Thought for 2 October

 Matthew 5:11-12

Jesus said ‘God blesses you when you are mocked and persecuted and lied about because you are my followers. 

Be happy about it!  Be very glad!  For a great reward awaits you in heaven.  And remember, the ancient prophets were persecuted too.’

Today’s reading is a small part of the famous ‘sermon on the mount’.  It covers 3 full chapters and in every couple of lines, there is a lesson for us.  This is much different from what a worship leader can communicate to us because when Jesus is preaching, he knows that what he is saying is exactly what we need to hear.  His words are perfect because they have been given to him by God himself.  It says at the end of this sermon (Matthew 7:28-29) ‘After Jesus finished speaking, the crowds were amazed at his teaching, for he taught as one who had real authority – quite unlike the teachers of religious law.’

These verses follow on from the seven Beatitudes with which the Lord begins the ‘sermon on the mount’.  The first six Beatitudes generally highlight qualities of character to be demonstrated by followers of Christ.  The seventh Beatitude found in verse 10 warns us that if we choose to aspire to these qualities of character, we will most certainly be blessed, but we may also suffer persecution, which means it’s possible we may be subject to hostility and/or ill treatment.  Today’s verses appear to be additional encouragement to the seventh Beatitude because of its nature.  The previous six did not appear to require further explanation.  Although it is counter-intuitive for all of us to choose any option that may lead to hostility and ill treatment, Jesus encourages us by saying if we do the things we do in this life because of our loyalty to him and are persecuted as a result, we will most certainly be rewarded in the next life.  He also goes on to remind us that if this does happen to us, we will not be the first.

There is another translation of the bible called ‘The Message’, and in it, these verses are written as follows: ‘Not only that—count yourselves blessed every time people put you down or throw you out or speak lies about you to discredit me. What it means is that the truth is too close for comfort and they are uncomfortable. You can be glad when that happens—give a cheer, even!—for though they don’t like it, I do! And all heaven applauds. And know that you are in good company. My prophets and witnesses have always gotten into this kind of trouble’.

I love the words in the previous paragraph which say if we do a right and good thing due to Christ’s teaching which may be unacceptable to others and cause us to be criticized or treated badly, our Lord and those in heaven will be happy and they will applaud.

Prayer - Thank You, Lord, for showing us how to live according to your example. You were reviled and persecuted, and many spoke all kinds of evil against you when you walked this earth.  Despite this, you resisted the temptations set before you and were the perfect Lamb of God.  Help us to remember the ultimate sacrifice you made for our sake on that cross at Calvary when self-pity knocks loudly on the door of our hearts and minds. You endured all this for us despite the way we are.   Amen