Happy are the Harassed, Part 2

The pursuing happiness on turns and you see in the mad rush for happiness on the world's terms when it runs into Christianity. There will inevitably be a conflict. There will inevitably be conviction, guilt, resentment, which results in persecution.

It's not hard to argue that life is smoother, easier when you just follow the crowd embrace what the world values never say anything controversial. The problem is if you follow Jesus Christ. If you're his disciple. You have pitted yourself against the culture and conflict is inevitable. So how can you have genuine joy even when others revile you, how can you experience happiness that no persecution can shake consider those questions on grace to you as John MacArthur, Chancellor of the Masters University and seminary continues his study of the Beatitudes today. He looks at the blessing that's promised to Christians who are persecuted for righteousness sake.

Now here's John. Let's go back to Matthew chapter 5 and look again at the Beatitudes and seeing the multitudes, he went up into a mountain and when he was seated his disciples came unto him, and he opened his mouth and taught them saying blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are they that mourn for they shall be comforted.

Blessed are the meek for they shall inherit the earth.

Blessed are they who do hunger and thirst after righteousness for they shall be filled. Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God. Blessed are the peacemakers for they shall be called the sons of God. Blessed are they who are persecuted for righteousness sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 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 exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so persecuted they the prophets who were before you. We told you that the word blessed really is happening and that the first thing Jesus ever said was that he wanted people to be happy in coming to the world to make people miserable. He came in the world to make them happy and that's why his first sermon ever gave in the book of Matthew the beginning of the New Testament the first gospel begins with the word happy the world says the really happy person is self-sufficient positive about himself and his ability not self sacrificing in regard to anyone else.

Sounds exactly like a definition of the Pharisee to me. It is certainly the opposite of Jesus definition of a happy person. Jesus said a really happy person is not self-sufficient but cowering like a beggar realizing he has no resources in himself and he is me rather than proud Jesus said a really happy person is not at all positive about himself, but he is mourning over his sinfulness in isolation from a holy God. Jesus said a really happy person is not confident in his own ability but very aware of his ability, and in meekness reaches out Jesus said really happy person.

Rather than being non-self sacrificing is the very opposite, he is merciful and he is a peace maker and he will be merciful and he will be peacemaking if it costs him persecution for the sake of that for which he makes peace and gives mercy. You see the world's definition of happiness is not God's definition, not at all. Nothing could give a more clear picture of the difference between the world's philosophy and divine truth, then comparing a test on happiness in our day with God's standards revealed by the Lord Jesus Christ and the Beatitudes. The world is pursuing happiness on its own terms and you see in the mad rush for happiness on the world's terms when it runs into Christianity.

There will inevitably be a conflict. There will inevitably be conviction, guilt, resentment, which results in persecution in our text is verses 10 to 12 and what our Lord Jesus is saying is this, I'll give you a guild edge guarantee that if you live according to the first seven Beatitudes. You'll get the eighth, one automatically if you function according to those first seven principles.

Inevitably, you will be persecuted for righteousness sake. Inevitably, you will be persecuted for his namesake. It's inevitable not the first part of our study, we began to look at verses 10 to 12. Let me read them to you again. Blessed are they who are persecuted for righteousness sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

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 exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so persecuted they the prophets who were before you lesson people you want to really be happy you have to be happy. Jesus way and if you seek to be happy on his terms. If you seek to live according to his principles. If you seek to enter into his kingdom. His way. If you want to go through the narrow gate onto the narrow way. If you want to build your house on the rock. If you gonna wind up in the judgment and have them say I do know you not. I don't know you, then you're going to find that the result of that kind of lifestyle confronting a hostile godless world is inevitably to be a negative reaction. It's always been that way in Italy in the seven the 15th century.

Rather, a man named savanna roller came on the scene. He was one of the greatest reformers and preachers. The world is ever known. His denunciation of the sins of the people and the corruption of the Roman Catholic Church of that time, prepared the away liberally for the Reformation is preaching says one biographer was a voice of thunder and his denunciation of sin was so terrible that the people listen to him. What about the streets, half dazed, bewildered and speechless. His congregations were softened and tears that the whole building resounded with their sobs and their weeping," obviously the people couldn't handle that kind of preaching and so they burned him at the stake. It never would be any different. And I really believe that if Christians in our culture were more confrontive about what we believe to be true and if we really live the fullness of the Beatitudes in our lives we would find there would be hostility in the world toward us. If there isn't already for most of us it happens everywhere and at all times.

Let's look again at Matthew 510 to 12 and see the three points we introduced in our last study persecution. The promise and the posture, the persecution is in verses 10, 11, and will just quickly review it. Blessed are they who are persecuted for righteousness sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. And then it's personalized. I think it's the one in the same beatitude not to. It's just the people who endure this or double blessed but you have a general statement in verse 10 we saw this last on this is a review and then it's personalized and 11 Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, persecute you say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake let's asked some simple questions who are persecuted, who will tell you who the ones who live a beatitude kind of life the ones who come to know God through Jesus Christ. The ones who are kingdom people want to live life on God's terms. In Philippians chapter 1 in verse 29 for unto you is given in the behalf of Christ not only to believe on him, but also to live software for his sake. And Paul says to the Thessalonians in first Thessalonians 3. Three.

No man should be moved by these afflictions. You shouldn't be shot. You shouldn't be knocked off your pins. You shouldn't but want to rethink whether you've made the right commitment for you yourselves know that we are appointed to these varying. This should knock you off your pins. This shouldn't surprise you. We were called to these things in second Timothy chapter 3 and verse 12. Again, the same thought yeah and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution. We been because of this people, and it's very basic, godless, angry, hostile, sinful world confronted by Christianity must react to who everybody lives. The beatitude life. Everybody who comes into the kingdom. Everybody was a son of the kingdom lives this way, you just going to the world and try to bring mercy to the world you go and try to purify men's hearts by bringing them the consciousness of sin. You go in and try to make peace to the only peacemaker Jesus Christ that if you're bold and confrontive in the way that God wants you to be in a find. There's going to be a reaction how we saw the who, what about the how well will go to be persecuted. How are they going to show their anger.

Persecution is from a Greek word means to harass to treat evilly, literally, in its root means to pursue. Gonna come after us.

I really feel in America were on the threshold of some days are going to be real different than what we know in the past. I think that we been sort of lollygagging around in the in the post American awakening era, and a wee bit 11 off the revivalists of the past and the benefits that America had from its heritage of those days that is fast coming to an end.

Not only is government acting against religion and religion is the acting against itself by proliferating the cults and isms in Chisholm's and spasms. Everything else and were seeing the government crackdown on religious groups were seeing changes in attitudes were seeing the IRS and other agencies begin to make laws are going to directly impact those of us who are in the church of Jesus Christ were seeing reactions to things that once were held to be sacred. The whole idea of church and all those kinds of things you know it's all gone with the with mom and apple pie that's gone to solar to come after us. He says how verse 11. Remember we told you revile that's abuse to the face say all manner of evil against you falsely that slander behind the back there going to come out.

Those who are God's people right on the nose and around the back they're going to talk about us when were gone and they're going to react to us when were there. There will be those open confrontations and there will be that private slander but that's how it is, it's never easy for the committed people.

If it's easy for you one of two things. You're not a Christian or you're a Christian, but you're not manifesting the kinds of things.

Our Lord talked about here never easy for the Christian book with me at first Corinthians chapter 4. Let me show you something. First Corinthians chapter 4 verse nine and Paul draws one of the most vivid pictures and words that you find in first Corinthians. He says in verse nine. I think that God hath set forth us.

The apostles, what's the next word last, as it were appointed to death, for we have made a spectacle under the world and new Angels and the man stop right as you know, I think when it comes down to where we fit. God has put us last applied into death made a spectacle in order to get his mind when Roman general want a great victory. He was given the privilege of parading his victorious army to the streets of the city as the Army came to the streets of the city they would carry with the booty spoil the trophies of war. He was allowing that general to demonstrate to all people. The tremendous triumph that he had achieved, and always at the end of the long procession there came a little group of captives tokens of the conquered people and they were doomed to die.

There were men taken in captive and men who were now to be led to the arena to fight the beasts and so to die in Paulson's. I think God as set forth us. The apostles last, as it were appointed to death. You're a spectacle under the world and two angels and two men. Paul uses terms here from that scene and he sees the apostles and who are they there like emblems of clearly committed disciples.

They are a group of captives appointed to death. My foot translates it this way, God means us apostles to come in at the very end like do you mean the gladiators in the arena were appointed to death to see if there were appointed to death is the word sentenced is a rare term used to refer to criminals prorated as objects of mockery as they were marched to their execution soul. Paul says hey we apostles are doomed. We are brought along at the end. This captives spectacles for everybody to see and to mock, and to kill condemned criminals but then he says we endure anyway. We are fools for Christ sake, but you're wise we are weak, but you are strong you horrible.

We are despised in a very sarcastic there. Many says even under this present. We both hunger and thirst in her naked in her buffet and have no certain dwelling place and we labor working with our own hands and being reviled, we bless and being persecuted. We use the keyword we endure it, we know what were called to. We are called to ride the white charger in the town be a hotshot.

We are called to be the superstar we are called to be the sanctified celebrity called to be appointed death and we suffer through this thing we are we are the fools in your lives. You look at us as fools. He says that we are weak and you are strong you look down on us and honorable, and where despised them to this present hour we hunger and thirst that her naked and buffeted never at a place to stay with the work of their hands so hard and were reviled all the time and were persecuted and we have to endure it. How does he react to all being defamed. He says are being reviled in verse 12 we bless being persecuted. We were being defamed we entreat.

Now watch this.

We are made as the filth of the world and are the off scattering of all things unto this day, listen the word filth simply means dirt is used of something that is wiped off something when you want to clean it.

It could be garbage left on a pot or pan. It could be dust left on the table it's any dirt that you want to eliminate any use of the term off scouring something you scrub off refuse pulses look we see ourselves as filth enough scaring you say Paul you your your your one of the apostle we we got statues of you may we get huge we got St. Paul Cathedral pieces were filth and off scouring the acceptance apostles did.

This was the world's estimate, they counted the cost they're willing to pay the price. As far as we know 10 or 11/12 died as martyrs we know didn't was John and he was exiled, died in exile. Listen people, I don't know what's happened to the kind of Christianity we have today, but isn't it. I mean, can we say in human society in America today that Christians are the filth and the off scouring of the world are we.

Why were the stars we get the biggest lights of Las Vegas brass. We borrowed TV show.

We go back and forth. You know we live in tomorrow. We do our gig over here a way to change our closing, the church and do our due we dance in Las Vegas and that we get up and give our testimony, where the star where the presidents and the Congressman and the famous athletes and the actors and the singers and times that I think overall those folks that are real believers. I just have to wonder whether we got the picture right it were trying to waltz the world instead of confronted how this happened were the elite were the acceptable were the rich listen. That's not the way Paul sought when Paul came to give his credentials. You know so many people. Usually I get a lot of stuff in the mail say would you like to have so-and-so start computer and no come for a fee. You know, and that was like have so-and-so start. Here's his credentials big long big papers they send you with all the stuff pictures you know shaking hands with everybody like have the star's lesson on letters in the stars you know it when Paul came he didn't say I want to know that I graduate University mill, magna cum laude in the world, man. I speak many languages. I a personal friend of several kings and rulers. Famous men I died once again back the dead first written answer center the Aztecs about that II was in the third heaven boy could he make it on the circuit today. I spoke in tongues more knew all this and there's no end with that guy could unbelievable testimony could a Year for our use as well.

My credentials stalking my credentials look at second Corinthians chapter 11. His credentials but in general like to introduce to you the apostle Paul. Credentials verse 23 on the master surprised he's more care as the greatest minister of Christ ready and labors more often in stripes above measure imprisoned more frequently and death, often of the Jews five times received by 40 stripes a one price. Was I beaten with rods, once was I stone three times I suffered shipwreck night and day. I spent in the deep and journeying's often perils of waters perils of robbers perils by my own countrymen perils by the Gentiles in the city in the wilderness in the sea among false brethren wearing as painful as watching is often hunger, thirst, fasting, cold and nakedness areas, folks.

Verse five of chapter 12 of such a one will not glory. I can understand that get you an ex-con beaten up, kicked around, stoned, shipwrecked, abused it of myself. I will not glory. But in my what infirmities for though I would desire to glory. I shall not be a fool for I will say the truth, but now I forbear, lest any man should think of me above that which he see's me to be your here at the me lesson.

He said I was saying about myself. I want to glory.

I don't give anybody the wrong impressions listen, lest I should be exalted above measure to the abundance of the revelations, there was given me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure for this thing I besought the Lord thrice that it might depart from me, you know he had a problem. While some people think it was an eye problem. Possibly something, you are losing eye disease. It was always very ugly and made it very distasteful to be around. I don't what it was.

Whatever it was it was something undesirable, and instead taken away God just said my grace is sufficient for you are to keep you humble. Paul, my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities at the power of Christ may rest upon me. I take pleasure in infirmity and reproach of necessity and persecution. You see it in distress, for Christ's sake: I am weak, then I am what Strong is and as long as you think you can make it on your press clippings you don't have the power of God's as long as you can try it on your own. You are good. You've been proven and you get the PR to make it your functioning on the wrong uses glory in my weakness glory in my infirmity call glory and persecution, all glory and reproach. All glory and necessity. Everything that breaks me everything that crushes me everything that humbles me to file glory and that because that's what makes me depend on God and no I have no resource of my own and that's when God moves through me to confront a world you're listening to John MacArthur here on grace to you.

Today's lesson showed you what Jesus meant when he promised that those who are persecuted for his sake will ultimately know lasting happiness.

John has titled his current study, the Beatitudes, now you know whether it's being persecuted for faith or some other kind of suffering even when we understand that God has a purpose in our trials. That's no guarantee he will respond the way we should.

John, would you say that even mature Christians aren't necessarily immune from worrying yeah I'd say the fact that II would definitely say that the nobody is immune from worrying yeah it is very disturbing to us to be a situation over which we have no control. That is terrifying to people who have no invisible means of support. Right if all you've got is what you can control because you don't have the Lord you you don't live in the kingdom of God. You don't have any protection from God at all because no unbeliever can claim that if you live in the world where your it where you're the only hope you have an and you ate your your miserable if you only have hope in this world and the hope is in you, your of all men most miserable so that's natural for a nonbeliever to worry and fear, and to live their whole life really with the Dessa demonstration of that fear try to control everything in every side of them and even maybe controlled the ultimate outcome which is death if they could, but as believers we have submitted to the one who cares for us, our eternal God our father, the one who loves us the one who sent his son to die for us. The one who granted us eternal life, the one who has redeemed us, adopted us into his family made us sons, the one I was put his Holy Spirit in us and the one who promised never leave us or forsake us one who promised to supply all our needs. The one who knows everything we need before we even understand it, the one who knows our future perfectly as if it already happened and as planned perfectly to bring about his glory and are good in the midst of whatever is ahead of us. We are in the hands of the Lord and nothing can ever change that confidence in that and in all the promises of God to care for us is why you don't worry, I've been mentioning this lately, but I've written a book called anxious for nothing, anxious for nothing, it's a book that basically tells you why don't need to worry. This book called anxious for nothing, looks at the word of God and gives you all the reasons why obeying the command not to worry, is the only reasonable thing to do was send your free copy.

If you've never called or written us before. Just ask for the book anxious for nothing. Yes friend, I want make sure you caught that last part. If you've never contacted us before we will send you anxious for nothing, free of charge. Just call or go to our website and request your copy of this book today the number here is 855 grace our web address is TTY.when people tell us they battle with fear and worry. We point them to this book anxious for nothing, it unpacks some of God's most powerful promises on why his children never have to be afraid. There's also a special section on Psalms for the anxious can turn to whenever you start to worry again anxious for nothing, is our gift to you. If you never contacted us before request your free book now. Call 855 grace or go to TTY.org and thanks for remembering to pray for this ministry and for letting us know how, grace to you has helped you better understand God's word and apply it to your life. Email is great for that.

You can reach us at letters@TTY.or that's our email address one more time. Letters@TTY.or drop a note in the mail addressed to box 4000 panorama city, CA 91412 now for John MacArthur on Phil Johnson encouraging you to be here tomorrow when John looks at how Christ wants you to respond to persecution and the blessing that comes from that it's another half hour of unleashing God's truth one verse at a time on grace