The Way to True Happinessنموونە

Matthew 5:10 — Blessed are the persecuted

Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake! That is the climax of the beatitudes. Jesus has spoken about the characteristics of those who enter His Kingdom. Now He tells His followers what they will face on the way. This warning must have surprised and shocked Jesus' disciples. Who would think of that - persecution? They had climbed the mountain with great expectations, and perhaps a little triumphantly. They stand at the threshold of the Kingdom of heaven. And yet they hear these words. Jesus speaks by the wisdom of the Spirit. Pursuing the righteousness of the Kingdom will not lead to dominance but to weakness and persecution. On that road, Christ Himself will lead the way as the suffering Servant of God. The devil's kingdom will grow in strength. Blessed are those who do not withdraw from the battle. The Kingdom of heaven belongs to those who give up life and treasure for it.

The faith of God's children is revealed in their walk of life. Those who do not share this faith will notice but will not understand. Jesus foretells that they will be persecuted because they desire to be His followers and live in harmony with God's holy will. That is the reason that they will be persecuted. They will endure no matter what happens to them. They will be blessed. It may seem strange that Jesus makes the transition from peacemaking to persecution. As Christ’s followers we try to make peace, but there will always be those who refuse to live in peace with us. It is because they loath the righteousness we crave for (Matthew 5:6) and because they reject Christ. Persecution is simply the conflict between two irreconcilable ways of life. One is living in fellowship with God, accepting His authority and accepting Jesus as Savior. The other is rebelling against God and against those who obey Jesus Christ as Lord. Despite oppression and persecution, don't let the happiness of being Jesus' follower be taken away from you!