Standing For Truthby Pastor Fee Soliven

Matthew 5:8-12Sunday MorningFebruary 1, 2015

Matthew 5:8-128 Blessed are the pure in heart, For

they shall see God. 9 Blessed are the peacemakers, For they shall be called

sons of God. 10 Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, For theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 11 "Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil

against you falsely for My sake.

12 Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so

they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

Christianity has Proven itself Unstoppable

Romans 7:15"For what I am doing, I do not

understand. For what I will to do, that I do not practice; but what I hate, that I

do."

1 John 1:9"If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."

Luke 24:4747 and that repentance and remission

of sins should be preached in His name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.

Matthew 5:10-1210 Blessed are those who are

persecuted for righteousness' sake, For theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 11

"Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil

against you falsely for My sake. 12 Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so

they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

 Why does Christianity Portrays such a Negative Reaction?

Matthew 5:10"Blessed are those who are persecuted

for righteousness' sake, For theirs is the kingdom of heaven."

2 Timothy 3:12-1312 Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution.

13 But evil men and impostors will grow worse and worse, deceiving and being

deceived.

3. The Holy Ghost

The Purpose of Persecution

1. Allows Us to Share in the Sufferings of Christ

1 Peter 4:12-1312 Beloved, do not think it strange

concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing

happened to you; 13 but rejoice to the extent that you partake of Christ's sufferings, that when His glory is

revealed, you may also be glad with exceeding joy.

5. John The Revelator

2. Tests Our Loyalty

2 Corinthians 4:7-97 But we have this treasure in earthen

vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us. 8

We are hard pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are perplexed, but not

in despair; 9 persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not

destroyed...

3. Furthers the Gospel

Philippians 1:12"But I want you to know, brethren, that the things which happened to me have actually turned out for the furtherance

of the gospel"

4. Enables Us to Encourage others Undergoing Persecution

2 Corinthians 9:8-98 And God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that you, always

having all sufficiency in all things, may have an abundance for every good

work. 9 As it is written: "He has dispersed abroad, He has given to the

poor; His righteousness endures forever."

5. Demonstrates our Loyalty to Christ

Colossians 1:24-2624 I now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up in my flesh what is

lacking in the afflictions of Christ, for the sake of His body, which is the

church, 25 of which I became a minister according to the stewardship from God which was given to me for you, to fulfill

the word of God,

26 the mystery which has been hidden from ages and from generations, but now has been revealed to His saints.

6. Demonstrates our Faith in God’s Word

Psalm 119:160"The entirety of Your word is truth, And every one of Your righteous judgments

endures forever"

John 17:16-1916 They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. 17 Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth. 18 As You sent Me into the world, I also have

sent them into the world. 19 And for their sakes I sanctify Myself, that they also may be sanctified by the truth.

7. Encourages us to Anticipate a Reward

Matthew 5:11-1211 "Blessed are you when they revile

and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake. 12 Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so

they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

The Proper Response to Persecution

 

2 Corinthians 11:24-2824 From the Jews five times I received

forty stripes minus one. 25 Three times I was beaten with rods; once I was stoned;

three times I was shipwrecked; a night and a day I have been in the deep; 26 in

journeys often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils of my own

countrymen, in perils of the Gentiles, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false

brethren;

27 in weariness and toil, in sleeplessness often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness-- 28 besides the other

things, what comes upon me daily: my deep concern for all the churches.

 Matthew 10:22-2322 And you will be hated by all for My name's sake. But he who endures to the end will be saved. 23 When they

persecute you in this city, flee to another. For assuredly, I say to you, you will not have gone through the

cities of Israel before the Son of Man comes.

Romans 8:35-3935 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress,

or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? 36 As it is written: "For Your sake we are killed

all day long; We are accounted as sheep for the slaughter." 37 Yet in all

these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.

38 For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor

principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, 39 nor

height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus

our Lord.

1. Standing Strong

Ephesians 6:10"Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might."

 

2. Enduring Opposition

1 Thessalonians 3:7-87 therefore, brethren, in all our affliction

and distress we were comforted concerning you by your faith. 8 For now

we live, if you stand fast in the Lord.

3. Loving and Praying for our Enemies

 

Matthew 5:44"But I say to you, love your enemies,

bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute

you"...

God’s Promise to the Persecuted

Matthew 5:12"Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so

they persecuted the prophets who were before you."

1. How would recognizing God’s purposes in your times of mistreatment

change your thoughts, feelings, and responses toward others?

 

2. How does rejoicing in the faithfulness of the Lord change your perspective on

persecution?

3. Have you ever loved and prayed for someone who mistreated you? What

effect did it have on you, on that person, and on your situation?