Yea Verily
I found this through Steve Webster’s blog and I thought it was very appropriate given some conversations I’ve had in recent days.
Lyric(s) of the Day
Bob Dylan/New Morning/If Not For You
“Most of the timeI’m clear focused all around,
Most of the time
I can keep both feet on the ground,
I can follow the path, I can read the signs,
Stay right with it, when the road unwinds,
I can handle whatever I stumble upon,
I don’t even notice she’s gone,
Most of the time”
Bob Dylan/Oh Mercy/Most of the Time
Lyric(s) of the Day
-Mute Math
The Promise of Pain-Matthew (Part one, incomplete)
This is the first (incomplete) installment in a series of posts I’ll be making over the semester and probably into the summer about the topic of persecution for believers throughout the New Testament. This is not and exhaustive account, it’s just what I am finding and chasing down as I read through it. Enjoy and comment.
-The Promise of Pain-
-Strife and Self-Sacrifice for Believers in the New Testament-
Dave Ferrier
The Gospel According to Matthew
References/Summaries
Matt. 5:11-“Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account”
Matt. 7:24-27-The parable of the wise man who built his house on the rock and foolish man who built his house on the sand. The storms came for both men. Only the man who built his house on the rock was able to endure the storms.
Matt. 8:18-22-“The Cost of Following Jesus.” “The Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head.” “Follow me, and leave the dead to bury their own dead.”
Matt. 10-The sending out of the twelve. Persecution is promised in verses 16 through 24.
Matt. 11:29-“Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for you souls.” (Emphasis added)
Matt. 14:1-12-John the Baptist is imprisoned and killed for teaching the way of righteousness.
Matt. 16:24-27-“…If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole worlds and forfeits his life? Or what shall a man give in return for his life?”
Matt. 18:4-“Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.”
Matt. 19:29-30-“And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or lands, for my name’s sake, will receive a hundredfold and will inherit eternal life. But many who are first will be last, and the last first.”
Matt. 20:25-28-“…You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. It shall not be so among you. But whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be your slave, even as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”
Matt. 23:11-12-“The greatest among you shall be your servant. Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.”
Matt. 24:9-“Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and put you to death, and you will be hated by all nations for my name’s sake.”
Analysis
Jesus is certainly not silent on the subject of pain for believers in this book. Not only does he tell his disciples that they will encounter persecution, but he tells them that they will be reviled by all nations because of him. He also commands us to die to ourselves and give ourselves to each other the same as he did.
Persecution
The first time that Jesus predicts persecution for his disciples on his account (Matt. 5:11,12) is at the end of his series of statements known as the beatitudes that opens the Sermon on the Mount (Matt. 5, 6, 7:1-27). He promises the large group of people following him that others will falsely speak evil against them because of his name (5:11-“…when others revile you and persecute you…” Emphasis added). He does offer hope, however, in verse 12 when he says, “Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.” It’s interesting that just after this first declaration of trials for the faithful he offers encouragement and promise. Every statement of persecution to come, therefore, carries with it the promise of rewards in heaven, even if not included in that particular statement.
One note on verse 12 that would be easy to overlook. In that one statement, he links all who believe in him with the prophets of old, the very mouthpieces of God. If that is not reason for self worth in Christ, I don’t know what is.
