Blessed Part 8
NKJ Matthew 5
And seeing the multitudes, He went up on a mountain, and when He was seated His disciples came to Him. 2 Then He opened His mouth and taught them, saying:
3 “Blessed are the poor in spirit, For theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
4 Blessed are those who mourn, For they shall be comforted.
5 Blessed are the meek, For they shall inherit the earth.
6 Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, For they shall be filled.
7 Blessed are the merciful, For they shall obtain mercy.
8 Blessed are the pure in heart, For they shall see God.
9 Blessed are the peacemakers, For they shall be called sons of God.
10 Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, For theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 11 Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake. 12 Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
Reminder: Blessed (makarios) - supremely blessed, fortunate, well off, happy
This is an internal blessing unlike eulogeo that means external blessing prosper
Review:
Blessed are those who are poor in spirit…. Those who are totally bankrupt before God and see their need for Him
Blessed are those who Mourn…. Those who mourn over there sins against God will be blessed
Blessed are the meek… Meekness is not weakness, it is Strength under control of the Holy Spirit
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst… Hunger and thirst are necessities for a sanctified life, and righteousness only comes from Jesus.
Blessed are the Merciful… Those who continue to see a need for God’s mercy in their lives and allow that mercy to overflow to others.
Blessed are those who are Pure In Heart… Those who have been born again…
Blessed are those who are Peacemakers… Those who bring God’s Righteousness (Jesus) into every situation.
Key verses: 10 Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, For theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 11 Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake. 12 Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
What is persecution?
Greek: Dioko (dee-o-ko) to make someone to run, to put to flight , to drive away, to pursue in a hostile manner, to harass, to trouble, to mistreat, to be hostile, to be accusative.
2 Tim 3:12 NKJV
12 Yes, and ALL who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution.
Philippians 1:29 NKJV
9 For to you it has been granted on behalf of Christ, not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer for His sake,
II. Where does persecution come from?
Ps 143:3 NKJV
For the enemy has persecuted my soul; He has crushed my life to the ground; He has made me dwell in darkness, Like those who have long been dead.
John 15:18-20 NKJV
18 “If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you. 19 If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. 20 Remember the word that I said to you, ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you. If they kept My word, they will keep yours also.
III. What is the reward for persecution?
Stephen being persecuted… The first martyr in scripture…
Acts 7:54-60 NKJV
54 When they heard these things they were cut to the heart, and they gnashed at him with their teeth. 55 But he, being full of the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God, 56 and said, “Look! I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God!”
57 Then they cried out with a loud voice, stopped their ears, and ran at him with one accord; 58 and they cast him out of the city and stoned him. And the witnesses laid down their clothes at the feet of a young man named Saul. 59 And they stoned Stephen as he was calling on God and saying, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” 60 Then he knelt down and cried out with a loud voice, “Lord, do not charge them with this sin.” And when he had said this, he fell asleep.
And seeing the multitudes, He went up on a mountain, and when He was seated His disciples came to Him. 2 Then He opened His mouth and taught them, saying:
3 “Blessed are the poor in spirit, For theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
4 Blessed are those who mourn, For they shall be comforted.
5 Blessed are the meek, For they shall inherit the earth.
6 Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, For they shall be filled.
7 Blessed are the merciful, For they shall obtain mercy.
8 Blessed are the pure in heart, For they shall see God.
9 Blessed are the peacemakers, For they shall be called sons of God.
10 Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, For theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 11 Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake. 12 Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
Reminder: Blessed (makarios) - supremely blessed, fortunate, well off, happy
This is an internal blessing unlike eulogeo that means external blessing prosper
Review:
Blessed are those who are poor in spirit…. Those who are totally bankrupt before God and see their need for Him
Blessed are those who Mourn…. Those who mourn over there sins against God will be blessed
Blessed are the meek… Meekness is not weakness, it is Strength under control of the Holy Spirit
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst… Hunger and thirst are necessities for a sanctified life, and righteousness only comes from Jesus.
Blessed are the Merciful… Those who continue to see a need for God’s mercy in their lives and allow that mercy to overflow to others.
Blessed are those who are Pure In Heart… Those who have been born again…
Blessed are those who are Peacemakers… Those who bring God’s Righteousness (Jesus) into every situation.
Key verses: 10 Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, For theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 11 Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake. 12 Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
What is persecution?
Greek: Dioko (dee-o-ko) to make someone to run, to put to flight , to drive away, to pursue in a hostile manner, to harass, to trouble, to mistreat, to be hostile, to be accusative.
2 Tim 3:12 NKJV
12 Yes, and ALL who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution.
Philippians 1:29 NKJV
9 For to you it has been granted on behalf of Christ, not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer for His sake,
II. Where does persecution come from?
Ps 143:3 NKJV
For the enemy has persecuted my soul; He has crushed my life to the ground; He has made me dwell in darkness, Like those who have long been dead.
John 15:18-20 NKJV
18 “If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you. 19 If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. 20 Remember the word that I said to you, ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you. If they kept My word, they will keep yours also.
III. What is the reward for persecution?
Stephen being persecuted… The first martyr in scripture…
Acts 7:54-60 NKJV
54 When they heard these things they were cut to the heart, and they gnashed at him with their teeth. 55 But he, being full of the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God, 56 and said, “Look! I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God!”
57 Then they cried out with a loud voice, stopped their ears, and ran at him with one accord; 58 and they cast him out of the city and stoned him. And the witnesses laid down their clothes at the feet of a young man named Saul. 59 And they stoned Stephen as he was calling on God and saying, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” 60 Then he knelt down and cried out with a loud voice, “Lord, do not charge them with this sin.” And when he had said this, he fell asleep.