October 4, 2026 -- Day Four of Joy: Matthew 5:11-12
/People loved by the Father, in the Spirit's power: Sh'ma ~ hear and obey Jesus!
11 “Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. 12 Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you. [1]
Matthew 5:11-12 ESV
Upon hearing someone who seemed to rarely read the Bible but stated the Sermon on the Mount was his favorite passage, Sinclair Ferguson remarked “I wonder if he’s actually read it”. Would it surprise you to know today’s text is part of the Sermon on the Mount? A believer in Jesus Christ will face persecution—everything from ridicule to imprisonment to death.
Jesus told His audience, rejoice, literally, choose joy when you are reviled, persecuted and people speak evil against you. That kind of opposition is a sign of your devotion to Jesus. It is a sign that the Father has, in fact, yanked you from the kingdom of darkness and placed you in the Kingdom of Light, the Kingdom of the Son He loves. The Spirit of the Living God is guarding your witness and even uses the push back you receive to witness to your oppressors.
Father in heaven thank You for the new life that is mine in Christ. Thank You that whatever I might suffer for the sake of Jesus is evidence of the great reward that is stored up for me in heaven. Spirit of God give me both the faith and courage to live out loud for Jesus. Amen.
https://youtu.be/TxC16duiHvQ?si=roiYlWkJUe0vSgP8
[1] The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2025), Mt 5:11–12.
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