Matthew 5:11-12

NASB	NLT	VOICE
11 “Blessed are you when people insult you and persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me.	11 “God blesses you when people mock you and persecute you and lie about you and say all sorts of evil things against you because you are my followers.	11 And blessed are you, blessed are all of you, when people persecute you or denigrate you or despise you or tell lies about you on My account.
12 Rejoice and be glad, for your reward in heaven is great; for in this same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.	12 Be happy about it! Be very glad! For a great reward awaits you in heaven. And remember, the ancient prophets were persecuted in the same way.	12 But when this happens, rejoice. Be glad. Remember that God’s prophets have been persecuted in the past. And know that in heaven, you have great reward.

Blessed for the Evil Done to Us

We’re looking at the end of the Beatitudes for context. The concept of being blessed describes a deep, abiding joy and contentment that comes from a right relationship with God. It’s a result of being aligned with God’s will. With that in mind, Jesus is saying that we will have this joy when we are insulted and persecuted. To be insulted was to be verbally abused or mocked. Believers, at this time, were often criticized for their faith. It can also involve slander too. All this implies that when people bully or mock you for your faith and relationship with Christ, you will have joy. Persecution describes a harsher reality: systematic mistreatment, ranging from social exclusion to physical harm. Historically, Christians were persecuted from both the Jewish authorities and the Roman Empire. This was often as a result of failing to worship Roman gods or the emperor. We can learn more about the persecution of the early Christians in the book of acts. We will also find this joy when others say evil things against us. False accusations were common back then against the early Christians. They were accused of atheism (for not worshiping the Roman gods), cannibalism (misunderstanding the Eucharist), and other societal ills. 

To summarize, we will have a deep, abiding joy and contentment (blessings) as a result of our relationship with God when these things happen to us as a result of Jesus: 

• Insulted – being verbally abused, mocked, or slandered
• Persecuted – face systematic mistreatment (socially excluded –> physically harmed) 
• Have evil things said about us – falsely accused of something. 

Respond in Love (With Boundaries)

How do you handle this typically? Do you respond with the same energy? Do you meet people eye-to-eye and insult them back, mistreat them in the same way you were mistreated, falsely accuse them of something? Do you stay silent? Allowing them to say what they need knowing that it’s all smoke and mirrors. Do you respond in love? Thanking them for expressing their opinion and moving forward. It’s a complicated situation to be in, yet Jesus makes it so simple. When these things happen to us, as a result of our walk and relationship with Christ, we can find joy and contentment in our relationship with him. In a sense, we can recognize that we are doing something right. We recognize that our words and actions are truly being counter-cultural to the world and that we are sticking true and tight to the teaching of Christ. Now, I want to say this too. We must not be a punching bag at the same time. We can stand up for ourselves. We can defend ourselves. We can handle these situations with the proper authorities if they escalate. We need to remember that we must act in love, compassion, grace, and mercy at all times. We need to protect others and ourselves at all times. We can endure the insults, persecutions, and evils that happen to us – but we can properly react if our lives or lives around us are being put in jeopardy. 

Rejoice in the Struggles of History

That celebration in the face of persecution is what we often refer to as rejoicing. The call to rejoice comes from an understanding that suffering for doing what is right aligns with Christ’s experiences and promises. When we do this, we will find our great reward in heaven. While this reward is not specified, we can understand it to be eternal and far greater than any suffering we deal with on earth. This same persecution that we’re talking about here is what the Old Testament prophets went through. Prophets like Elijah, Jeremiah, and Daniel faced opposition and suffering for sharing God’s word. The connection of these prophets to Matthew’s audience is a way to validate the believer’s experience. It also highlights the continuity of God’s redemptive plan in the face of consistent opposition faced by those who stand for His truth.

Our Problems Are Not New

Our struggles that we face today are often not new situations. The Bible describes a lot of what we face in it, just in a different flavor. For me, I find it when I struggle with my anxiety. It’s why you’ve seen 3 or 4 series on anxiety in general because it’s something that is so often prevalent in my life. One of the things that I remember learning that changed my life was what Philippians 4:13 said. I originally read it and understood it as: “I can do anything.” I realized I was not getting the full truth. Paul was stating that he can endure anything through Christ that strengthens him. Paul suffered through floggings, beatings, shipwrecks, and more, and still had an optimistic ministry for the church in Philippi. This reminds me that I can survive anything life hands to me through the strength of Christ that resides in me. This is just one of many examples of how the teachings of the Bible still apply to us today. I encourage you to look up a topic such as anxiety or depression. See what verses talk about it. Look up the original Hebrew, Aramaic, or Greek to understand the original meanings. Take that meaning and apply to the verses. Take the message and apply it to your situation. 

Reflection Questions

1. Have you ever thought about how being insulted, persecuted, or mocked for your faith is actually a positive thing? 
2. What is one verse that connects to a struggle you are facing right now. 
3. How can you celebrate your struggles with Christ today? 

Call to Action

Read James 1:12. Talk with God about how you can fight under trials. Thank Him for the victories you have celebrated so far in life. Ask Him how you can grow in those fights. 

Check out the next slice of manna: Manna for the Mind #281