Sermon - March 28, 2010
Get Blessed: Take That
Palm Sunday 2010
Zechariah 9:9 John 12:12-19,
Matthew 5:10-11
The
Beatitudes, or Be-Attitudes, are the character map for the conduct of
every Christian. Last week we were reminded how each beatitude builds on
the one before it. Poverty of spirit, leads us to mourn our sins, become
meek, which in turn causes us to hunger and thirst for righteousness.
Being satisfied only with the things of God, we become merciful toward
others, our hearts made tender and pure by the cleansing by the blood of
Christ, we are prepared to partner with God in peace-making. So the
beatitude that follows on the heels of the peacemaker is consequential
to all the beatitudes that precede it. Peacemaking evokes persecution.
Ironically, peaceful demonstrations can terminate in gunfire, riot,
arrest, and death. Peacemakers can and do get crucified, socially,
economically, or physically.
Jesus
lived as the paramount Peacemaker: God's means of reconciliation with
the human race. He upheld the truth about God's character, God's love,
our nature and our sinfulness. He suffered injustice for the sake of
justice, paying the price that we might be made right with God. When
Jesus rode into Jerusalem that first Palm Sunday, surrounded on all
sides by crowds hailing Him as the promised Messiah, God's anointed, He
knew that by the end of the week, peace would be made in blood and
agony. Early on in His ministry, here in Matthew 5:10-11, Jesus begins
to prepare His disciples and followers for what they would sooner or
later encounter: Blessed are those who are persecuted because of
righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you
when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil
against you because of me.
On the surface, it makes no sense at all. How
can it be that Jesus, the healer, the miracle worker, the teacher of
God's truth, the preacher of God's salvation, the raiser of the dead,
can parade through the capital city with hosannas and cheers on Sunday,
then suffer the worst capital punishment, crucifiction, five days later?
Just as God will not tolerate sin, evil cannot withstand the purity and
goodness of God. Just as light dispels darkness, righteousness exposes
unrighteousness. What is done in the dark does not want to be seen in
the light. Hypocrisy, duplicity, deceit, greed, lust, avarice, are laid
bare in the brilliance of God in Jesus Christ. Jesus Himself teaches
that His disciples can expect as much.
If the world hates you, keep in mind that
it hated me first. If you belonged to the world it would love you as its
own. As it is you don not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out
of the world. That is why the world hates you. Jn. 15:18-19
From the first pages of the Bible, the
righteous of God have been the target of the jealous, the arrogant, and
the unrighteous. Adam and Eve's youngest son Able, was murdered by his
brother Cain over an offering to God. Moses suffered persecution not
only from Pharaoh, but from his own people. Joseph was sold into slavery
by his own brothers. Daniel faced lions. Jeremiah was left for dead in
a dry cistern. The prophet Elijah was hunted like prey by dragon lady
Queen Jezebel. King Saul sought to assassinate David who comforted his
fits and seizures. No servant of God escaped some form of persecution..
It has been said that historically, the foundation of the
Church was built on the blood of its martyrs. In the first years of the
Church the word martyr, referred to one who witnessed Jesus life. But
early on, with the waves of persecution taking the lives of committed
saints, martyrdom became synonymous with suffering death for faith in
Jesus Christ. Saints were beaten or stoned to death, fed to lions,
burned at the stake, flayed alive, skewered, sewn up in animal skins and
tossed to wild dogs, beheaded, crucified, drenched in pitch and set
ablaze as torches for Nero's gardens - just because they would not
acknowledge the Emperor as Lord. A pinch of incense and a bow would have
spared their lives, but they refused to bow to no one but the Lord and
preferred even grizzly death to remain faithful to Christ .
When
Constantine embraced Christianity, persecution of the saints abated. The
sensibilities of most Americans would disallow that such atrocities
could ever happen in today's modern world. Next time you are on line,
Google Voice of the Martyrs website. Take a look at the suffering that
is being endured for the love of Jesus Christ today. On Feb. 28th
in Iran, Church leaders were arrested by twenty secret police who
confiscated computers, telephones, literature and many Bibles. In
India, on March 8th in India, ten extremists forceably broke
into the home of a pastor during a prayer meeting and beat the pastor
with broken bottles while mercilessly kicking and beating him. During
unrest preceding the March 7th parliamentary election, three
Christians were killed in Mosul Iraq. Far more more Christians have been
martyred in modern times, than in the first centuries of the Christian
Church.
We lived
in a civilized society, Nothing like that would happen here.
That was the supposition of the folks in Littleton,
Colorado...Then one day, at Columbine High school, a boy pointed a gun
at Rachel Joy Scott, a devout Christian, and demanded, “Do you believe
in God?” When she acknowledged her faith, he opened fire, killing her,
11 other students, and one teacher. In their book, Rachel's Tears, a
spiritual journey of Columbine Martyr Rachel Scott, her
parents contend that their daughter was targeted by the killers based on
video tapes in which the perpetrators mock her by name for her beliefs.
Presently,
there are social influences in our society which are bearing greater
pressure on Christians. Seldom are Christians favorably portrayed in the
media. In the public arena Christians are becoming stereotyped as being
self-righteous, narrow minded, and intolerant. The message of Salvation
in Jesus Christ is berated as exclusive, judgmental, and naive.
Television programing maintains its subtle but ever present bias against
Christianity and the Church. Beloved, it is only a matter of time before
the underlying hostilities against Christ and His Church will become
blatantly obvious. Christ centered believers are square pegs that
irritate, agitate and infuriate the round holes of the carnal world.
When we commit ourselves Jesus Christ, a
radical change takes place. By the power of the Holy Spirit, Christ
Himself dwells in our hearts just as He promises in John 14:23 If
anyone loves Me he will obey My teaching. My Father will love him , and
we will come to him and make our home with him. Through the workings
of the Holy Spirit, we are gradually re-wired from a carnal existence,
to abundant life in the Kingdom of God. The world notices. You're
different; not just on the surface, but at the very root. You spend your
time and your money differently. Life lived under the influence and
dynamic power of the Holy Spirit produces a lifestyle that is all
together alien to the dictates of the world. The child of God should
stick out like a sore thumb, not because he or she is intrusive, or
obstinate, or obnoxious, but because he or she responds to life through
the Spirit, instead of reacting in the flesh.
People
who do not know God, who suffer guilt, deep seated resentment, or
practice blatant rebellion, may not welcome your peaceful joy. They may
ridicule your values and beliefs. They may ignore you – as if you are
invisible, or snicker, or mock you behind your back, savor and spread
gossipy lies about you, taunt you, undermine your effectiveness, level
totally false accusations or berate you publicly, and hurl insults at
you.
In essence, Jesus tells His disciples, “What did you
expect?” John15:20 Remember, the words I spoke to you:' No servant is
greater than his master.' If they persecuted me, they will persecute
you also.” The Apostle Paul assures young Timothy, pastor of the
mega church in Ephesus as the membership was vacating in the heat of
persecution, In fact everyone
one who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted
while evil men and impostors will go from bad to worse, deceiving and
being deceived.” If your witness is real, persecution is inevitable.
So how do we deal with it? We deal with it they way Jesus did.
In the
garden of Gethsemane, one of His own betrays him with a kiss. Take that.
Does Jesus get all up in his face? I don't think so, Friend, do what
you came for. Mt. 26:50. A cohort of armed Temple guards, seize and
arrest Jesus. Take that! Peter rises to the Master's defense, does Jesus
join in retaliation? Put
your sword back in its place, for all who draw the sword will die by the
sword. Jesus is bound and taken to the High Priest where false
witnesses misquote and accuse Him. Take that. But I say to all of
you, in the future you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand
of the Mighty One and coming on the clouds of heaven. Jesus main man
denies Him. Take that. Pilate has Him flogged. Take that. Soldiers mock
Him. Take that! Jesus is led up to Calvary bearing his cross until so
weak from lost blood and exhaustion he collapses under the weight. Take
that. The hammer slams the nails in his hands and feet. Take that.
Father forgive them they know not what they do.
It is so
important beloved, that we get this, the Lord repeats Himself. Matthew
5:11: Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and
falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me. First of
all, know that you are blessed. Persecution is a reaction to Christ in
you. Christian faith is not a cause, or religion, or even a code of good
works for moral living. Christian faith is letting Christ live through
you. It's not you attackers are outraged against, it's Jesus in you.
Secondly,
you are blessed, happy because you are in good company.
In the same way they persecuted the prophets who were
before you. Jesus tells us, “My people have always gotten into this
kind of trouble.” Read the Hall of Faith in Hebrews Chapter 11. Those
are your colleagues, who endured the testing of their faith to receive
the promise of glory. How many thousands, millions of others unknown to
us, but precious in the sight of God have endured persecution for their
love of Christ. You are not alone. The grandstands are loaded!
Finally, you are blessed when people insult you, persecute you and
falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Christ. Rejoice
and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven. Day before
yesterday, I buried one of my dearest friends, Margaret. I was her
pastor for three years,. She was my friend for 25. It was a friendship
birthed in the crucible of ridicule, rejection, and persecution from the
church I served in which she was a member. God has a special reward for
people like Margaret who befriend pastors under fire. Jesus promises in
Matthew 10:41 Anyone who receives a prophet
because he is a prophet will receive a prophet's reward.
At this moment
Margaret is enjoying her reward for risking to be my
friend at an unseasonable time in a very unfriendly place. Her
compassion, wisdom, and non-judgmental support taught me to care for
those who did not care for me a whit.
Friday,
when I returned to that town to officiate her graveside service, I was
reminded of those dark days inflicted upon my family when church people
schemed against their pastor, falsely accused me of things of which I
knew nothing, lied and undermined the ministry I was called to do, and
disdained the person I was called to be. Take that.
At one point, I was so discouraged, I desperately cried out to
the Lord, and after a long rant, I pleaded, “How do you love a people
who refuse to receive you?” In the silence that followed, from the
deepest wells of my spirit,the Lord said, “You die for them.”
You see,
it wasn't about me. It's not about us. It's about Jesus. And when we
endure any form of persecution because of our love for Him, we share in
the fellowship of His sufferings as He intimately shares in ours. It is
an eternal bond in the Spirit that has no equal in the flesh. And to all
of that Jesus says, Rejoice and be glad for great is your reward in
heaven.
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