned by people
because we are violent and abusive
or because we steal and are dishonest
or because we meddle in other people's affairs
then we should be ashamed
says 1st Peter chapter 4 15 to 16
yet if anyone suffers as a Christian
let him not be ashamed
but let him glorify God in that name
that's the point
if you suffer for being a Christian
if you suffer for righteousness sake
Jesus says in verse 11
blessed are you when others revile you
and persecute you on my account
on account of your allegiance to Jesus
then we should rejoice and be glad
when we are persecuted
what then is righteousness
for which we are going to be persecuted
in order to answer that question
we need to again observe the structure
of the Beatitudes
that I have pointed out to you
a few times before
there are 8 Beatitudes total
verses 11 to 12
are an expansion of Beatitude number 8
verse 10
we know because of
it's dealing with the same content
and because of the change in the pronouns
and this division is confirmed
by the repetition of the promise
theirs is the kingdom
in verse 3 and verse 10
in the first Beatitude
and the last Beatitude
this is the only repeated promise
and it serves to bracket
the Beatitude together as a unit
as a single unit
and once we recognize
that there are 8 Beatitudes
we also can see
that there are 2 distinct halves
because the last Beatitude
of each half
mentions the word righteousness
in verse 6 and verse 10
verse 6 is
blessed are those who hunger
and thirst for righteousness
meaning those who lack righteousness
but long for righteousness
and then verse 10 says
blessed are those who are persecuted
for righteousness sake
meaning those who are now
full of righteousness
and are persecuted on account of it
so this emptiness
and fullness
capture the themes
of the two halves
of the Beatitudes
the first four Beatitudes
deal with emptiness
being poor in spirit
mourning
being meek
those who hunger
and thirst for righteousness
and then the second half
deals with being full
being full of mercy
being pure in heart
full of your devotion
to God
purity in heart
being a peacemaker
because your peace
that you have from God
in Christ
overflows toward others
and lastly
being full of righteousness
being persecuted
for righteousness sake
so then
being persecuted
for righteousness sake
entails
all of the preceding Beatitudes
righteousness
is described
it describes
the kind of people
that are described
in the Beatitudes
they are the righteous ones
we are persecuted
for being merciful
when the world
wants us to
resist
governing authorities
we don't like
but instead
we submit to them
as the Bible
commands us to
and then we're reviled
for it
when the world
wants us to
retaliate
against people
who wrong us
who believe
wrong
offensive things
and then we forgive them
and we show them mercy
we're despised
by the world
and condemned
as weak people
we are persecuted
for being pure in heart
because to be pure in heart
is to will
one thing
namely to please God
the world
instead
wants us to
conform
to its sinful patterns
to its own ideas
of morality
and the public good
but the people of God
take another course
and for that reason
we are spoken of
as evil
we are persecuted
for being peacemakers
when we proclaim
the gospel of peace
and invite people
to be reconciled
to God
people who are
by their very nature
enemies of God
reject us
the world
wants us
to point fingers
and pass blame
on our enemies
but when we instead
obey Jesus' command
and love our enemies
and pray for them
as the Bible commands us
then we are slandered
as a result
Jesus summarizes
in Matthew 5
17 to 20
that righteousness
in short
is obedience
to all of the scriptures
all of the commands
of God
which Jesus expounds
and fulfills
!
in the rest of the Sermon
on the mount
but why would people
persecute us
for righteousness?
why do they do that?
isn't righteousness
a good thing?
isn't righteousness
eminently reasonable
and doesn't it promote
human flourishing?
yes it does
so why does the world
persecute us for it?
because the sinful world
is diametrically
opposed to God
and scriptures
make that clear
John 3
19 to 21
is illuminating
and this is the judgment
the light has come
into the world
and people love
the darkness
rather than the light
because their works
were evil
for everyone
who does wicked things
hates the light
and does not come
to the light
lest his works
should be exposed
but whoever does
what is true
comes to the light
so that it may be
clearly seen
that his works
have been carried out
in God
when you are in darkness
your eyes dilate
right
to allow in
as much light
as possible
because that's the only way
you can see anything
in the dark
but then as soon as
you step out
into a brightly lit room
or out into
a sunny day
it's
you can't open your eyes
it's blinding
because you can't handle
the influx of light
your body
your eyes
are still adjusted
to the darkness
in a similar way
people who are
accustomed to darkness
and accustomed to sin
cannot stand the light
why do assaults
and robberies
rapes
and murders
all usually happen
at night
because people use
the cover of night
cover of darkness
to do evil
sinful people
hate the light
because they don't want
their sinful works
to be exposed
and this is why
Christians are persecuted
for righteousness sake
if you are a woman
who dresses
modestly
and prioritizes
the imperishable
inner beauty
of a gentle
and quiet spirit
rather than dressing
scantily
and provocatively
putting on
elaborate ornaments
to attract attention
to external beauty
your female friends
might call you
a prude
if you are
chaste
and refuse
the sexual advances
of a man
who is not
your husband
then you might
be called
frigid
or cold
because the light
of your chastity
exposes the darkness
of illicit sex
you will be persecuted
for righteousness sake
if you are
hanging with your
bros
and everybody's
betting on sports
and gambling
and getting drunk
and getting high
but you refuse
to do that
you might
get sober
shamed
I had to look up
all these words
because I didn't
know what they were
trying to stay relevant
you know
Google knows a lot
because the light
of your self-control
and purity
and sobriety
exposes the darkness
of debauchery
and indulgence
if there's an outcast
family member
that nobody
in your extended
family wants
to talk to
and they always
work hard
to work around
to exclude them
and then you
extend a hand
of love
and reconciliation
and invitation
your family
might resent you
and call you
disloyal
weird
holier than thou
because the light
of your peacemaking
exposes the darkness
of hatred
and ostracism
if you try
to be a good
steward
of your financial
resources
and you prioritize
simplicity
rather than luxury
generosity
rather than
splurging on yourself
then people
might call you
frumpy
and look down
on you
for lacking
class
or lacking
style
and so on
this is inevitable
those who live
in darkness
hate
the light
James 4
4
says
you adulterous
people
do you not
know that
friendship
with the world
is enmity
with God
therefore
whoever wishes
to be a friend
of the world
makes himself
an enemy
of God
you can't
have both
you cannot
serve both
God and money
you cannot
serve two
sovereigns
you're either
a friend
of God
and an enemy
of the world
or a friend
of the world
and an enemy
of God
brothers and sisters
we are commanded
in scripture
to love
and pray
for our enemies
we are not
commanded
to confuse
our enemies
for our friends
1 John 2
15 to 17
says
do not
love the world
or the things
in the world
if anyone
loves the world
the love
of the father
is not in him
for all that
is in the world
the desires
of the flesh
the desires
of the eyes
and the pride
of life
is not
from the father
but is from
the world
and the world
is passing away
along with its desires
but whoever
does the will
of God
abides
forever
we do not
belong
to this world
brothers and sisters
we belong
to another world
to another kingdom
to another king
we do not
follow the prince
of the power
of the air
the ruler
of this world
Satan
no we
follow Christ
the king
who has authority
over heaven
and the earth
the clearer
our allegiance
to Jesus Christ
in our lives
the fiercer
the world's
persecution
will be
for this reason
if we're not
facing any persecution
we should take
the opportunity
to examine
our lives
I think there
are several
possibilities
for what might
be happening
if we're not
getting persecuted
one
it may be
that we are
worldly Christians
you become
conformed
to the world
instead of
being transformed
by the renewal
of your mind
there's very little
friction between
the world
and us
that's
worldliness
theologian
David Wells
puts it this way
in his book
God in the Wasteland
worldliness
is what makes
sin look normal
in any age
and righteousness
seem odd
do you love
the things
of this world
if the sins
of this world
look normal
to you
if they look
good and pleasing
to you
and if the teachings
of the Bible
seem strange
to you
seem otherworldly
to you
that's a telltale sign
that you'll become
a worldly Christian
if so
you will not
be persecuted
because you are
of the world
and you must repent
two
it's a second option
it may be that you are
an incognito Christian
a secret Christian
that doesn't share
his or her
beliefs with anyone
it is no coincidence
that right after
this last beatitude
Jesus talks about
not putting our lamp
under a basket
but instead
putting it on his stand
so that he can shine
its light
and give light
to everybody
in the house
so that our good news
that our faith
in the good news
and the good works
that we do
as a consequence
might shine
before others
it's intentionally
in that order
have you hidden
your Christian convictions
under a basket
does anybody
know
that you are a Christian
at your workplace
or at your school
if nobody knows
you're a Christian
of course
they're not going
to persecute you
for being a Christian
or for being righteous
and maybe that's
precisely your intention
but if you're doing that
then you miss out
on the comforts
and the blessings
of this beatitude
three
it may be
that you are
just not persecuted
yet
if you are living
out your faith
in public
as we all should
and your allegiance
shows
then I assure you
that you are
moving the needle
in one direction
or the other
1 Corinthians 1
23-24
says this
preaching Christ
crucified
is a stumbling block
to Jews
and folly
to Gentiles
but to those
who are called
both Jews
and Greeks
Christ
the power
of God
and the wisdom
of God
if you proclaim
the gospel
you're doing
either one
of these two
things
you're either
putting a stumbling
block in front
of people
who will oppose
God
or you are
preaching
and demonstrating
the power
of God
and the wisdom
of God
you're going
to move
the needle
one way
or the other
so
if you're
proclaiming
the gospel
and you're
not being
persecuted
it may be
because
the people
around you
that you're
bearing witness
to are
being moved
in the right
direction
because they're
actually coming
nearer to Christ
or if they're
going to reject
Christ
it's in a matter
of time
sooner or later
you will be
persecuted
this is the reality
that we must
come to terms
with
if we're
trying to
win
the affection
and the approval
of this sinful
world
we will
not
be
a thriving
Christian
it's
futile
for us
as Christians
to try
to win
the acclaim
and the
applause
of this
world
even if
you get
it
I assure
you
it will
not
last
very
long
Jesus
told us
that the
world
will
hate
us
John
15
18
to 20
if
the
world
hates
you
know
that
it
has
hated
me
before
it
hated
you
if
you
were
of
the
world
the
world
would
love
you
as
its
own
but
because
you
are
not
of
the
world
but I
chose
you
out
of
the
world
therefore
the
world
hates
you
remember
the
word
that I
said
to
you
a
servant
is
not
greater
than
his
master
if
they
persecuted
me
they
will
also
persecute
you
the
sinful
world
persecuted
Jesus
and executed
him
on
the
cross
and
if
we
are
to
follow
Jesus
we
also
must
take
up
our
cross
daily
and
follow
him
and
sometimes
you
will
even
be
persecuted
by
your
fellow
Christians
so-called
Christians
the
nominal
Christians
the
worldly
Christians
just
as
Jesus
was
most
intensely
persecuted
by
his
own
fellow
Jews
Luke's
version
of the
beatitude
sets up
a powerful
contrast
in Luke
6
22
to
26
there
Jesus
says
very
similar
thing
blessed
are
you
when
people
hate
you
when
they
exclude
you
and
revile
you
and
spurn
your
name
as
evil
on
account
of
the
son
of
man
rejoice
in
that
day
and
leap
for
joy
for
behold
your
reward
is
great
in
heaven
for
so
their
fathers
did
to
the
prophets
and
then
he
continues
with
a
woe
but
woe
to
you
when
all
people
speak
well
of
you
for
so
their
fathers
did
to
the
false
prophets
when
the
sinful
world
speaks
well
of
you
and
loves
you
and
acclaims
you
that
is
not
something
to
be
happy
about
or
be
proud
of
it's
something
to
be
worried
about
such
a
person
is
not
to
be
pitied
but
such
a
person
is
not
to
be
envied
but
pitied
so
why
brothers
and
sisters
do
you
seek
the
affection
and
the
approval
of
this
world
we
set
ourselves
up
for
so
much
spiritual
stagnation
and
grief
because
we
want
the
world
to
accept
us
and
love
us
as
its
own
when
Jesus
tells
us
that
we
are
not
of
the
world
he
has
taken
us
out
of
the
world
so
do
not
be
surprised
1st
Peter
4
12
to
13
says
at
the
fiery
trial
when
it
comes
upon
you
to
test
you
as
to
something
strange
were
happening
to
you
but
rejoice
in
so
far
as
you
share
Christ's
sufferings
fiery
!
trials
tribulations
!
persecutions
the
hatred
of the
world
are
the
love
of
the
world
and
the
approval
and
the
applause
of
the
world
that
is
abnormal
that
should
surprise
us
that's
the
reason
for
persecution
righteousness
now
finally
let's
look at
the
response
to
persecution
rejoicing
when
we are
persecuted
for his
sake
Jesus
says
in
verse
12
rejoice
and
be
glad
for
your
reward
is
great
in
heaven
for
so
they
persecuted
the
prophets
who
were
before
you
Jesus
is
not
here
telling
us
to
be
sadistic
people
that
enjoy
being
persecuted
for
its
own
sake
we
are
grieved
by
persecution
we
mourn
for the
persecutors
and pray
for them
because
they
know
not
what
they
do
but
we
rejoice
nonetheless
for
reward
because
your
reward
is
great
in
heaven
and
here's
the
secondary
reason
how do
we
know
that
our
reward
will
be
great
in
heaven
for
so
they
persecuted
the
prophets
who
were
before
you
we
see
numerous
examples
in
scriptures
of how
prophets
were
treated
they
were
persecuted
and
they
were
killed
but
these
prophets
Jesus
says
in
Matthew
10
41
will
receive
a
prophet's
reward
of
course
the
chosen
servants
of
God
the
prophets
of
the
Lord
will
receive
a
great
reward
and
so
if
we
are
being
treated
like
them
then
we
can
rest
assured
that
we
too
will
receive
that
reward
because
we
are
identified
with
them
we
share
their
company
and
their
reward
in
order
to be
Christians
rejoice
when we
are
persecuted
we
must
be
people
who
live
by
faith
and
not
by
sight
we
must
be
people
whose
longing
and
whose
hope
in
eternity
is
deeper
and
stronger
than
our
desire
for
the
comforts
and
the
pleasures
of
this
world
this
is
the
secret
to
faithful
perseverance
for
Christians
this
is
the
secret
to
endurance
till
the
end
keeping
in
view
of
the
end
Hebrews
11
compels
an
impressive
list
of
faithful
saints
many
people
call
that
the
hall
of
faith
and
there's
a
common
thread
that
runs
through
all
of
them
and
binds
these
saints
together
and
that
is
faith
and
hope
Abraham
Isaac
and
Jacob
lived
as
strangers
and
exiles
on
the
earth
why
because
they
were
seeking
a
different
homeland
because
they
desired
a
better
country
that
is
a
heavenly
one
because
they
were
looking
forward
to
the
city
that
has
foundations
whose
designer
and
builder
is
God
and
then
it
mentions
Moses
why
did
Moses
refuse
to be
called
a
son
of
Pharaoh's
daughter
choosing
rather
to be
mistreated
with the
people
of God
than
to enjoy
the
fleeting
pleasures
of
sin
why
did
Moses
do
that
because
he
says
he
considered
the
reproach
of
Christ
greater
wealth
than
the
treasures
of
Egypt
for
he
was
looking
to
the
reward
in
heaven
on
what
are
your
spiritual
eyes
fixed
my
brothers
and
sisters
is
it
fixed
on
this
world
or
is
it
fixed
on
the
world
to
come
is
it
fixed
on
the
kingdom
of
earth
and
all
the
trinkets
that
it
offers
or
is
it
fixed
on
the
kingdom
of
heaven
and
the
eternal
imperishable
treasures
that
it
offers
this
explains
why
the
saints
of
old
rejoice
when
they
were
persecuted
for
Jesus'
sake
in
Acts
in
Acts
5
40
41
when
the
apostles
are
beaten
for
proclaiming
Jesus
and
they
are
charged
never
to
preach
in
the
name
of
Jesus
again
as
they
are
released
they
go
out
rejoicing
it
says
that
they
were
counted
worthy
to
suffer
this
honor
for
the
name
in
155
AD
when
Christian
pastor
Polycarp
was
being
burned
alive
for
his
faith
in
Jesus
Christ
before
he
died
he
thanked
God
in
prayer
saying
that
he
was
counted
worthy
to
suffer
for
his
name
for
a
more
modern
example
Richard
Wermbrand
a
20th
century
Romanian
pastor
he
was
imprisoned
and
tortured
under
an
atheist
communist
state
in
Romania
but
then
he
wrote
later
on
about
his
fellow
Christians
in
Romania
this
way
I
have
found
truly
jubilant
Christians
only
in the
Bible
in the
underground
church
and
in
prison
why
are
these
persecuted
Christians
so happy
why
do
they
rejoice
1
Peter
1
167
tells
in
this
you
rejoice
Though
now
for a
little
while
if
necessary
you
have
been
grieved
by
various
trials
so that
the
tested
genuineness
of your
faith
more
precious
than
gold
that
perishes
though
it
is
tested
by
fire
may
be
found
to
result
in
praise
and
glory
and
honor
at
the
revelation
of
Jesus
Christ
trials
and
temptations
the
persecutions
that
we go
through
they
test
and
prove
the
gold
if
you
take
gold
jewelry
to
a
pawn
shop
sometimes
they
will
put
a
little
lighter
on
it
the
fire
to
distinguish
whether
it's
to find out
whether it's
fool's gold
or real
gold
if it's
fool's gold
and it's
mixed with
other kinds
of
lesser
alloys
less
valuable
alloys
then it
will
burn
it will
become
deformed
but if
it's
real
gold
it will
just
get
cleaner
and
brighter
that's
how
you
know
what's
pure
gold
it's
the
testing
of
fire
that
proves
the
genuineness
of
gold
when
we
are
tested
we
come
out
from
that
with
stronger
assurance
and
faith
in
that
our
faith
is
genuine
and
that
our
hope
is
sure
and
that
we
indeed
belong
to
God
and
that
we
have
a
heavenly
reward
to
look
forward
to
contrast
that
with
the
parable
of the
seeds
that
Jesus
tells
in
Matthew
13
doesn't
he
say
that
there
are
seeds
that
are
planted
on
rocky
soil
and
because
of
the
rocks
because
of
the
shallow
ground
it
sprouts
up
very
quickly
because
it
doesn't
need
much
time
to
grow
root
into
that
shallow
soil
but
because
the
root
is
so
shallow
as
soon
as
the
scorching
sun
comes
out
the
sprouted
seed
withers
and
dies
and
Jesus
explains
the
parable
that
first
immediately
receive
it
with
joy
but
because
they
have
no
root
they
endure
only
for
a
little
while
and
when
tribulation
or
persecution
arises
on account
of
the
word
immediately
he
falls
away
persecutions
test
and prove
the
genuineness
of our
faith
and
so
that
is
the
lot
of
all
true
believers
and
we
read
about
this
in
the
assurance
of
pardon
in
1 Peter 2
isn't
that
what
Jesus
did
for
us
he
was
reviled
and
he
did
not
revile
in
return
he
was
persecuted
he
was
driven
he
was
taken
to
the
cross
and
he
was
killed
Jesus
is
not
calling
us
to
come
to
a
place
that
he
hasn't
already
gone
to
Jesus
has
already
gone
there
and
imagine
if
Jesus
said
well
this
is
a
little
too
much
pain
I
will
not
go
through
this
we
would
all
but
instead
he
says
in
Hebrews
2
that
Jesus
for
the
joy
that
was
set
before
him
endured
!
the
cross
despising
the
shame
it's
because
Jesus
endured
his
persecution
that
we
can
be
assured
that
there's
salvation
for us
and
we
can
hope
in
that
and
long
for
that
and
endure
with
faith
in
that
reality
are
your
eyes
set
on
the
joys
and
the
rewards
that
are
set
before
you
because
then
and
only
then
we
can
endure
our
own
cross
and
despise
the
shame
and
follow
a
crucified
Lord
when
we're
not
persecuted
we
wonder
am
I
a
worldly
Christian
am
I
an
incognito
Christian
am
I
not
living
as
a
witness
for
Jesus
can
my
faith
withstand
the
fires
of
persecution
but
when
we
are
persecuted
for
righteousness
sake
and
then
we
endure
and
we
persevere
through
it
and
we
come
out
of
that
then
it
is
clear
yes
now
I
know
clearly
which
side
I
am
on
now
I
know
I
am
on
the
side
of
the
prophets
of
the
Lord
now
I
know
that
I
am
with
Jesus
my
Lord
and
Savior
who
was
crucified
I
am
identified
with
him
and I
suffer
with
him
and
even
if
the
whole
world
were
to
frown
at
us
isn't
the
smiling
countenance
of
our
Lord
Jesus
Christ
enough
isn't
that
worth
all
the
persecutions
because
if we
suffer
with
him
and
if
we
die
with
him
then
we'll
also
be
raised
with
him
let's
pray
together
heavenly
father
shake
us
out
from
our
slumber
this
the
lowing
effect
of
the
pleasures
of
this
world
that
make
us
desire
and
seek
more
of
this
world
Lord
wake
us
up
Lord
shake
us
out
of
the
reality
shake
us
out
of
the
illusion
rather
the
delusion
that
we
can
be
chummy
with
the
world
that
we
can
become
one
of
them
that
we
can
be
loved
and
approved
by
them
oh
Lord
give
us
purity
of
heart
to
seek
and
to
will
one
thing
to
please
you
Lord
oh
Lord
prepare
us
so
that
if
we
were
to
be
given
the
privilege
of
suffering
for
your
name
being
persecuted
for
your
name
that
we
all
to
a
member
would
rejoice
and
be
glad
in
Jesus
name
we
pray
amen
to