One of my friends used to teach a large Sunday school class. When he had something especially challenging to share, he would look at the group and say, “Real talk alert.”
Well, today’s Bible passage in the Beatitudes is a real talk alert for us.
The people who went up the mountain with Jesus to learn about God’s Kingdom now find out that if they keep following Him, they’ll face persecution and opposition. During His ministry, Jesus experienced both acceptance and opposition, and His followers will, too.
This is what Jesus said about it:
“Blessed are those who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are you when people revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account.
Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you” (Matthew 5:10-12).
Opposing Forces
In the Gospel of Matthew, we see many who oppose Jesus. In chapter 4, the devil tries to distract Jesus from God’s plan right after His baptism.
After we finish the Sermon on the Mount in chapter 7, we’ll notice a time when some people respond positively to Jesus while others oppose Him.
Why would people oppose the greatest Man to walk the earth? Jesus was opposed because He turned the world’s attitudes and actions upside down.
John understood this truth and wrote about how the world will oppose those who follow God. He actually tells followers of Jesus not to align themselves with the world because it opposes what God wants for them.
“Do not love the world or the things in the world. The love of the Father is not in those who love the world.
For all that is in the world—the desire of the flesh, the desire of the eyes, the pride in riches—comes not from the Father but from the world” (1 John 2:15-16).
Jesus faced strong opposition that led to six unjust trials and His crucifixion. Jurgen Moltmann, a German theologian, captured this reality in his book, The Crucified God.
Consider this: the greatest Being to ever live on earth, God incarnate, was betrayed by His own creations because He challenged their values.
We don’t need to develop a martyr complex and seek out opposition and persecution in society. But if we choose to live by Jesus’ values from the New Testament, we will face opposition.
Opposition on a Large Stage
Pope Leo has recently tackled some big issues.
- He has publicly opposed the United States’ involvement in conflicts with Iran.
- He has called for peace between Russia and Ukraine.
- He is addressing artificial intelligence and asking people to think about its impact on society.
- Additionally, he has apologized for various offensive actions committed by the Catholic Church in the past.
These are just a few things that come to mind.
I don’t believe the Pope woke up one day and decided to stir the pot just to be opposed by factions within the church, the President, Silicon Valley moguls, and more.
There are some parts of Catholic doctrine that I find hard to understand. However, I believe the Pope truly grasps the essence of the gospel. He is publicly aligned with the upside-down kingdom that Jesus came to bring to our world, and the world’s system doesn’t like it.
Few people have the huge responsibility of being a Pope. Most of us are just regular folks who go to work.
Some of my friends work in warehouses or construction. When people find out they are Christians and uphold Christian values, they often face opposition and persecution. People don’t like to see others living for Jesus when they aren’t.
Here’s something I want to make clear: we shouldn’t go out of our way to be offensive and confrontational with people. What we should do is embrace Jesus’ attitudes and actions. When we do, we will come into contact with a world system that opposes Him—and us by extension.
Our goal is to be faithful and realize that Jesus told us in advance that not everything will be fun and games as we serve our Lord and Savior.
YouTube Discussion
Rudy Ross, Bruce Kirby, and I discussed this passage on YouTube today.
Real Voices 