The Beatitudes 9
Bible passage: Matthew 5:11-12
""11. Blessed are you when people insult you and persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me. 12 Rejoice and be glad, for your reward in heaven is great; for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you."
Dear brothers and sisters,
Today’s the last session of the Beatitudes. Last week, we looked at ‘blessed are those persecuted for the sake of righteousness.’ When you try to live righteously, you may face persecution. But through this, your faith matures and grows. The more it does, the better the dwelling place in heaven you enter.
Through persecution, you change into a more complete person, becoming salt and light of the world and causing persecutions from others to go away. Relatives who once criticized you for not attending family gatherings on Sunday now schedule gatherings on a day other than Sunday. Family and friends who once opposed your church-goings now acknowledge and join you. When you fully walk in the light, the enemy devil and Satan has no grounds to accuse you. Achieving complete righteousness doesn’t mean persecution fully disappears.
Like today’s passage says, “Blessed are you when people insult you and persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward in heaven is great; for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.” Since the beginning of the human cultivation, many have suffered to fulfill God's will. Above all, Jesus, who (originally) existed in the form of God, endured the punishment for sinners. To establish God's kingdom, He was beaten, mocked, and crucified. Though innocent, John the Baptist was imprisoned and beheaded. Similarly, Jesus' twelve disciples, while preaching in His name, were beaten, imprisoned, and ultimately became martyrs. 2 Corinthians 11:23-27 shows the suffering Apostle Paul endured while travelling throughout Asia to establish churches and spread the gospel in Rome.
“I more so; in far more labors, in far more imprisonments, beaten times without number, often in danger of death. Five times I received from the Jews thirty-nine lashes. Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was stoned, three times I was shipwrecked, a night and a day I have spent in the deep. I have been on frequent journeys, in dangers from rivers, dangers from robbers, dangers from my countrymen, dangers from the Gentiles, dangers in the city, dangers in the wilderness, dangers on the sea, dangers among false brethren; I have been in labor and hardship, through many sleepless nights, in hunger and thirst, often without food, in cold and exposure.”
In the Old Testament, the prophet Isaiah was martyred by being sawn in two by a wicked king for proclaiming God's word. Moses faced persecution from Pharaoh and his army and even endured suffering from the Israelites he led. However, their suffering did not come from being powerless. Jesus had the authority to call legions of angels to destroy the wicked. Figures like Moses, Paul, Peter, and John in the Old and New Testaments were witnesses of God's presence with them.
Particularly, Moses and Paul had power, so great that they were even considered a god. But, being aware that the persecutions facing them in God will would lead to the fulfillment of His providence, they didn’t try to prevent or avoid them. Rather, they willingly endured them. With their heart burning like fire, they proclaimed God’s will. By obeying what God had commanded them, they had God’s providence fulfilled. In Jeremiah 20, the prophet Jeremiah faces suffering from the people for proclaiming God’s message about the impending disaster upon the sinful king and nation.
Delivering God’s message about the future, Jeremiah was mocked by everyone and became a subject of disgrace and reproach. Many people sought to accuse him, and even his close friends watched for him to stumble and sin. While he could avoid suffering by staying silent, he could not remain quiet. Jeremiah 20:9 says, "But if I say, 'I will not remember Him or speak anymore in His name,' then in my heart it becomes like a burning fire shut up in my bones, and I am weary of holding it in, and I cannot endure it."
Those who know and love God find it harder to not carry out His will than to endure persecution and suffering. Even in the face of persecution and suffering, you continue to evangelize. In the past, the church, knowing persecution would come, proclaimed spiritual words and the power God as it was His will. Understanding the spiritual realm and God's providence, we cannot remain silent but awaken other churches and believers, and save the countless souls heading for destruction. When you are insulted, persecuted, or falsely accused in the name of the Lord, rejoice and be glad, for the reward in heaven from our Father God is great. Historically, when a king was in danger, loyal servants disguised themselves as the king or became targets to save him. After the danger passed, the king, in gratitude, would bestow great rewards upon these faithful servants.
Not only are they greatly honored and glorified, but when the king dies, he bestows the highest reward he can give—even to his descendants. John 15:13 says, “Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends.” This is because laying down one’s life is the ultimate testimony of love and loyalty to the king. Similarly, if we suffer persecution, endure hardship, and even lay down our lives for the Lord, how could God, who is the LORD of all creation, stay silent? It's a blessing from heaven beyond imagination.
For example, in the heavenly dwelling places, these people receive greater grace than others. Some who suffered persecution for the Lord loved Him to the point of martyrdom but had not yet fully attained sanctification. Believers who die without having completely cast off their sins cannot enter above the second kingdom of heaven. But martyrs are recognized for their love for the Lord and are permitted to enter the third kingdom or higher. Those who are sanctified, serve faithfully, and are martyred enter New Jerusalem and receive indescribable glory and blessings. God remembers every act of faithfulness and labor, and repays it with overflowing glory and rewards. Let’s look at the heavenly house of a person who endured countless persecutions for the Lord and glorified Him greatly.
This person's house in heaven is spacious, with many rooms and fancy, beautiful gardens; so large that it would take a long time just to explore the whole land properly. The gardens, each with unique beauty, are named for their characteristics. Flowers, fruits, and water fountains vary in type, build, and design. These fountains are stunning sculptures, and not only sprinkle water, but some also emit fragrance or light. With the world’s advanced technology, images can appear in the sky.
Similarly, images are reflected through the fountains to reveal the meaning that the Father has put into each as a greater gift. It will be the same when you enter the kingdom of heaven. Though you may not have physically given up your life, whatever you’ve done for the Lord and every persecution you’ve endured with a heart of martyrdom will be remembered and repaid with rewards and blessings.
The Father deeply loves you, and even the smallest desires of your heart will be fulfilled as you wish. 2 Corinthians 1:5 tells us, “For just as the sufferings of Christ are ours in abundance, so also our comfort is abundant through Christ.” God greatly comforts believers who suffer persecution for the Lord—not only in heaven but also on earth. Many of you may have experienced this: enduring unjust suffering for the Lord with joy and gratitude, only to see God fulfil your heart’s desires or unexpectedly provide your needs. As you overcome trials, your faith grows stronger, and power and authority are given.
You experience clearer communion with God, manifesting even greater works of His power. Even if there is no comfort on earth, and you lose everything for the Lord and face hardship to the point of death, those with faith will be unaffected. Romans 8:18 says, “For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us.” No amount of suffering can compare to the heavenly blessings and rewards that will follow, allowing believers to rejoice greatly. Dear brothers and sisters, remember this as well: the blessing to those who stand with God's servant when they’re persecuted for the Lord.
When David sinned against God and was disciplined through Absalom’s rebellion, God did not take pleasure in those who betrayed David and sided with the wicked. Knowing that David was God’s servant, faithful people shared the trials, even at the risk of their own lives. Afterwards, when David was restored to God’s favor, those who remained faithful shared the blessings. What would you have done if you were one of David’s subjects? With Absalom’s army in close pursuit, following and siding with David might have put your life in danger.
Abandoning him or hiding could ensure safety, and joining Absalom, who was likely to win, might have restored your position and prosperity. But I’m sure all of us here as faithful believers would not have done so. If you really know David’s sincere heart toward God and the people; understand how much God loved him, then you would know that David would never forsake the king he served. How much more will those who sincerely join in the suffering of God's servant for the Lord's sake share in the glory that follows?
This is the will of our righteous God. Jesus says to His disciples in Luke 22:28-30, “You are those who have stood by Me in My trials; and just as My Father has granted Me a kingdom, I grant you that you may eat and drink at My table in My kingdom, and you will sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel.” Being persecuted for the Lord, this church has also faced many hardships. Those who have shared in these trials are now sharing in the blessings that come from it. During the 1998 and 1999 church trials, many of our members faced tests beyond human capabilities. Rather than seeking escape or leaving the church for personal gain, many stood firm.
Despite facing persecution at home or work, our church members remained steadfast; focusing on how they could support the church and the shepherd, how they could bear the burdens together. When the trials ended, God rewarded and blessed them with growth in faith and blessings in both body and spirit. How did you go during the church trials in 2018? The 2018 trial was both a church-wide refinement and a personal trial for believers. It was a time to confirm how much righteousness we have attained. If, during this time, we followed the correct truth based on all we have seen, heard, learned, and prayed for, then we would have received God’s great love, growth in faith, and blessings with our hearts desires answered.
Discovering our shortcomings is also part of God's providence and love. Recognizing the hidden forms of evil within us is necessary to be purified as true children of God. When we discover our shortcomings and what we’ve done wrong and thoroughly repent, God restores our first love and helps us experience a deeper and more complete transformation than before. We’ll be able to grow in our love for God and our hope for heaven, becoming entirely different from before, with strong and bold spiritual faith. Above all, the growing power of God in our lives will bring blessings, resulting in testimonies from our homes and workplaces that glorify Him.
Dear brothers and sisters, Today concludes the Sermon on the Beatitudes. The Beatitudes reveal not only earthly wealth and glory but also the path to salvation, eternal life, and everlasting blessings. Consider how much effort people invest just to live a brief, blessed life on earth. Just look at the amount of time spent in education—spending 16 years from elementary school to university. Even after finishing school, life doesn’t immediately get comfortable or blessed; but leads into a new world of competition. For example, starting a job often means a long journey climbing up from an entry-level position. You may face challenges like performance reviews, competition, and economic downturns, with each step requiring perseverance.
All this effort is to just live well for a few decades. Yet many people experience failure and discouragement. There are illnesses and accidents, and even your children may not turn out as you hope. Even if you’ve worked hard, accumulated wealth, and gained social status, you look in the mirror and find yourself having become an old man. Youthful vigor fades, and nothing saved in this life can be taken to the grave. Life is fleeting and futile, full of vanity. But it’s different for people who live for the Lord.
They receive the eternal blessings promised in both this life and the life to come. Even if people lived in poverty like Lazarus on earth or suffered or gave up their lives for the Lord, they now await the incomparable glory of heaven that far surpasses any worldly blessing. Dear brothers and sisters, Colossians 3:2 says, "Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth." Philippians 3:20 says, "For our citizenship is in heaven." Like these words, those who hold the citizenship of heaven do not long for worldly things but live in hope of the glory that will be revealed.
I pray in the name of the Lord that you will go forth to New Jerusalem and fully enjoy the blessings of the Beatitudes given by our loving Father God, both on earth and in heaven.
