The Sermon on the Mount #2

Well, good morning.

Something happened 2,000 years ago.

Something major.

A pivotal event in history that was and is the biggest game-changer of all time.

Have you ever dropped a pebble in a steel pond

and watched those concentric circles go out?

On the outskirts of Jerusalem,

something took place that rippled all the way out to Sydney, Australia,

and has actually rippled throughout the entire world,

permeating the 21st century.

That event?

Jesus' physical resurrection from the dead.

This was a miraculous event

that completely defies the laws of nature,

common knowledge, reasonable thinking,

and goes against every lived experience and human understanding.

It's the linchpin that holds the Christian message together.

No resurrection.

Jesus was just another teacher or prophet

who said and apparently did some amazing things.

But he's dead now.

No message of hope without the resurrection.

When you actually see someone destroyed,

nailed to a cross,

breathe their last breath,

embalmed and laid in a tomb,

and then three days later,

you see them in a locked room,

wind up eating fish with them by a lake,

and hang out with them for 40 days,

so there's no doubt.

There's no more speculating or guessing.

We don't reincarnate or cease to exist.

We physically resurrect

into a body that hasn't had its memory wiped,

that is recognisable,

a body that cannot be destroyed,

and that will last forever.

Imagine seeing someone rise from the dead.

It's jaw-dropping stuff.

You're going to spend the rest of your life

telling people about it,

encouraging them,

and warning them to be ready.

That all around us that we see,

this isn't all there is.

There is more to come.

You wouldn't just feel obliged to tell people.

There'd be a sense of urgency,

as we don't know when Jesus will return,

and we don't know when our time will be up.

If we really love and care about anyone at all,

then we'd be telling them about what we know for certain.

What happens next?

We resurrect.

The resurrection turned weak-willed people

who would cow down at the slightest hint of persecution

into bold proclaimers of the gospel,

ready to lay down their lives

as they knew what would come back.

that they would come back.

And they didn't definitely make this story up

and perpetuate some lie.

Why would they die for a lie?

You know the saying,

YOLO, you only live once.

It's just not true.

We live forever,

and the gospel is good news

that if we repent of our sin

and trust in Jesus,

we escape God's good and right judgment.

Do we realize that we deserve condemnation

and the second death?

By God's gracious gift,

eternity awaits the faithful in the new creation,

a forever kingdom

which is completely upside down

to the way in which the world currently lives.

What I've just said

is the truth.

This is not blind faith.

We're invited to enter the Christian faith

with eyes wide open.

We can use reason and logic

and examine the historically compelling evidence.

Yet for some in our current age

and ever since the resurrection took place,

this message is considered utter madness.

What happens when the message is shared?

Some people want to know more.

Some rejoice and embrace it.

And others seek to persecute,

ridicule,

and even attempt to completely silence

and stamp out the message.

Last week,

we began our summer series

from the Sermon on the Mount

when Jesus makes a pronouncement

about the kingdom of God.

Jesus invites us

to be part of his long-awaited kingdom

and instructs his followers

about the nature of the kingdom life,

detailing characteristics

that are upside down

to the world in which we live.

The Beatitudes,

the beautiful attitudes,

contrast Jesus' values

and the values of the world.

Jesus' values,

poor in spirit,

the world values,

self-confident.

Those who mourn,

self-indulge,

seek pleasure.

Those who are meek,

those who are self-important

and arrogant.

Those who hunger and thirst

for righteousness,

those who are self-reliant

and proud.

Those who are merciful,

those who are self-righteous

and unforgiving.

Those who are pure in heart,

those who are self-directed,

libertines.

Those who are self-governing,

those who are peacemakers,

those who are self-governing

and hostile.

Those who are persecuted

because of righteousness,

those who self-promote

and are popular

and seek to conform.

Now, while we just had the passage

read to us about salt and light,

being salt and light

is one of the reasons

we are persecuted.

So I'm actually going to be

emphasising the persecuted part today

and pick up on salt and light

next week.

We notice that the world's values

place at the centre

the self

and life revolves around

the self.

In contrast,

God's way is completely upside down

and we replace self

with Christ.

And we want to desire

what he values

and that is at the centre

of our lives.

We must not conclude

that the Beatitudes

are burdensome,

ethical demands,

which Jesus is calling

his listeners

to meritorious attempt

at earning salvation

by living out

these characteristics.

Jesus' Beatitudes

and statements

are of grace,

not law.

These blessings

aren't just for the future,

they can be found

in the present.

Today we're actually

going to focus on

blessed are those

who are persecuted

because of righteousness.

As I mentioned last week,

this is counterintuitive

and sounds masochistic.

What it does not mean

is this.

It does not mean

we're to carry around

a persecution complex,

woe is me,

or deliberately

seek out suffering,

living a miserable,

self-inflicted

Job existence.

Jesus is not talking

about persecution

that can result

from our own sin.

We reap what we sow

and as a result

may suffer

as we justly receive

consequences

for our own foolish actions.

And Jesus is not

talking about

blessed are those

who are persecuted

because they're objectionable

or because they rave on

like wild-eyed fanatics

or because they pursue

some religio-political cause.

The blessing is restricted

to those who suffer

persecution

because of righteousness.

Those who experience

suffering,

they're mocked,

they're ridiculed,

falsely accused,

brought down

because they're determined

to love

and live like Jesus.

sharing the gospel

of forgiveness

and the hope

of resurrection

and their suffering

for it.

Jesus goes on

to teach

that this is the way

it was

right back.

He says,

in the same way

they persecuted

the prophets

who were before you.

So I'm going to share

some stories

this morning

that outline

how this has played out

through biblical history

and flowed out

into our modern era

beginning with the prophets

Jesus spoke of.

Now remember,

a prophet

is a messenger of God.

Prophets brought

God's message

in word

and righteous living

and sometimes

they had to live out

a parable

like Hosea.

There were warnings

to turn back to God

to repent

and live obedient lives.

Prophets were calling

people to live

compassionate lives

and to seek justice

and prophets

also reminded people

of God's promises

that one day

in the future

there'll be a new hope

a messianic age

and a messiah's coming.

So trust God

he's got it covered.

Prophets

were not popular.

Usually

whatever the king

believed

filtered down

to the people.

So if the leadership

was disobedient

to God's commands

if they were immoral

and idolatrous

then the people

followed that example

and followed

the leader's lead.

The prophets

frustrated the kings

the priesthood

and the common people.

No one likes

their disobedience

highlighted

and so when you're

salt and light

in the world

that tends to highlight

disobedience around you

and again I'm going to

talk about that

more next week.

So just like

in today's society

if you proclaim

God's word

it's not well received.

Because they spoke up

and lived lives

worthy of their calling

desiring praise

from God

not from man

here's how some

ended up

persecuted

because of righteousness

and their demise

often came at the hands

of the religious

and their own people.

Tradition records

Isaiah

was thawed in two

under the evil king

Manasseh of Judah.

Jeremiah

was stoned to death

by his own people

for calling out

idolatry.

Ezekiel

was killed

in Babylonia

by what was recorded

as the leader

of the Israelite exiles

for confronting them

about their idolatry.

Micah

was killed

by Joram

King Ahab's son.

Amos

was tortured

severely

by Amaziah

the priest

of Bethel

and later

mortally wounded

by a club

by Amaziah's son.

Habakkuk

was stoned

to death

in Jerusalem.

Blessed are those

who are persecuted

because of righteousness

rejoice

and be glad

because great

is your reward

in heaven

at the resurrection.

In John's gospel

Jesus declared

to his followers

if the world

hates you

keep in mind

that it hated

me first.

If you belong

to the world

it would love you

as its own.

As it is

you do not belong

to the world

but I have chosen

you out of the world.

that is why

the world

hates you.

Remember

what I told you

if they persecuted

me

they will

persecute

you

also.

Two thousand

years ago

something happened

having given up

at the cross

the followers

of Jesus

had a new

spring in their

step

resurrection

hope

and Jesus

ascension

and at

Pentecost

emboldened

by the power

of the Holy Spirit

the first thing

Peter does

he shares

the good news

with everyone

and like the

droplet in the

pond

the message

spreads

like wildfire

and we're

speaking about

it now

on the 9th

of January

2022

here in

Sydney.

Luke records

in the book

of Acts

events that

followed

as the apostles

shared the good

news of Jesus.

firstly

people were

added to the

number daily

thousands

God's kingdom

was advancing

there were people

embracing the

message

and wanted to

know more

Jews and

Gentiles were

hearing the

message of

hope and

turning to

Jesus

but not

everyone felt

the same

way

it's not long

before there is

an attempt to

shut down the

message

in Acts 5

for sharing

the gospel

the religious

leaders

imprison

apostles

and put

them in

jail

but during

the night

an angel

comes and

they're

released

when the

religious

leaders get

the news

of this

this is

what they

decide

they called

the apostles

in and had

them flogged

then they

ordered them

not to speak

in the name

of Jesus

and then

let them

go

the apostles

left the

Sanhedrin

strangely

rejoicing

because they'd

be counted

worthy of

suffering

disgrace

for the

name of

Jesus

later

Stephen is

stoned

to death

he's

seized

and we read

in Acts

Acts 8:1

chapter 8

verse 1

on that

day a

great

persecution

broke out

against the

church

encouragingly

the last

words Stephen

spoke

almost emulate

Jesus'

last words

Lord

do not

hold this

sin against

them

and we

remember

last week

blessed

are the

merciful

for they

will be

shown

mercy

well how

did the

apostles

meet their

end

John died

of old

age

but everyone

else

well

Peter

Philip

and Bartholomew

were crucified

upside down

Andrew

Thaddeus

Jude

and Simon

were crucified

Matthias

and James

son of

Alphaeus

were stoned

to death

like Stephen

James

son of

Zebedee

was beheaded

or stabbed

by a sword

Matthew

and Thomas

were speared

Luke

was hanged

on an

olive tree

Mark

was dragged

to death

Paul

was beheaded

James

Jesus'

brother

was thrown

off a wall

and then

clubbed to

death

most of

these

at the

hands

of God's

people

the religious

remember

they gave

up at the

cross

they gave

up

but something

happened

and they're

emboldened

by the

resurrection

they spoke

boldly

until

Emperor

Constantine

large scale

persecution

followed

often at the

hands now

of the

Gentiles

the Roman

authorities

one such

example

around

155

AD

the

pastor

Polycarp

was martyred

he was

taken to

the Roman

governor

and refused

to bow

down

and honour

Caesar

as divine

Polycarp

was burnt

at the

stake

and he

prayed

Lord

God

Father

of our

blessed

Saviour

I thank

thee that

I've been

deemed

worthy

to receive

the crown

of martyrdom

and that

I may

die for

thee

and thy

cause

in the

days

leading up

to their

martyrdom

in 1555

the church

reformers

Bishop

Latimer

and Bishop

Ridley

were given

a chance

to recant

their

evangelical

faith

and convert

to

Catholicism

they refused

and were

burnt at the

stake

where Bishop

Latimer

famously

said to

Bishop

Ridley

while tied

to the

post

be of

good

comfort

we

shall

this

day

light

such

a

candle

for

God's

grace

in

England

as I

trust

shall

never

be

put

out

sadly

just as

the first

Jewish

believers

in

Christ

were

martyred

for

their

belief

by

the

religious

Christian

sectarianism

has seen

religious

persecution

in

Queen

Mary's

reign

alone

280

Protestants

were

persecuted

and killed

so let's

now fast

forward

to the

20th

century

there's

been

more

persecution

in

the

last

hundred

years

than

all

the

previous

centuries

combined

Richard

Wurmbrand

the author

of 24

books

minister

of the

gospel

and

CEO

of

Jesus

mission

to

the

communist

world

until

his

death

in

2001

of

natural

causes

collated

and

recorded

numerous

stories

of the

persecution

of

Christians

for

being

a

follower

of

Jesus

himself

he

was

imprisoned

for

14

years

tortured

in

communist

Romania

between

1948

and

1964

he

recalls

one

story

from

his

book

in

the

face

of

surrender

Bishop

Victor

Belich

a

Ukrainian

Christian

spent

24

years

in

communist

jails

if

he

wanted

to

get

out

all

he

had

to

do

was

recant

and

say

I

turn

my

back

on

Jesus

I

don't

believe

this

anymore

and

turn

away

from

God

the

first

20

years

20

years

so

who's

here in

the audience

not 20

yet

so

all your

life so

far

and then

add

some

on

he

spent in

prison

in a

small

cell

where he

had to

walk

around

like an

animal

in a

circus

and he

couldn't

stop

walking

if he

did

they would

throw

cold

water

on him

and

beat

him

if he

broke

down

he would

get a

straw

mattress

and he'd

only get

seven hours

sleep

a night

so for

17 hours

a day

he was

wandering

around

this

small

cell

surveyed

by

jailers

no

contact

from

family

no

contact

from

friends

after

this

strict

regime

he was

actually

sent

for

another

four

years

to

northern

Siberia

where the

snow

never

melts

Richard

Wurmbrand

met him

and asked

him

how could

you bear

this

persecution

after years

in solitary

confinement

and a

starvation

diet

he replied

singing a

song

that he

composed

himself

and

Richard

Wurmbrand

actually

records

that

his face

lit up

when he

sang it

like

Stephen's

face

that lit

up

before

he

passed

and

this

is

the

song

I

don't

know

the

tune

he

said

with

the

flames

of

love's

fire

that

Jesus

kindled

in

my

heart

I

caused

the

ice

of

Siberia

to

melt

hallelujah

wow

I don't

know

if we

could

stand

that

ourselves

or put

up

with

it

the

organization

open

doors

which you

should

know

of

or hope

you

know

of

seek

to

strengthen

and equip

Christians

around

the

world

who are

facing

persecution

and

discrimination

because

of

their

faith

in

Jesus

Christ

they

have

countless

stories

one

of

which

includes

the

story

of

a

Ugandan

girl

Susan

who was

just

14

years

old

when

her

strict

Islamic

family

found

out

that

she

had

become

a

Christian

her

father

locked

her

in

a

room

and

told

her

to

sit

on

a

mat

until

she

was

willing

to

deny

Jesus

she

remained

there

three

months

before

she

was

rescued

she

refused

to

deny

Jesus

according

to the

International

Society

of

Human

Rights

now

this

is

a

non

religious

organisation

80%

of all

acts

of

religious

discrimination

in the

world

today

are

directed

at

Christians

approximately

340

million

Christians

in the

top

50

countries

of the

world

watch

list

experience

high

levels

of

persecution

the

Bible

is

banned

in

over

a

quarter

of

the

world's

countries

one

Christian

is

killed

every

five

minutes

now

I hope

I haven't

laboured

the point

too much

and I

can assure

you

this is

the

edited

PG

version

the

lesson

follow

Jesus

love

like

Jesus

live

like

Jesus

declare

this

message

and you

can expect

to face

persecution

in some

form

or another

these are

not my

words

these are

Jesus

words

paraphrased

Jesus

words

are

these

blessed

are

those

who

are

persecuted

because

of

righteousness

they

will

share

in the

suffering

of

prophets

who

went

before

them

Australia

as a

nation

is moving

further

from the

Christian

faith

don't

wish

it

but

expect

pressure

to ramp

up

the

Christian

journalist

Greg

Sheridan

who's

recently

written

a few

novels

the

urgent

case

for

Jesus

in

the

world

and

God

is

good

for

you

noted

recently

in

the

Australian

our

culture

is in

need

of

all

the

help

it

can

get

modern

liberalism

cut off

from the

sustenance

of its

Christian

roots

is running

mad

down

every

dead

end

diving

into

every

poison

creek

of

extremes

and if

not the

war of

all

against

all

an

increasing

intolerance

of almost

all

for

anybody

they

disagree

with

the

sermon

on the

mount

is

counter

cultural

it's

upside

down

it

holds

the

antidote

for

how

we

should

live

in

the

world

but

people

don't

want

to

hear

it

and

they're

actually

working

really

hard

to

silence

and

shut

down

the

gospel

message

if

we

don't

side

with

the

secular

culture

expect

intolerance

character

assassination

to

be

cancelled

vilified

in

the

press

or

worse

the

atheist

journalist

peter

fit

simmons

regularly

targets

christians

and apart

from ridiculing

the belief

he labours

the point

keep it

to yourself

the problem

with that

is there's

no place

in christianity

to hold a

personal

private

quiet

faith

we're not

to keep

it to

ourselves

jesus

commanded

go and

make

disciples

go

go

and make

disciples

that's

every

one

of

us

it's

easy

to

conform

to

go

with

the

status

quo

and

go

along

with

the

crowd

we

need

to

be

on

guard

so

that

we

don't

fall

away

jesus

warned

his

followers

later

in

matthew

Matthew 7 · chapter mention

chapter

7

watch

out

there'll

be

wolves

in

sheep's

clothing

jesus

went

on

to

teach

in

the

parable

of

the

sower

it's

very

familiar

in

matthew

13

the

seed

falling

on

rocky

ground

refers

to

someone

who

hears

the

word

of

god

and

at

once

receives

it

with

joy

but

since

they

have

no

root

it

only

lasts

a

short

time

when

trouble

or

persecution

comes

because

of

the

word

they

quickly

fall

away

and

it's

because

the

seed

has

fallen

on

rocky

ground

sadly

Christians

and

religious

leaders

are buckling

from

pressure

to

conform

in

society

to

no

longer

listen

to

god's

word

or

obey

god's

word

and

their

roots

are

exposed

as

rocky

ground

it's

even

seeping

into

our

Anglican

schools

throughout

Australia

our

schools

which

are

shaping

our

next

generation

there

are

chaplains

who

don't

believe

in

the

resurrection

they

openly

endorse

immorality

they

teach

pluralism

are

given

directives

to

assume

that

everyone

is

saved

or

to

teach

people

are

mostly

good

and

talk

in

general

terms

about

god

but

don't

talk

about

Jesus

an

attempt

to

make

Christianity

attractional

through

moralistic

theism

which

is

basically

be a

good

person

and

god's

kind

of

good

for

you

popular

Christianity

is not

biblical

and

biblical

Christianity

is not

popular

while

we're all

gifted in

different

ways

we're

one

body

with

many

parts

if we

really

care

about

people

we

can't

keep

this

message

of

hope

to

ourselves

we

share

because

we

care

and

we

care

enough

to

share

Jesus

whatever

stage of

life

we're

in

whatever

our

gender

our

age

our

occupation

the

Sermon

on the

Mount

calls

the followers

of Jesus

to

righteousness

love

and live

like

Jesus

and openly

declare this

message

both in

word

and

deed

how much

do we

value the

name of

Jesus

and how

willing are

we to

follow him

Jesus

reminds us

to count

the cost

if anyone

would come

after me

they must

deny

themselves

and take

up their

cross

and follow

me

for whoever

wants to

save their

life will

lose it

but whoever

loses their

life for me

and for the

gospel

will save

it

grace

is a

free

gift

but there

is a

cost

following

Jesus

if we

are salt

and light

in the

world

this

exposes

darkness

and people

don't like

that

and we're

going to

explore this

a bit

more

next week

in more

detail

taking up

your cross

and following

Jesus

means we

have to

accept the

whole

Jesus

not only

what is

pleasant

but his

crown of

thorns

if you've

never

experienced

some form

of persecution

and you're

faithful

I'm not

wishing this

on you

but it

will happen

sooner or

later

at the

moment in

Australia

I think

it's low

level

maybe some

name calling

possibly some

physical

hit out

or maybe

you're

shunned

it's not

so bad

if you have

experienced

persecution

and found

yourself

crying out

why God

remember

Jesus

has walked

in our

shoes

Jesus

was left

alone

Jesus

was ridiculed

Jesus

was beaten

down

he was

broken

he was

betrayed

Jesus

was falsely

accused

he was

let down

by close

friends

he was

hurt

and he

shed

tears

when we

cry out

in anguish