Pastor Scott Andrews | May 26, 2024
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Luke 6:22-23,26
I find it intriguing we come to the text before us today on this Memorial Day weekend. Memorial Day is a national holiday in which we remember those who have given their lives to protect our freedoms. Today, in our text, we will talk about the necessary suffering endured by God’s people – for some to the point of death – to express and celebrate our freedoms because of the death of another.
You see, many of us have heard the story of Jim and Elisabeth Elliot, and we are amazed, maybe even moved. After graduating from Wheaton College, where they met and married, the Elliot’s, inspired by the work of David Brainard, Amy Carmichael and William Carey, were led to share the gospel with the Auca Indians of Ecuador, a violent unreached people group. On January 8, 1956, while attempting to make contact with the people of that tribe, Jim and four other missionaries were speared to death; slain by those to whom they came to share the gospel. Jim’s most famous words were written in a journal some years previous: “He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose.” His life’s work and legacy continued as his widow Elisabeth later moved into the Auca village with their young daughter to live among those who had killed her husband. And the good news is, many in the tribe came to faith in Jesus Christ – their freedom from sin and its punishment.
There are similar stories. Engulfed in the darkness of the Snow Mountains of Irian Jaya lived the Yali people. They were naked cannibals who called themselves Lords of the Earth. In terror and bondage they served women-hating, child-despising gods. Not only would this people almost certainly kill you, they might also eat you. Nevertheless, missionaries Stan Dale and Phil Masters entered their domain for the sake of the Gospel. And through their witness, the tribe came to faith in Jesus Christ. But it cost them their lives. You see – they were cannibalizing killers – and to them, Stan and Phil were just white men – maybe another meal. And so while they came to bring them the love of God, they shot them with arrows. But as they surrounded them and let the arrows fly, something happened. They shot Stan with one arrow, then two, then five, then ten – twenty, thirty, dozens of arrows – their glee turned to fear, then panic as Stan Dale still stood. It was a gruesome death – but God used it to win this people to Christ and their freedom from sin and its punishment.
When we hear stories like that, a couple of things happen if we are followers of Christ. First, our hearts are moved – moved by the commitment of people who would go to the mat – go to death for Jesus. They demonstrate by their life of sacrifice that Jesus truly is their life – their only hope. And then something else happens: not only are we moved, we are challenged. We wonder, would I have that kind of commitment? Would I go to death for Jesus? And as we think about it, as His people, we say yes, I think I would. Something stirs and we think, I would give up my life for my Savior. He is my only source of life and grace, and He would give me what I need to face that kind of opposition – that kind of persecution. And you’re right, He would.
But then let’s be honest, we walk out of here and we can’t relate – we live in America. And that kind of suffering and persecution seems remote – distant. When we think of persecution, we think of prisons, tortures, executions, and the like. In fact, if someone says, “I’m being persecuted for my faith,” we think it self-aggrandizing. “Oh, you’re so spiritual.” We can’t relate to this concept of persecution because we don’t have to face that kind of suffering – we have freedom in America to worship when we want, where we want, how we want, even who we want. When we think of persecution, we think of places like Nigeria and China and Iran. But not America.
And so, when we hear the words of Jesus in this fourth and final beatitude today, it seems like maybe we should just skip it. It doesn’t really apply to us – we’re living in an anomaly in history that doesn’t make this true…for us. I mean, teach it to the missionaries who are going elsewhere, they need to know what they’re getting into – it applies to them, but not us, right?
We have together these past few weeks been sitting at the feet of Jesus on a plain or level place, learning of kingdom attitudes, called beatitudes. I don’t know about you, but for me this introduction to the Sermon on the Plain has been nothing less than convicting. They’ve reminded me what the church of Jesus Christ is to look like, even here.
And so, we need to know something: if we’re truly going to be His people, all of these beatitudes apply – even the last one. You see, we need to understand there is a cost for us to live as fully devoted followers of Christ. That’s always been true of God’s people. We can continue to do church as many do with little threat to ourselves and the status quo, flying under the radar, or we can become more of what God intends, and I believe there will be a price to pay. As I’ve said, I believe God is doing great things in His church – but are we ready to pay the cost? Which leads us to our last beatitude this morning, where Jesus says, Luke 6:20-26.
When we start adopting these kingdom attitudes, we’re going to be different. Different from the world and all it pursues, and different from much of what we call the church. And when you start calling a spade a spade – calling out things like prosperity – woe to the rich, the well-fed and those who laugh – you will move into conflict. When you say, no more playing, when you start calling people on the carpet because of their superficiality, guess what’s going to happen? You’re going to get persecuted. Here in America? You bet. Not only here in America – but in your workplaces and schools. And not only there, but in the church and in your homes. True followers of Christ face conflict – it’s unavoidable – you can count on it. In that day – when it comes – be glad and leap for joy, because such opposition demonstrates you truly know Jesus. I want us to look at four things this morning:
- The Reality of Persecution
- The Source of Persecution
- The Reward of Persecution
- The Woe/Warning of No Persecution
Let’s begin with the reality of persecution. We need to start by defining it, because as I said, a lot of us think persecution is just for Christians in some jungle in South America or Irian Jaya. The word persecute means to pursue, to harass, to drive out. When we think of persecution, we normally think of the most extreme forms – but you don’t have to be speared or shot through with arrows to be persecuted. That’s why Jesus said in verse 22, “Blessed are you when men hate you, and ostracize you, and insult you, and scorn your name as evil.” Four forms of mistreatment – it includes hatred, being ostracized, insulted and scorned. To slander you behind your back, saying false things about you, or when people throw things right in your face because you want to be like Jesus – that’s suffering for the sake of the Son of Man.
By the way, don’t miss that. For the sake of the Son of Man – for the sake of Jesus. In Matt 5, we read, “Blessed are those who have been persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when people insult you and persecute you (harass you, pursue you), and falsely say all kind of evil against you because of Me.” Because of Jesus. Because we are His followers and say and do what He says. We are opposed for the sake of Christ and righteousness.
Let me just say, it’s not because we’re jerks. Because we are unkind or ungracious and superior or judgmental. Listen, there is a time and place to call out sin – which requires judgment – of course. But too often, Christians are seen as those who oppose sin rather than those who love sinners. There is a tenuous balance there. Jesus called out sin, go and sin no more, but He loved sinners. And it got Him in trouble. So, blessed are you who are opposed for the sake of the Son of Man. Let me be clear and tell you what persecution is not:
- It is not a flat tire – everyone has flat tires.
- It is not necessarily financial difficulty. Almost everyone has had an overdraft.
- It is not harassment because you’re a pain in the neck and hard to get along with.
- It is not, and we need to get this one – it’s not something we get because of spiritual arrogance, because of a condescending attitude, because we act like we’ve got it together and no one else does. That’s not persecution – that’s getting what we deserve because we’re acting like Pharisees.
What is persecution, then? It is suffering for the cause of Christ. I’ve said it already – when you’re a Christian, you act differently. And your differentness – your holiness and love is an affront to people. It exposes their darkness; they won’t like it. Paul said it this way in II Timothy 3:12, “All who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.” Who are the godly? Those who pursue the attitudes and actions Jesus describes here. It’s not acting godly, it’s being godly – it’s being poor, even in spirit, being hungry because we long for Christ, of mourning or weeping over sin and brokenness, more than laughing, because of the broken world in which we live.
Paul told the Thessalonians, I don’t want you to be disturbed by the afflictions you’re facing – because we were destined for them – in fact, remember, he said, I warned you in advance – if you live like Christians, affliction will come. And I want to say the same thing to us this morning – I want to warn us in advance – if we live like followers of Christ, affliction will come. Most of us have the idea that church is supposed to be quiet and conflict free. If it is, we’re not doing kingdom work. When is the last time you were opposed because you lived like a Christian?
Which brings us to our second point – where’s it going to come from, the source of persecution? I would suggest there are two. The first is the irreligious world. You see, not only are they in darkness, they like the darkness – they love their sin. They would just as soon be left alone. They won’t always be interested in hearing they’re messed up – they are enemies of God – they are the ones who have declared war against God by their sin. They actually won’t like the fact that you are bringing them the gospel of peace. But, the good news is, some of them will.
The second source of persecution, and this may surprise us, is the religious world. I didn’t say the church – I said the religious world. We see that, right – Christianity is opposed by other religions around the world. But, let’s face it, the religious world in America is, in some cases, what we call the church. And if we start acting like a holy and loving church with kingdom attitudes – pursing Christ and His kingdom rather than riches and laughter, then the worldly church – the religious people, will oppose us. How will that look, this persecution from the religious inside the church?
It can come from both ends of the same spectrum. You may hold a biblical objection to what our culture and even some in the church affirm, and you’ll be called a bigot. But, you may have a heart for a certain segment of people – broken people in our culture who wear their brokenness on their sleeves, and you’ll be opposed – why, I never. It may be the homosexual community; it may be girls that walk in the door at the pregnancy center; it may be the poor people who actually have needs and know it; it may be the party-ers, it may be the weird people who hang out on King Street. And you might start hanging out with those people – invite them into your homes or even worse, into the church, and religious people might say something like this, “Why do you hang out with prostitutes and sinners?” That sounds familiar. And you can say to them – because it’s the sick who need a doctor. It’s the sinners who need a savior. We have to walk a razor’s edge – on the one hand, we don’t affirm sin; on the other, we love sinners.
Persecution in the church might look like this too: And I’m talking to all of us, but young people – teens, kids – you need to listen up. It might just be that you decide to start living like a Christ follower all the time – because remember, we abhor hypocrisy. And you might just decide to stop doing some of the things you’ve been doing – even with other kids in the youth group – or other people in the church. You know, the things you do to fit in, to look cool. Because God is breeding in you a hunger and thirst for Him – and you don’t want that stuff anymore.
And people, even religious people, won’t like it. “Why’d you get so spiritual all of a sudden?” “Don’t be pious.” That’s persecution. That’s hatred. They’ll exclude you – that’s being ostracized. They will insult you to your face and behind your back – that’s scorning your name as evil. That’s what it is to live as a fully devoted follower of Jesus. It isn’t just torture or execution or prison. It’s facing the insults and scorn of people because of righteousness – Christ’s righteousness that changes you from the inside out. And when you start living like it, it will bring conflict. Just make sure your behavior is pure and your attitude is holy and gentle.
But I have good news this morning – our third point – the reward of persecution. You see, believe it or not, Jesus said these words to encourage us. When you live as a fully devoted follower with kingdom attitudes, you’ll be persecuted – but that’s good news is this – you’re on the right side. You’re in the battle. And there are rewards.
First, don’t forget, you will be blessed. Remember how we defined that word when we first started looking at these beatitudes? It’s an inward joy, an inward peace unaffected by outward circumstances. God’s people have a relationship with Jesus the world and the religious can’t touch – they’ll never take it away. You are blessed – you are the most fortunate of all people – you are God-blessed. And so, you can be glad in that day and leap for joy. Notice the words in that day. One commentator suggests that’s because the persecution is not necessarily continual or constant. It comes and goes. But when it comes, in that day – and there are two commands here, be glad and leap for joy. Like a little lamb frolicking in the meadow – leap for joy, because you are His – you belong to the shepherd.
Remember, the newly-named apostles were there, closest to Jesus, to hear these words. They apparently took what He said to heart. While before the resurrection, they were bickering, self-centered, sometimes faithless men, after the resurrection and the coming of the Spirit to fill them, God used them to turn the world upside down. And remember, traditions tells us that eleven of the Twelve gave their lives for their faith.
At some point in the early days of the church, the apostles were arrested by the Sanhedrin and told not to teach in the name of Jesus. Peter told them, we must obey God rather than men. They were eventually flogged and told again, not speak in the name of Jesus. We read in Acts 5, “So they [the apostles] went on their way from the presence of the Council, rejoicing that they had been considered worthy to suffer shame for the name.” Oh, and by they way, the next verse says every day, in the temple and from house to house, they kept right on teaching and preaching Jesus as the Christ. You can tell me what to do, you can beat me, but I’m going to do what Jesus said.
Think about this: people always want to know – how do I know I’m saved – how do I know I’m in the kingdom? One of the things we like to say is, did you pray the prayer – did you say it right? Jesus says here – you know you’re in the kingdom – you know it belongs to you if you’ve been broken and if you’re suffering for it. Look at Philippians 1:27-29, Paul’s in prison when he writes this – he’s being persecuted for Christ’s sake, and says:
“Only conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ, [act like gospel people] so that whether I come and see you or remain absent, I will hear of you that you are standing firm in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel; in no way alarmed by your opponents [those people who are standing against you and persecuting you. Now listen, this persecution is] – … a sign of destruction for them, but of salvation for you, and that too, from God. [The very fact that you are suffering is a sign that you have been saved – that you are His – why?] For to you it has been granted for Christ’s sake, not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer for His sake.” Isn’t that great? You bet it is – you don’t have to worry about missing out on any of these rewards – because if you’re in the kingdom, you will suffer for His sake – you’re destined for it – it’s been granted to you. And reward is coming.
This is serious – if you’re gliding through life unscathed – that is, you only experience the difficulties everyone else encounters, flat tires and bounced checks and burnt toast – if you never suffer for Christ’s sake – you may not be in the kingdom at all.
Next reward, Jesus says, not only are you blessed now, but you’re reward in heaven is great. I don’t have time to go into all the rewards the Bible promises – all the crowns and whether they’re real crowns. What I do know is this – great is my reward if I suffer for the sake of the Son of Man – whatever that opposition is – my reward greater than anything this world has to offer. Anything. So you can be glad and leap for joy. Can you believe He said that? Jump up and down like it’s Christmas morning, because One better than Santa is coming.
Last reward – you’re in good company. When Jesus says, for in the same way their fathers used to treat the prophets, that’s supposed to be encouragement. Think about it – in the same breath that God says Moses, David, Jeremiah, Isaiah, He also says John, Stephen, Randy, Susie, Wanda, Mary. You’re in good company when you suffer for Christ. Their fathers – the fathers of the ones persecuting you – also treated God’s true prophets the same way. Because, ungodly people will always oppose God’s people. It’s a sign we belong to Him – so leap for joy.
Which brings us to our last point – the corresponding woe. The warning against not being persecuted. Remember the woes, blessed are you who are poor, and woe to the rich. Blessed are you who hunger now, and woe to those who are well-fed now. Blessed to you who weep now, and woe to those who laugh now. And fourth – blessed are you when you are hated, ostracized, insulted and scorned, but woe to you when all men speak well of you.
That’s challenging. To be clear, one of the qualifications of elders, that’s church leaders, is they have a good reputation with outsiders. That is, they are men of good repute, men of integrity and gentleness, kindness, and truth. But the same things that characterize them will cause them to be opposed – evil spoken of. Further, we want to be known as people of gentleness, kindness and love. Much of the rest of this sermon Jesus preached is centered on being people of love. Remember what Paul wrote in his second letter to Timothy (2):
24 The Lord’s bond-servant must not be quarrelsome, but be kind to all, able to teach, patient when wronged,
25 with gentleness correcting those who are in opposition, if perhaps God may grant them repentance leading to the knowledge of the truth,
God might save them. So, we are to be patient, gentle, loving – but correct those who oppose.
So, we got that out of the way – we are not to pursue a cantankerous reputation with those outside. But nor do we have a desire to be well-liked – to be popular – to withhold the truth because people won’t like it, and therefore, won’t like me. Faithful followers of Jesus will be opposed. Faithless – dare I call them false teachers – will be well-liked – telling people what they want to hear, not what they need to hear.
And I believe Jesus is tipping His hat toward false teachers. Why do I say that? Because in verse 23, He said, leap for joy, because in the same way their fathers treated the prophets – that is, the true ones. And verse 26 says, woe to you when all men speak well of you, for their fathers used to treat the false prophets [contrast] in the same way – that is, speaking well of them, because their words and teaching are what they wanted to hear. They gathered false teachers to themselves who would tickle their ears. I’m reminded James’ words, “Let not many of you become teachers, my brothers, knowing that as such we will incur a stricter judgment.” Prophets or teachers should not tell people what they want to hear, but what they need to hear. They should not be people-pleasers, but seek to please God, and bring glory to His name, even if it costs them.
J.C. Ryle once said, “To be universally popular is a most unsatisfactory symptom, and one of which a minister of Christ should always be afraid. It may well make him doubt whether he is faithfully doing his duty, and honestly declaring all the counsel of God.” Popularity at the expense of faithfulness and truth is disastrous. Churches are filled with teachers who bend to the whims of culture and teach things contrary to the word of God. They become popular, they gain followers, and Jesus says, woe to them. May that never be said of us.
Which brings us to the conclusion of our message this morning, and the conclusion of the beatitudes. Jesus has painted a vivid picture for us – this is what it is to be a follower of Christ – a kingdom person – and for us to be a faithful church. Are you ready for it? Right now, are you ready to quit playing a game – to be serious about your faith. I have good news – if you do, you’ll be persecuted, you’ll be hated, insulted, ostracized and scorned – people will scorn your name as evil, they will say all manner of evil about you. Be glad in that day, and leap for joy, for behold, for your reward is great in heaven. What do you want – to be popular here now and earn the praise of men – or do you want to please God, and earn the reward of heaven?