The Prophets Who Were Before You (Mt 5:10-12)
Intro: review of 12 challenging men
True preaching "cuts to the heart" (Acts 2:37, 7:54).
Exposition
Last beatitude (v11-12) made personal & practical: what we all face (2Tim 3:12, Acts 14:22)
"You will not get leave to steal quietly to heaven in Christ's company w/o a conflict or a cross" (Rutherford)
A. 2 important qualifications
1. "Falsely"
Often, germ of truth in criticism... great deal we can learn from our enemies, out to find our faults. Wisdom is not just pursuing the best ends; it's pursuing them in the best way (S Ferguson, Ephesians). But, Jesus says, insofar as false & reaction to righteousness or Christ, there's great blessing for you which should make you rejoice (cf Acts 6:15).
2. "For righteousness'/My sake"
Not all persecution is for sake of righteousness & Christ. May come because we don't love our neighbor as ourselves. No matter how loving, honest, consistent, sensitive, forthright you are, the world will hate you w/o cause for His sake (cf Jn 15:18-25, see Pink, Gospel of John, Acts 5:41-42).
B. 3 Reasons for Exceedingly Great Rejoicing
1. "theirs is kingdom of heaven"
Hard to bear, but also a messenger assuring us that ours is kingdom of heaven. Cf Jn 15:18-20, 2Tim 3:12, Acts 14:22).
2. "great is your reward in heaven"
Be like Moses. See Heb 11:26, cf Heb 11:6, Heb 12:2, Mt 25:21
3. "so they persecuted prophets before you"
See Acts 7:52, Mt 23:35, Jn 16:1. Will you follow "Great cloud of witnesses" we've seen in minor prophets? "Courage is not simply one of the virtues, but the form of every virtue at the testing point" (CS Lewis). |
