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LESSON TWENTY-THREE Blessed Are …
Blessed are those who have been persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the
kingdom of heaven.
1. A) What is the definition of persecution? ________________________________________
B) Do we see any of this in our world today? Y ___ N ___
C) Is this the persecution Jesus is speaking of in this beatitude? Y ___ N ___
D) What reason does Jesus give for this persecution? _______________________________
E) What is ‘righteousness sake’? ________________________________________________
F) My computer dictionary’s definition of persecution is: The act or practice of persecuting
on the basis of race, religion, gender, sexual orientation, or beliefs that differ from those of the
persecutor. Is this the persecution Jesus is talking about?
Y ___ N ___ all persecution ___ not sure ___
G) Is there anything particularly righteous about any of these items mentioned in part F?
Y ___ N ___
H) Could we summarize then that the persecution addressed in Beatitude eight is explicit?
Y ___ N ___
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l) Is it ‘farfetched’ to suggest ‘righteousness’ may even cause aggravation in the hearts of
those who have been singled out as ‘the persecuted’ of part F? Y ___ N ___
How/why? (See Prov. 12: 15) ______________________________________________
Proverbs 12:15 (KJV) 15 the way of a fool is right in his own eyes: but he that hearkens unto
counsel is wise.
J) Could being ‘righteous’ (by Jesus’ definition) be called bigoted? Y ___ N ___
How/why? _____________________________________________________________
K) Is Jesus specific as to who is the righteous? Y ___ N ___
L) Would the ‘righteous’ ever persecute the unrighteous? Y ___ N ___
M) Are they ever accused of it? Y ___ N ___
N) Why do you think the world may hate the righteous? ___________________________
2. A) According to Matthew 5:11; what are three kinds of persecution? __________________
Matthew 5:11 (KJV) 11 Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall
say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake.
B) What does it mean to ‘revile’ you? ____________________________________________
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C) Persecute you? ___________________________________________________________
Persecute (v. 11), and persecuted (v. 12) are from diōkō, which has the basic meaning of
chasing, driving away, or pursuing. From that meaning developed the connotations of physical
persecution, harassment, abuse, and other unjust treatment.
D) Speak all manner of evil against you? _________________________________________
3. What reasons does Jesus give for this manner of persecution? According to:
A) John 15:18, 22 _________________________________________________________
John 15:18 (KJV) 18 If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you.
John 15:22 (KJV) 22 If I had not come and spoken unto them, they had not had sin: but now they
have no cloak for their sin.
B) 2 Cor. 6:17 ___________________________________________________________
2 Corinthians 6:17 (KJV) 17 Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, says the
Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you.
C) 2 Timothy 3:12 ________________________________________________________
2 Timothy 3:12 (KJV) 12 Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution
D) John 16:3 _____________________________________________________________
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John 16:3 (KJV) 3 And these things will they do unto you, because they have not known the
Father, nor me.
E) John 16:2 _____________________________________________________________
John 16:2 (KJV) 2 they shall put you out of the synagogues: yes, the time cometh, that
whosoever kills you will think that he doeth God service.
Is it possible, this applies to the church even? Y ___ N ___
F) Did Jesus not warn us? (See John 16:4; 2 Timothy 3:12 Y ___ N ___
John 16:4 (KJV) 4 But these things have I told you, that when the time shall come, ye may
remember that I told you of them. And these things I said not unto you at the beginning,
because I was with you.
2 Timothy 3:12 (KJV) 12 Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.
4. A) What does Philippians 1:29 tells us? ____________________________________________
Philippians 1:29 (KJV) 29 For unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on
him, but also to suffer for his sake.
B) For unto who? _____________________________________________________________
C) Is it an honor to be given something on behalf of Christ? Y ___ N ___
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Even persecution? Y ___ N ___
D) Is it a privilege to believe unto Christ? Y ___ N ___
Is faith a gift from God? (See Ephesians 2:8) Y___ N ___
Ephesians 2:8 (AMP) 8 for it is by free grace (God's unmerited favor) that you are saved
(delivered from judgment and made partakers of Christ's salvation) through [your] faith. And
this [salvation] is not of yourselves [of your own doing, it came not through your own striving],
but it is the gift of God.
E) What is the implication of the word also? ______________________________________
F) Is it a privilege to suffer for His sake? Y ___ N ___
G) Is a privilege having one or the other, or in conjunction with each other? ______________
Why is that important? ____________________________________________________
5. How did the Church fathers view this? See:
A) Acts 5:41 _____________________________________________________________
Acts 5:41 (KJV) 41 and they departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were
counted worthy to suffer shame for his name.
B) Col. 1:24 _____________________________________________________________
[Note this was on behalf of others—even to the point of taking afflictions in their flesh for the
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sake of the body—the church.] [They did not rejoice over pain they endured]
Colossians 1:24 (KJV) 24 Who now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up that which is
behind of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his body's sake, which is the church:
C) 1 Peter 4:13 ___________________________________________________________
1 Peter 4:13 (KJV) 13 but rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ's sufferings; that, when
his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy.
"Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil
against you falsely, for my sake. Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in
heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you" (5:1).
"The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: and if children,
then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we
may be also glorified together" (Romans 8:16-17).
"For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, works for us a far more exceeding and
eternal weight of glory" (2 Cor. 4:17).
"Therefore, I endure all things for the elect's sakes, that they may also obtain the salvation
which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory" (2 Tim. 2:10).
"Persecutions, afflictions, which came unto me at Antioch, at Iconium, at Lystra; what
persecutions I endured: but out of them all the Lord delivered me" (2 Tim. 3:11).
"Esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt: for he had respect
unto the recompense of the reward" (26).
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By patience and fortitude in suffering, by dependence on the promises of God, and
keeping to the word the Holy Spirit hath revealed, the Holy Spirit is glorified; but by the
contempt and reproaches cast upon believers, he is evil spoken of, and is blasphemed. One
would think such cautions as these were needless to Christians. But their enemies falsely
charged them with foul crimes. And even the best of men need to be warned against the worst
of sins. There is no comfort in sufferings, when we them upon ourselves by our own sin and
folly. A time of universal calamity was at hand, as foretold by our Savior, 24:9, 10. And if such
things befall in this life, how awful will the Day of Judgment be! (Matthew Henry)
D) James 1:2 _____________________________________________________________
James 1:2 (KJV) 2 my brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations.
E) Mark 10:30 ___________________________________________________________
Mark 10:30 (KJV) 30 But he shall receive a hundredfold now in this time, houses, and brethren,
and sisters, and mothers, and children, and lands, with persecutions; and in the world to come
eternal life.
F) Acts 5:41 _____________________________________________________________
Acts 5:41 (NASB77) 41 so they went on their way from the presence of the Council, rejoicing that
they had been considered worthy to suffer shame for His name.
6. What are the rewards of suffering?
A) Romans 8:17 __________________________________________________________
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Romans 8:17 (NASB77) 17 and if children, heirs also, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, if
indeed we suffer with Him in order that we may also be glorified with Him.
B) 1 Peter 4:12-16 ________________________________________________________
1 Peter 4:12-16 (KJV) 12 Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try
you, as though some strange thing happened unto you: 13 But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are
partakers of Christ's sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with
exceeding joy. 14 If ye be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are ye; for the spirit of glory
and of God rests upon you: on their part, he is evil spoken of, but on your part, he is glorified. 15
But let none of you suffer as a murderer, or as a thief, or as an evildoer, or as a busybody in
other men's matters. 16 Yet if any man suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him
glorify God on this behalf.
C) Matthew 5:10 _________________________________________________________
Matthew 5:10 (KJV) 10 Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake: for theirs
is the kingdom of heaven.
7. Do you think it requires a great deal of courage to be a Christian? Y ___ N ___
8. Is persecution a sign of salvation? ________________________________________________
9. Is persecution a privilege or a terror? ___________________________________________
10. Personal Are you willing to go the road of Matthew 24:9?
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Matthew 24:9 (KJV) 9 then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye
shall be hated of all nations for my name's sake.
Matthew 5:12 (KJV) 12 Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in
heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.
SYLLABUS TWENTY-THREE
Blessed are those who have been persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
THE NEW COVENANT in my blood.
The sacrament of Communion points us directly to the terrible price Jesus paid to redeem his followers from sin and Satan. It is a reminder of his shed blood and his broken body. It is a reminder of Christ’s suffering. After sharing the Last Supper with his disciples, Jesus prayed that the Father might take the cup of suffering from him. But in submission to the Father’s will, he accepted the cup for our sake and drank from it fully.
The connection between the sacrament of Communion and sharing in Christ’s suffering is clear to our brothers and sisters in northern Nigeria. As they gather in churches to remember Christ’s suffering through Communion, they also participate in his suffering at the hands of radical Muslims.And even as they suffer, they witness for Christ and invite their persecutors to remember his death and accept the gift of eternal life that he offers. Celebrating the sacrament of Communion reminds us of our Savior who suffered on our behalf. His body was broken for us, but we cannot share in his glory without also sharing in his suffering. His promise is that we will participate in his suffering for a time rather than be spared
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from it. Our brothers and sisters in Nigeria understand what it means to share in Christ’s suffering. VOM will continue to serve persecuted believers in Nigeria by supporting families of martyrs, providing practical help and Christian literature, and providing evangelists with the tools they need to reach their persecutors. Many Nigerian Christians are drinking from the cup of Christ’s suffering. And yet, as they suffer, they faithfully represent Christ by praying for their persecutors and reaching out with the Good News. May we be equally willing to accept the cup of Christ’s suffering when it is offered to us.
Maryam and Marziyeh knew they were putting their lives on the line. Though Islamic laws in Iran forbade them from sharing their Christian beliefs, in three years they’d covertly put New Testaments into the hands of 20,000 of their countrymen. But finally, the two young women were arrested and held in the notorious Evin prison in Iran. Instead of succumbing to fear, they chose to take the radical step of sharing their faith inside the very walls of the stronghold that was meant to silence them.
Suleiman Abdulai is a Nigerian Christian who accepts the persecution Christ promised. His
Muslim family urged him to deny Jesus' name and even tried to kill him before finally disowning him. But, as Jesus promised in Matthew 10, the Holy Spirit gave him the words to speak when needed. And when he was being sought by killers, the Lord protected him. Although faith in Christ cost Suleiman his family, worldly possessions and reputation, he gained everything by taking up Christ's cross.
Israel: Tortured by the Palestinian AuthorityThe West Bank city of Bethlehem adjoins Jerusalem, but the cities are separated by a
huge wall designed to protect against terrorist attacks. Bethlehem and the rest of the West Bank are partially governed by the Palestinian Authority (PA), while Israel controls the roads and Israeli settlements. Persecution of Christian converts in the West Bank comes both from family members and, sometimes, from the PA.
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The Underground Church … is so willing to give its all. It is so willing to give its martyrs! It is so willing to risk years in prisons! But all of its willingness is of no value if it does not have the tools with which to work. The plea of the faithful, courageous Underground Church to you who are free is: “Give us the tools — the Gospels, the Bibles, the literature, the help — and we will do the rest!”
WHEN VOICE OF THE MARTYR’S FOUNDER, Richard Wurmbrand, arrived in the United States in the 1960s, he brought with him a message from the underground church: “We, your brothers and sisters, are being beaten, imprisoned and tortured for our faith. Please do not forget us.” At that time, the persecution of Christians was virtually unknown in the West, and Richard’s testimony was often met with shock and disbelief. At a pro-communist rally in Berkeley, California, Richard made his way to the stage and grabbed the microphone from the speaker’s hands. While denouncing communism, he removed his shirt to reveal the multiple scars caused by the torture he endured during 14 years in a communist prison. A VOM staff member familiar with the incident said that a protestor, unable to push Richard off the stage, finally cut the microphone cord in an effort to silence him. Richard went on to share his testimony in churches throughout the United States and even before Congress. “He stood in the midst of lions, but [the communists] could not devour him,” wrote a reporter with the Philadelphia Herald. And Christianity Today wrote that “Wurmbrand is a new St. John the Baptist … a voice crying in the wilderness.” John Piper writes in Risk Is Right: “It is costly to follow Christ. There is risk everywhere. But this very risk is the means by which the value of Christ shines more brightly.” Your gifts to equip Christians on the front lines of advancing the kingdom may put them in harm’s way. Our founder, Richard Wurmbrand, knew this risk and shared these words on behalf of persecuted believers:
The Underground Church … is so willing to give its all. It is so willing to give its martyrs! It is so willing to risk years in prisons! But all of its willingness is of no value if it does not have the tools with which to work. The plea of the faithful, courageous Underground Church to you who are free is: “Give us the tools — the Gospels, the Bibles, the literature, the help — and we will do the rest!”
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When was the last time you prayed for the persecuted church? When was, the last time have I prayed?
If we don’t at the very least pray for them; who will pray for us when our turn comes?
And come it will come!
