Happiness & Persecution
In this series we have been looking at Holy Happiness – that deep-down presence within us of joy, peace and contentment that the world cannot take away; a true sense of blessedness. In the last two sessions we have looked at issues that we might expect would (or at least could) negatively impact our Holy Happiness. In this session I want to spend time examining another such issue in life that we might seriously anticipate would rob us of all our sense of blessedness. It is: persecution.
Last session we said suffering was not one of our favorite words. Well certainly, persecution would not be a favorite either! Indeed, I hate persecution. It is so cruel and unfair; and we as humans – particularly as Americans – think everything should be fair.
Persecution pulls at our hearts, wrecks our emotions and can be devastating to watch. Persecution stinks! No one enjoys the experience of being persecuted. Most of us don’t like watching someone else go through it either. Did you watch the video of the Tianamen Square killings in China back in 1989? Or have you seen someone else experiencing persecution? How did it make you feel? I didn't know anyone in Tiananmen Square, but it still was disturbing to watch. Persecution impacts us greatly, even if we are not the ones directly experiencing it.
So, can you imagine describing yourself as happy while experiencing persecution? Is it even possible? It may be difficult to imagine, but for the Christian who keeps the right things in mind, it is absolutely possible to have Holy Happiness while experiencing persecution. Jesus said so.
“Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness, because the kingdom of heaven is theirs.” (Matthew 5:10)
Jesus said we are blessed when we are persecuted. We can have that deep sense of Holy Happiness, and we can have it during extraordinarily difficult times. Even persecution cannot rob us of it.
How can this be? Only by keeping in mind what Jesus says in this passage. First, He discusses...
1. The REASON for persecution.
Jesus said we could maintain Holy Happiness in the face of persecution if the reason we were experiencing the persecution was “for righteousness” (vs. 10a). If you or I are mistreated (mild persecution) or even tortured or killed (extreme persecution) because or our walk with Him, then we are experiencing persecution for righteousness.
If you take a stand for Christ, Christian values, Biblical truth and suffer for it, then you are experiencing persecution for righteousness. If you do something dumb, silly, disrespectful or stupid and are punished for it; that is NOT what Jesus is talking about!
All the New Testament figures experienced persecution. It was common to the first century church. Peter, John, Paul, Silas, Luke and so many others all experienced it to some degree. Stephen certainly did as he was stoned by an angry mob for his faith in Jesus.
Christians under Roman tyranny experienced persecution. You may have heard about Christians being fed to the lions, burned at the stake and other horrific examples of torture and death, all because of their faith in Jesus. This is the persecution Jesus said was “for righteousness.”
If you experience persecution for this reason, you are blessed! How? That is what Jesus deals with next.
2. The REWARD of persecution.
Jesus made an incredible statement – a promise, really. All those who experience persecution for their faith in Him receive an amazing reward: “the kingdom of heaven” (vs. 10b). What does He mean by this? It can be confusing.
Some might read this and think, “I can earn heaven by being persecuted.” This clearly is not what Jesus meant. No one can earn heaven or eternal life in God’s presence. The Bible adamantly teaches this truth:
For by grace you are saved through faith, and this is not from yourselves; it is God’s gift – not from works, so that no one can boast. (Ephesians 2:8-9)
Eternal life is not earned, it is God’s gift to those who believe and confess their belief in Jesus as Savior and Lord. We can do NOTHING to earn it, nor any part of it!
So what is Jesus talking about? Remember, He is talking to whom? Answer: Christians; followers of His; to those who are righteous in Him and who live righteously and suffer for it. These are the recipients of His promise.
So remember, if you are being persecuted because of your faith in Christ, or your stand for Him, the Kingdom of Heaven is yours!
“But wait a minute,” some might be thinking. “I thought the kingdom already was mine as a Christian. What is Jesus promising?” I think in this verse Jesus is stating one of two things (and maybe both).
a. If you are dying, relax and remember: you soon will open your eyes in the presence of Glory! Soon you may take your last breath here, but you will immediately be ushered into the presence of the Lord! This certainly gives a different thought for us to ponder if or when we are experiencing extreme persecution.
b. Your persecution for righteousness is evidence – proof beyond any argument – that you are genuinely a Christian, a soul heaven-bound!
So we can be blessed, we can have Holy Happiness, when experiencing persecution for righteousness because of what it means and demonstrates. The kingdom of heaven is mine. I’m going to be there. And my life – even possibly in death – is testimony to my faith in Jesus! All this is true, if I’m experiencing persecution for righteousness.
Jesus continued. He had more to say on this topic. It’s as if He knew His followers would experience much persecution in this life and needed to hear more than one short verse.
“Blessed are you when they insult you and persecute you and falsely say every kind of evil against you because of Me. Be glad and rejoice, because your reward is great in heaven. For that is how they persecuted the prophets who were before you.” (Matthew 5:11-12)
From these verses we get a third important truth from Jesus about persecution.
3. The RESPONSE to persecution.
You are being falsely accused. People are lying about you. Some are insulting you. All this is happening to you because of your faith in Jesus.
How do you respond? Be honest.
According to Jesus (in this passage) how should you respond?
Answer: “Be glad and rejoice!” I know; this sounds insane…at the least, impossible.
But Jesus said it; and He said it as an imperative! Not a suggestion, wishful hope, or unfounded utterance – this is the truth! When you are persecuted because of Christ, He takes notice! And, He rewards!
Therefore, our response is to rejoice! We are being faithful. We are being obedient, even unto death. We are demonstrating and confirming our faith in Him. We are building up treasures and rewards in eternity. And we will hear: “Well done, good and faithful servant. Enter and receive the reward prepared for you.”
Persecution is awful. Usually very painful, it is not at all pleasant physically or emotionally. As Christians, we should not seek persecution. We don’t go looking for it, nor should we ever desire it. That is not what Jesus has said.
What we should do is realize we may experience it. And if we do experience persecution for our faith in Him, then that is okay. When that happens, we are blessed. It indeed may be an unpleasant death, but all death can do is usher you and me into the presence of God – to a place with no more suffering, persecution, tears or death!
So now, as we complete this session, let me ask a question. Should persecution cause us to lose any of our Holy Happiness…our sense of blessedness?
Jesus said, “No!” He stated that it is possible to have Holy Happiness, even when experiencing persecution. For it’s not persecution that determines our Holy Happiness; it is keeping these words – promises – of Jesus in mind through the persecution that helps us maintain our sense of blessedness.
