So Matthew 5, and let me just say this, if you haven't already got there yet, I am just blown away and astounded that where we are in the abi attitudes tonight in conjunction with everything that's going on in the world in the past few days. Literally, how many of these abi attitudes were originally, I'm thinking one night for each one, and some of them went on for four nights, four Wednesday nights, someone on for five, maybe even six, but it all brought us to tonight for verse number 10 of chapter five. I don't know if you realize or grasp the power of where we rest tonight in light of everything. To God be the glory, God's orchestrating and God's timing and God's leading.
In Ecclesiastes to everything there is a time in a season and a purpose under heaven, amen? I believe that with everything that is within sight of me, and I believe in the timing of God, I believe in the leading of the Holy Spirit. And if you've never believed that, and you're here tonight or you're listening, if tonight doesn't convince that to you, you may never see it. So we're gonna begin in verse number one, and we're gonna go to verse 12, and then we're gonna get into the message.
And seeing them altitude, he went up into the mountain. And when he was set, his disciples came to him, and he opened his mouth and he taught them saying, blessed are the poor in spirit. Why? Come on, say it together.
For theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Verse four, blessed are they that mourn. Verse five, blessed are the meek for they, say it like you believe it. Verse six, blessed are they which do hunger in thirst for righteousness, for they.
Verse seven, blessed are the merciful for they. Blessed are the pure and hard for they. Verse nine, blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called. And here we are at verse 10 tonight.
Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness sake. For theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Let me read verse 11 and 12, and then we're gonna get into this. I'm gonna cover it verse 11 and 12 yet.
Blessed are ye when men shall revile you and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely for my name's sake. Verse 12, rejoice and be exceedingly glad for great is your reward in heaven, for so persecuted they the prophets were which before you. Persecuted literally means to be pursued, to be pursued, to be harassed, to be mistreated. It's not just physical suffering, it can include insults, slander, rejection, and even social exclusion, which would be cancel culture.
And no, we see a lot of that today. And even through what we've been through in the past week, we see churches against churches and pastors against pastors. And if you said something you were persecuted for it, if you didn't say something you were persecuted for it, the blessing of God rests on those who endure persecution, for righteousness sake, the blessing of God rests on those who are persecuted, those who are martyred, those who will give and lose their lives for the gospel of Jesus Christ. You and I as Christians are called to expect, we should not be shocked, we should anticipate, and we should expect persecution.
But when it comes, endure it faithfully, and embrace the blessing of belonging to the kingdom of God, because you are persecuted not because of who you are, but because of who he is. And you are joined heirs with Jesus Christ, amen? If we're to be honest, most of us like the idea of being blessed. Well, thanks Rick, you and I, we like to be blessed.
How many of you like to be blessed? We like to be blessed. We like when God answers prayer, amen? When he provides for our needs.
When we feel peace and joy, right? We like, we like those things. But Jesus turns our idea of blessing upside down in the Sermon on the Mount. He says, blessed are those who are persecuted.
Who likes that? Who wants that? Who wants all of those things I just shared with you a moment ago? Who wants to be rejected?
Who wants to be slandered? Who wants to be canceled? Who wants to be hated? Who wants to be martyred?
Who wants those things? Who wants to be despised? But because we all want to certain degree or level, we all want to be liked. Most of the things that young people go through in junior high and high school is the rejection of others.
And it traumatizes so many because they just want to be accepted. They want to be liked. They want to fit in. I learned a long time ago in my life.
I don't fit in. I don't fit in. Today we live in a world that, regardless of a man like Charlie Kirk spoke his truth and spoke the gospel of Jesus Christ and he died for his faith and people didn't like him because of it. Well, you know what?
People don't like me sometimes because of what I say. And some of them might be right in this building tonight. But I don't care because of I'm declaring and preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ. That's what matters.
That's what matters. It doesn't matter if you liked everything that he said or you didn't like some things that he, that's not the point. He was a brother. He confessed Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior.
He confessed Jesus. That means we're connected. Somebody said to me the other day, pastor, I don't understand why I am so moved. I don't understand why I feel so broken.
I don't understand why I broke into tears when I heard this happen. I don't understand that. And I said, let me explain it to you because your brother died. Come on, church.
We got churches today. People were leaving them because pastors are saying things like I just said. And people will leave because of that. I got news for you.
They were never comfortable in the house in the first time because they may look like weed, but they were tear. Because when we can celebrate the death of a brother, something is wrong in our society. And I'm going to talk to you a little bit more in depth about that in just a few moments. But blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness sake.
For theirs is the kingdom of heaven. I shared with you from Revelation how the souls of the martyred cry out before God. It sounds strange, doesn't it? How can being hated, despised, rejected, being attacked, being lied on, being gossiped about?
How can all of that? How can that be a blessing? It doesn't for doing the right thing. But God says it's a blessing.
Why? Because it separates you. It shows that you are not of them. Oh, Jesus.
Listen, if you're still struggling to fit in, you need to get over yourself. Because you are like a round peg trying to fit in a square hole. And the word of God tells us to come out from among them and be separate. Amen?
We would probably, as the believers, as the church, we would probably like it better and much more prefer it if Jesus said something like this. And he didn't. But I think that we would be much more comfortable. I think we would feel much more better in and of ourselves.
Because everything's about making someone feel like they're OK, that they're truth, that what they feel. That's contrary to the gospel. It's contrary. We would feel better if Jesus would have said something like this.
Listen, the majority of people I think would feel better. If he said, blessed are the comfortable. Blessed are the popular. Blessed are they that strive to fit in.
Blessed are the successful. But instead, the Savior of the world, he says the blessing of God is found when we suffer because of him for his namesake. So tonight we're going to look at that verse and we're going to see why persecution is a part of the Christian life. I've heard people say life was so much easier before I became a Christian.
Yeah. I heard somebody all not that long ago say, man, after I got water baptized, when you commit to following after God, the enemy hates that. Persecution is a part. Say that with me.
Persecution is a part of the Christian life. If you don't settle that, you're going to constantly be questioning God. How can we endure it? How can we sustain through it?
How can we stand in the midst of it? And what reward God promises to those of us that do? Here's the truth. He doesn't say if you are persecuted.
He said, who are persecuted? Persecution is not an accident. It's not by chance. It's a guarantee to those who live for God.
Paul tells us in Second Timothy chapter 3, 2 Timothy chapter 3, verse 12. Paul says, indeed, all who desire? How many of you desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus? We've got about 90% of you tonight.
So Paul writes to us in Second Timothy chapter 3, verse 12. He says, indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus. How many of you desire to live a godly life? There we go.
All who desire. I want you to think about that word desire. What is it that you desire? What do you desire?
What's at the forefront of your desire? What drives you? What motivates you? What moves you?
What sustains you? What keeps you? What puts fire in your belly? What do you desire?
What do you want? You say at the most people, why desire? You know, I want to make a lot of money, I want to retire early, and I don't believe in. If you are retired, God bless you.
But keep working. Keep working. Get involved in things. Keep working.
Keep working. Keep working. Some people get real lazy when they retire. They don't do anything.
We were never created not to do anything. That's not what we were created for. We were created to work. We were created to do good things.
Although we know our works don't get us to heaven, but we were created unto good works. We were created unto good works. You believe that? That's in your Bible.
Indeed, those who desire a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted. Think about it. Do I need to explain this to you? Do I need to tell you that the world loves darkness rather than light?
The world, we got churches doing all kind of crazy stuff. In just a few days ago, one of our brothers was martyred and were carnivaling. Give me a break. We're placking out our windows and blocking out our sanctuaries.
He brought us out of darkness into us marvelously. We are not called to be like them. God is the creator of the world. He is all craved.
You know that Satan can not create anything. He's not a creator. He was created. He still uses the same tricks, schemes, and plans that he did back in the garden today.
And people still fall for them. For a lack of understanding, we still fall for them. The world loves darkness. You understand that?
Their pastors won't tell you that. Their pastors are getting fired today for telling their congregations that. Never mattered to me because I don't need this to preach. Because I can go down there and preach.
I can go over there and preach. I can go anywhere and preach. Just find me a street in a corner and I can preach. Of all places, a cornfield.
Who would think that pastors would be ridiculed for preaching the truth and then their congregants say, well, that's just your idea or your philosophy or the Bible's outdated and that's just what men recorded because they wanted to control men. When you lose your core morals and fibers, you are open to anything. And our society has become dark. We have loved darkness more than light.
We love darkness more than light. John chapter three verse 19 says, and this is the condemnation that light is come into the world. And men loved darkness rather than light. Come on church, we are at a reckoning moment.
We are at a time, we are at a place in history where the church must rise. I've been saying this for how long now? We are at a place where the church must be the church. We must be the children of God.
We must stand for what God stands for. We must speak what God speaks. We must do what God says to do. Our drunkenness, ours are over.
If you're getting alcohol in any substance in your body, stop it because it impairs your mind. Drugs, be careful. If you're doing illegal drugs, stop it. If you're in pornography, stop it.
If you're watching things on TV that you know or an abomination to God, stop it. Turn from your sin. This is the temple of the Holy Ghost. If you've repented and you've given your heart to Jesus Christ, then live like it.
Come out from among them. Oh, they drank Bible back in the Word. Now you're speaking your ignorance. Well, they drank wine back in the Word.
Yes, they did, but it wasn't the wine of today. It was not. It was not. And we're warned of drunkenness.
When the scripture tells us to be careful of that which will cause your eye to be read. Listen, I don't care what you don't like it. And I can tell by some of your faces you don't like it. And it doesn't matter.
Because truth is truth, gospel is gospel. And Jesus was crucified on a cross that we might live. And we abused that through taking grace for granted. Bartering on grace.
We live this fictitious grace gospel that we can do whatever we want. And he has to forgive us. God help us, Paul said. God help us, Paul said.
The world hates the light. Men loved darkness rather than the light because their deeds were evil. You wanna make somebody angry point out their sin. All you gotta do is point out sin.
And boy, you wanna see the wrath of somebody? Their deeds are what? Evil. When you live in the light of Christ, are you ready for this?
Here's what the light of Christ does. It exposes darkness. And darkness always resists light. That's why the prophets were stoned.
That's why the apostles were beaten. That's why Jesus himself was crucified. And if we follow in their footsteps, we should not expect the world to applaud us for living godly lives. Hear this, let me be clear.
This is not, this is not persecution for being rude, arrogant, or foolish. Jesus says persecuted for righteousness sake. Not persecuted for being difficult. Persecuted for being faithful.
Why does the world persecute us? Why do they persecute Christians? Because righteousness is offensive to unrighteousness. The carnal, natural mind is at enmity with God.
It's offensive. Standing for righteousness is offensive. Standing for truth is offensive to some. And when they ask you to do what they want you to do, and you refuse to do it, they get angry with you.
Because your righteousness points out that they're wrong, but they're not willing to correct their actions. And that's why they hated Jesus. That's why they hated the disciples. And let me be clear.
That's why they killed Charlie Kirk. That's why they killed him. It doesn't even matter to me if you agree with me or not, because it's the truth. He stood for righteousness.
Was he right in everything he said? I don't know. To be honest with him, I didn't listen to everything he said. Just being honest.
I didn't listen to every, you know, he'd have any hat. I didn't listen to everything he said. I didn't. How many of you did?
Listen to every single thing. Some of you, every single one. But the things that I heard him confess with his mouth, the Bible says to believe in your heart and confess with your mouth, what will be the result of that, George? You'll be saved.
I heard that. I heard that. Every time I ever heard the man speak, I heard that. Jesus, you couldn't keep him quiet about the kingdom.
And his disciples were told to go and share the things that he told them. They literally died. They were martyred. They were killed for the gospel of Jesus Christ.
Every one of them, a horrific death, except John. John died of natural death. But I'm sure there were times he wished he would have died. They tried to boil him to death.
Some, some murdered so horrific to be filleted, literally from your back to be split from the base of your head to your bottom. And you're back opened wide. For the gospel, they died for the gospel. We give up because somebody says, oh, we think you're crazy because you believe in Jesus.
You don't like me. These individuals stood for righteousness. They confessed to Jesus. And the world hated them for it.
You're not going to be real popular if you love Jesus. The followers of Christ, we need to be bold enough to say what Jesus said to the religious leaders of his day. And do you know what one of the things he said to them was? He said, you are of your father, the devil.
That's what he told. He said, you are of your father, the devil. He called out sin. He called out on righteousness.
The Bible says that the enemy comes but for to kill, steal, and to destroy. That's the fruit of his labor. That's the fruit of who he is. And can I tell you tonight when they tell you who they are and when they show you by their fruit and the actions who they are, you need to believe them.
I'm talking about the unrighteous, the ungenerated seed. Those who have not bowed their heart before Jesus, those who live in unrighteousness, those who celebrate sin, those who rejoice over somebody being killed for talking. And let me just say this. The church would do well to tone down their social media presence and listening to some of the people that you may be listening to because it's not all right and it's not all accurate and it's not all good.
There's a lot of social media nonsense. But only if you have the Holy Spirit, will you know the difference? I'm telling you, and I'm not bragging to be anybody's better, but I'll tell you, Justin, there are some things as soon as I see it. But instantly, I don't even listen to it.
I'm off. I'm going to tell you something. From the time I entered ministry till now, from the time I entered ministry till now, I can go to a Christian book store or whatever and pick up a book and I can tell you instantly whether I should buy that book or I should. Because as soon as I put it in my hand, my spirit jumps or it goes, and I know instantly, that's a book I need to buy or that's a book I need to get away from.
I know instantly. If you haven't been to that place yet, brain has God through the Holy Spirit to reveal truth to you so that you can bypass what isn't good. I'm sensitive to that. I want to be sensitive to that.
I don't want to be partakers of something. I shouldn't be a partaker of. And that goes on what I'll listen to as well, what I'll allow to come in. We shouldn't celebrate murder.
Because can I tell you this? Murder cannot be celebrated because when we celebrate murder, we celebrate the enemy. Plain and simple. Evil is evil and it's not from God.
Who do you think influenced Cain to kill his brother Abel? I say, if I verse 20 says, whoa, to those who call good or call evil good and good evil. Whoa, to them. Whoa, to them.
Noah was building an ark and he was mocked for it. Why? Because his faith exposed their unbelief Daniel, thrown into a lion's den. Why?
Because his obedience to God made others jealous and resentful. And that's the very thing. That's the very reason why Cain killed Abel. Because Abel did what was good.
Abel did what was right. The early church was so persecuted. Why? Because their allegiance to Christ challenged the very Roman empire and their demand to loyalty to Caesar.
Even today when Christians live with integrity and refuse to lie, cheat or compromise, it convicts the world. I had someone one time sit in my office and tell me they wanted to be paid under the table for what they were doing. And when I refused to do that, they blamed me publicly for misrepresenting and using funds. From a person who wanted me to pay them illegally under the table.
Oh boy. Oh boy. When we live with integrity, refusing to lie, cheat, compromise, it convicts those who so easily lie and cheat. When you stand up for truth in a culture that celebrates sin, the world is not going to applaud you and it's not going to thank you.
It will despise you. It will hate you. And Jesus told us disciples in John 15, 18, and 19, if the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you. Because you are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world.
Therefore, the world hates you. That's what Jesus said. If we live like Jesus, they're going to reject us like they rejected him. To most of us, persecution hurts.
In many cases, it feels like loss. But to Jesus, he said it was gain. Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness. Say for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
There's gain when we are persecuted. Remembering the promise at the very beginning of this series. In verse three, he said, blessed are the poor in spirit. For theirs is what?
The kingdom of heaven. And we see it in verse 10. theirs is the kingdom of heaven. The poor in spirit and the persecuted.
Theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Both the poor in spirit and the persecuted belong to the kingdom. I'm glad you belong to the kingdom. And it's a blessing because it proves that we're willing to stand for our faith and that our faith is genuine.
If the world resists you for following Christ, it shows. And it's a sign that you truly belong to him. It deepens our dependence on God when the world turns against us. And we come to the place where we realize our dependence on him.
And that is mercy and earth forever. Amen? That is grace. It's sufficient for us.
It guarantees eternal reward. Man, this has been good teaching. Paul says in Romans 8, verse 18, this whole Beatitude series. Wow.
Paul says in Romans 8, verse 18, for I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed in us. Paul says, this doesn't even matter because of that. You didn't even get that. You just went right over your head.
Some of you still trying to figure out where Romans is. Is that Old Testament or New Testament? Paul said, I consider that suffering of the present moment not worthy in comparison to the glory to be revealed to us. This ain't nothing.
Look what's coming. Persecution may cost us comfort. It may bring pain. It may hurt your reputation.
It may even at some point cost your life. But in return, oh, you ain't ready for this. But in return, we gain a kingdom that's unshakeable. It's unmovable.
Amen? So what do we do and how should we respond when this persecution comes? Come on, I just got to keep you for a few more minutes. Is that okay?
First of all, we expect it. Don't be surprised when opposition comes. Expect it. Don't be surprised when it comes.
Peter says in 1 Peter 4, 12, do not be surprised at the fiery trials. As though something strange has happened to you. Anticipate it. Expect it.
That way you're not caught off guard. When it comes, endure it. Endure it. Stand.
Jesus didn't say run from it. He didn't say run from it. But to remain faithful in the midst of the persecution. The Holy Spirit gives us strength to stand.
Amen? Embrace persecution and praise. Difficulty. Embrace hardships with joy.
Why? Because in 2 verses later in Matthew 5 verse 12, Jesus says rejoice and be glad for your reward is great in heaven. To those who are persecuted, he says rejoice and be glad because your reward is great in heaven. Only the Holy Spirit can cause you to sing in a prison cell at the midnight hour when you've been beaten and battered and bruised like Paul and Silas.
Come on church. Matthew chapter 5 verse 44, look what Jesus tells us. He says love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you. Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.
That kind of response is what shocks the world and shows Christ in us. And that type of love and response drives the unrighteous crazy when we love when they hate. Someone many, many years ago said this and I found it. I knew I'd read it and I found it and I don't know who said it but I wrote it down.
Someone once said these words. The blood of the martyrs is the seed of the church. The blood of the martyrs is the seed of the church. Every time the church has been persecuted, it has grown stronger.
In China, forced underground, the gospel spread like wildfire. In the Roman Empire, when believers were thrown to Lyons Den, their courage led to many, many, many coming to faith. And even today in countries where owning a Bible is even illegal, the church is still growing. And even in the face of Charlie being murdered in front of the world, the word of God and faith in Jesus Christ is spreading like wildfire.
College campuses are erupting. People are going into malls and breaking out and singing. People are marching in the streets and professing the name of Jesus Christ. College campuses and football teams are coming on the fields and kneeling and praying and professing Jesus Christ.
And great revivals are breaking out in college campuses where young people are getting saved by the thousands and being water baptized and professing their faith in Jesus Christ. Wearing like wildfire, persecution doesn't destroy the gospel, it multiplies it. My wife sent this to me the other day. She said they can't kill a Christian, they can only change our address.
She said that, she saw it somewhere. They can't kill a Christian, they can only change our address. So Matthew 5 verse 10 is both a warning and it's a comfort. It warns us that persecution is certain, but it comforts us with the promise that we are blessed when it happens.
The kingdom of heaven belongs to those who are willing to stand for righteousness even when it costs them everything. So let me ask you this, are you willing to live so boldly for Jesus Christ that the world notices? Are you willing to face criticism and rejection and even suffering for the sake of the gospel? Do you believe the reward of the kingdom is worth more than the comfort of this life?
The Bible says blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness sake. Not because persecution is pleasant, but because Christ is worth it. Isn't that good? And if you have him, you have the kingdom.
God give us the courage. God give us the courage. God give us the boldness. God give us the fire in our bellies to stand and be the children of the Most High God.
Listen, listen, when you're rejected or persecuted in this life, Jesus said blessed are you? For yours is the kingdom of heaven. Paul says this present suffering cannot compare to the glory that is set before us. The songwriter said, oh, what a day that will be.
In my Jesus, I shall see when I look upon his face. I tell my wife constantly and my children have heard it said, when I take this last breath on this earth and it will happen one day. Do not cry long for me. Rejoice for me that I am now with my Lord and Savior.
I have lived for 50 years of my life to look upon his face. The one who saved me by his grace. Oh, Jesus, what a day that shall be when I see him face to face. Not going to worry about any of the trials of this life.
I'm not going to question him about anything I didn't understand here because in the glorious presence of him, none of that will matter. I'm telling you, those of you that think you're going to ask God, you ain't asking him nothing because his glory is going to be so great. I've said for years, it will take me a couple of few hundred thousand years just to get off my knees when I see him. He'll probably be saying, come on.
Come on. Come on. What a day. Come on church.
Do we believe that? Is this teaching foolishness to you? Is it foolishness to the listener that's hearing this? Because if it is, examine your heart.
Check your heart. This is gospel. This is truth. And we better hold on to it because the world is losing their minds.
Why can we have peace? Because perfect peace have they. Whose minds are fixed on him? Because we understand what we just heard in teaching destroys ignorance.
Amen. Father, bless your name. Bless your name. Thank you for your word.
Thank you for strengthening us. Thank you for encouraging us. Thank you for blessing us tonight with the power and the truth of your word. Lord may it resonate in our hearts and minds and may we ponder it and may we never relinquish it.
May we never surrender it. May we never give it up. But may we keep our hearts and minds on Christ Jesus. May we never forget the words blessed are they who are persecuted for righteousness.
For theirs is the kingdom of God. Bless these folks as we leave this place tonight and they're rising and they're sitting and they're coming and they're going where their feet may trod and whatever their hands would touch. I pray would be blessed. I ask tonight Father healing from the top of their heads to the souls of their feet.
God, God, when we go downtown Sunday to declare your word. Father I pray that it will come forth with great might, strength and victory. That the tone will be as you desire it to be. The word will be exactly as you desire it to be.
Set this community free for your glory and for your great name. And it is in your name we ask these things. Amen.