Matthew 5, please. Blessed are the poor in spirit, verse 3, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are they that mourn, for they shall be comforted. Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth. Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness, for they shall be filled. Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. Blessed are the peacemakers, not fakers or breakers. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the children of God. And that leads us up to, if you are the person of the first seven, it leads you into this last one. This is the blessing no one wants. Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you, and men shall revile you and persecute you and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely for my sake. rejoice and be exceeding glad for great is your reward in heaven for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you may we rise blessing to the reading of his words pray for a moment heavenly father this is a difficult passage the last if you would of the beatitudes carries so it's really what's going to happen when we actually live the first seven so lord help us to walk with you may we take all these to heart as we've talked about the last eight weeks and may we as we see the end result is it very possibly could mean a persecution yay and all that will live godly in christ jesus shall suffer persecution so lord may we look to you during these difficult times as the seems like this our own country is going in that direction so lord help us be faithful Bless our time together this evening with Miss Cindy teaching next door. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen. So now the one pastor suggests there are six reasons why we can't ignore this last one. We might want to ignore it. blessed are they which are persecuted." First of all, he said, the last beatitude is a test. Persecution is as normal a mark of discipleship as being merciful. I mean, if you're these first seven things, then the persecution is likely going to find yourself to you. Secondly, it's the longest one because it's hardest to embrace. Thirdly, the only beatitude is a command. Rejoice and be exceedingly glad. Also, the only one with an explanation about it. And also, blessed is used twice in this one. Perhaps we might say you're doubly blessed when you're persecuted for righteousness' sake. And is the only beatitude addressed directly to us. You see the different change in verse 10. We have, it says, blessed are they 11, blessed are ye, they, third person plural, ye, second person. Blessed are ye, we'd say today, you. Blessed are ye when men shall revile you and persecute you and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, against you. And so now it's just not in theory, it's in practicality now. So that's why it's hard for us to deal with this last one. It may seem out of place to move from peacemaking to persecution, from harmony to hostility, but sometimes our attempts at reconciliation just don't pan out the way I envisioned that to go. And so if you're going to work on reconciliation, start with a lot of prayer first and ask the Lord to guide you as you meet with that person, etc. If you live according to the first seven, though, it really The last one here is about what the normal thing happens. Well, how so? Well, if you're poor in spirit, someone will think you're self-righteous. If you mourn over sin, it's going to convict others and they'll want to be around you. If you're meek, you might get run over. When you break out of your spiritual status and hunger and thirst for God, they're going to label you as a religious fanatic. If you're merciful, they might call you gullible. If you're pure in heart, there's going to be attention with a world that lives on lust. And if you strive to be a peacemaker, get ready for war. So all these things may well lead us into this last one. It's the blessing that no one wants. Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake. And a significant caveat there, not just persecuted, but for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. So often I think some Christians think they're persecuted when they're not. They're just receiving the just results of their bad attitude or their antagonism toward others. So don't confuse that with what Christ is talking about here. Bonhoeffer said regarding the extraordinariness of the Christian life, he said, with every beatitude, the gulf is widened between the disciples and the people. So now we are to take persecution for righteousness sake, and we are to grow through that. The more we do these, the more it's going to separate us, even from a lot of Christians today, from truly following what Bible says and Christ teaches here. What is hard about the attitude is that we all like to be liked. And I found that out. I went from being the aging worker in finance, and now I have five people under me. And that's a big change, because now I've got to watch out for five. And one lady said last week, she goes, you didn't know you were going to get five children, did you? And so I responded, I don't know what I, I don't think I said anything to that one. And so it's a growing experience for me, because we want to be liked. But sometimes there comes a point in time where you just got to say what has to be said. And I found just get it done over. Just get it, if something happens, call the person in, address the issue right now, and don't let it get worse, and just worry about it more. Just, you know, go, let's get, you know, can we talk, I got a couple minutes, got a couple minutes. probably thinking in her mind, oh no, what have I done now? And so one of my favorite lines is, when you get in trouble, I get in trouble, which is true. So if you get in trouble, I get in trouble. So let's work on this together. So neither one of us get in trouble. It might work for you as well. So maybe it worked for you, but that works a little bit for me. But this is a paradox here, this last be attitude. And there are three paradoxes here. If you want, it's going to be our three points. for this evening. First of all, it's persecution is given, it is a gift, and brings gladness. So persecution is a given, it is a gift, and it brings gladness. Those are our three paradoxes. It is interesting, in Bible times, they thought that If you are suffering, you have done wrong. Remember the whole book of Job, which by the way, we're not going through again for until the 30s somewhere, like 31, 25. That's a long time ago. But Job, his mindset was, Job's done something really wrong. That's why he's suffering. Not so. God may allow things. Paul. Lord, can you give me three times I pray for this to be removed? No, my grace is sufficient. Just hang in there with it, just go with it. And so we have to understand that as well. So persecution is a given. Paradox number one, verse number 10, 5, 10 of Matthew, blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness sake for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are ye when men shall revile you and persecute you and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely for evil against you for my sake. Rejoice and be exceeding glad for great is your reward in heaven. For so persecuted they the prophets which were before you. Now, some Christians today have bought into the belief, I trust you're not one, that once you receive Christ and invite him into your life, everything's going to be grandiose. It's going to be great. Sort of like the mindset when you get married. I can get married, and everything is just going to go on its own, and it's going to get great and great without any work at all, and things are going to get better and better and better, and there's a pipe dream. Because marriage is a lot about W-O-R-K. Is it not? Yes, it is. It is a lot about that. And so we have to get a proper mindset. The Christian life is a difficult life. It's a difficult life, and the only way you're going to live it for God's glory is to allow Him to live through us. This idea that everything's gonna be great. Or if you become a Christian, there's a lot of prosperity gospel across the world. I don't know if you knew that or not, but in Africa and other South America, there's a lot of prosperity gospel teaching because people want, they live, by the way, we live fantastically wealthy lives, close to most of the world. And so they say, oh my goodness, if I can start praying, God will prosper me. I'm telling you, Jesus never taught prosperity gospel. He did preach persecution gospel, but not prosperity gospel. Matthew 5, 10, blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake. For theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Righteousness refers to living the straight way of following Christ. In Matthew 7, 13, and 14, it's a narrow gate, and it's also a narrow what? Way. It's a narrow gate. And once you get through the narrow gate, it says, oh, now I can do it. No, it's a narrow gate, and it's a narrow way to follow Christ as we should. Now, I will tell you, Christian takes a lot of spurs. We take a lot of paths that get us off exactly what God wants for our lives, do we not? I imagine once you get, if you were to go through that narrow gate today, you'd say, wow, look at all the paths people have taken. But here's the golden path. If I follow Christ, I'm gonna stay on this path. Now there's gonna be like over here. We must stray from what God's perfect plan is for life, and then we get, and he wakes us up, chastises us a little bit, spanks us a little bit, and we get back in line with him. Righteousness, what we should be doing. We should not be surprised if anti-Christian hostility increases in the world. By the way, it's increasing even now in our own country. Jesus said in John 15, 20, remember the word that I said unto you, the servant is not greater than his Lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they have kept my saying, they will keep yours also." 1633, in the world ye shall have tribulation. The Augsburg Confession defines church as a community of those who, quoting, who are persecuted and martyrs for the gospel's sake. Speaking of the futures, Matthew 25, verse 49, Jesus told his disciples that they shall deliver you up to be afflicted and shall kill you. You shall be hated of all nations for my name's sake. You say, Pastor, people don't hate me very much. I'm probably not walking with God as I should then. If I've never suffered persecution, I'm telling you, I'm not living as staunchly as I could for God. I'm not witnessing enough. I'm not speaking up for God enough. I'm not trying, I'm not saying being obnoxious. or combative, I'm saying we should speak up for the cause of Christ, for what the Bible says. Christ suffered persecution and crucifixion. Interestingly enough, in the Fox's Book of Martyrs, which I have it here, it was just here somewhere. It was here, oh, it's on the front view. We find, regarding the disciples, the 12 that followed Christ. James was beheaded. Philip was scourged and thrown to prison and then crucified. Matthew was slain with a sword. James the Less stoned to death. Matthias was stoned and beheaded. Andrew was crucified and left hanging on the cross for three days. Peter was crucified upside down at his own desire, so he didn't want to be the same way as Christ. He wasn't worthy to be crucified in a normal manner. Thaddeus was crucified in 72 AD. Bartholomew, with clubs and then crucified in India. Thomas was speared to death. Simon Zelotes was crucified in 74 in Britain. And John was stolen to a vat of oil and survived somehow. And he's the only one that died a normal death, nonviolent death. That's the 12 of his disciples, only one, a nonviolent death. 2 Timothy 3.12, yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution. Philippians 1.29, for unto you it is given in behalf of Christ, not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for his sake. Is there suffering in the world today for Christ's sake? Yes. We have had the benefit of living in America where we have had freedom. Earlier on in America, if you would read this day in Baptist history, you will find out, 1800s even, there are people who believed in the Baptist faith who were beaten and imprisoned and all these things even here in America because they did not conform to the whoever whatever colony it was or whatever it was and to their religious beliefs. When Paul wrote to the young church of Thessalonica he said that Timothy had been sent to that no man should be moved by these afflictions for yourselves know that We are appointed thereunto, for verily when we were with you, we told you before that we should suffer tribulation, even as it came to pass, and ye know." Paul, after witnessing that Jesus went through, said in 1 Peter 4, I'm sorry, Peter said in 1 Peter 4, Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial, which is to try you as though some strange thing happened to you. So why is persecution so pervasive? Simply put, according to one popular author, it is due to the nature of Christianity and the sinfulness of human beings. People don't want to hear that they're sinners, or they're doing wrong, or be held accountable to a holy God. They don't want to hear that, so they don't like that. Now there's two reasons why we'll be persecuted. Number one, because of the life we live. For righteousness sake, it says in our text. Some of us might feel mistreated, but it has nothing to do with righteousness. One author says, if you don't use deodorant, do not claim persecution because no one wants to sit next to you at work. And if you're rude to your employees or disrespectful to your boss, do not be surprised to find yourself ostracized. That is not religious persecution. That's simply hygiene issues, et cetera, and attitude change that needs to happen. Some of us believe he says we are being persecuted for righteous reasons, but it may be because we're self-righteous and are therefore repelling people. As we go out Saturday, it's one thing I'll admonish all of us that we handle ourselves appropriately, not be offensive. You cannot, typically, you cannot win someone to the Lord, even typically now. It takes more than one time. It takes, buying the church might take several times, but I'm telling you, you can lose someone in one instance. I really believe you can. You can lose someone by your attitude and action. So that's our goal not to do that. Our goal is to be kind and represent Christ and our church to the world properly. One writer says there are certain reactions we can arouse simply because we adhere to some fanatical extreme that is based on personal or private opinion. Sooner or later, someone said, a sold-out Christian follower will be persecuted somehow. We will be. Because of the life we live, why are we persecuted? Secondly, because of the Lord we love. Verse 11. Blessed are ye when men shall revile you and persecute you and shall set all manner of evil against you falsely for my sake. Righteous, again, means simply being like the Lord Jesus Christ. For one reason or another, some people are so upset with Christ that they take it out on those who follow him. Wiersbe says, Jesus was different, and a world that thrives on conformity cannot tolerate differences. The early Christians were confronted, as you well know, it's Caesar or Christ, you must at least bow to Caesar one time a year, or off with your head, or into the lions, et cetera. A choice was made. And so it's like our culture, even our own culture, is this cancel culture. It's just silencing any opposing views. It's a totalitarian ideology that only that's the popular and what the ideologues think should be right, should be spoken. Everything else should be silenced. What a shame on us and our own country if opposing views cannot be given and freedom, and that's where we are. It's interesting, and Moeller said this week on one of his podcasts, how even the people in the colleges around the world, or not, sorry, around America are bemoaning, the liberals are bemoaning because there's no conservative voices on their own campus anymore. Everything's the same. You're in echo chamber. echo chamber. We should have freedom and we need to have freedom to preach God's word. We should be doing that. We're persecuted because of the life we live, because of the Lord we love. This harassment takes in three forms, if you'll see it there for us in verse 11. Revile you, first of all, revile is verbal insults. Our song tonight, the choir sang, even talked about Christ and being reviled, insulted. Blessed are you and men shall hate you and men shall separate you from their company and shall reproach you and cast out your name as evil for the son of man's sake, it says in Luke 6, 22. To be insulted speaks of misrepresentation that degrade another's reputation and is closely related to slander. They reviled him. In the early church, they were accused of cannibalism because of the Lord's table. Matthew 27, 39, it says, reviled Christ. They hurled insults at the man with the cross. They would walk by, wagging their heads. And I have to say, I've been known to do that. I don't think anybody else has been in a car. But people who make that issue, I'll just wag my head and hope they're looking in the rear view mirror like, oh, I can't believe he did that, or something like that. They're much more serious. They're wagging their heads at Christ. When you are reviled, you're on the right track, reviled for the right reason. Not only, in verse 11, reviling, but persecute you. A physical attack. It means to chase away or pursue with hostile intent, to be hunted down as an animal. The verb suggests those who have allowed themselves to be persecuted have endured it. It can be defined as repeatedly raiding another or as continually annoying someone. One of the most famous martyrs was Polycarp. He was dragged before the Roman authorities and had a choice either to be killed or bow to Caesar. He said these words, 80 and six years have I served Christ and he had done me no wrong. How can I blaspheme my King who saved me? And then his last prayer while being, he didn't have to even be tied, nailed to the stake. He said, I'll stand here. And he just tied his hands, didn't even nail him to the stake. He said, O Lord God Almighty, the Father of thy well-beloved and ever-blessed Son, by whom we have received the knowledge of thee, I thank thee that thou hast graciously thought me worthy of this day and of this hour. And he died at the stake because he stood for what was right. Persecution happened all across the early days. You should read it. Fox's Book of Martyrs. You can even borrow my book if you want. It's amazing. Mr. Fox, who put the book together, which I read up on him yesterday, he was a very learned man, 1500s, and it took him 10 years or 12 years to put that book together. And so he was so careful because of all of the persecution he was having to make sure his information was right. So he had to research and get right information because people were going to be reading, etc. It's a very telling thing. We read it in Hebrews about all the people, the prophets who were sawn asunder and et cetera. And Nero would wrap the Christians in pitch and light his torches and light his gardens with them. They would tie Christians into animal skins and throw them to their dogs, honey dogs. They would torch them on the rack. They would put lead on their skin. They would burn a part of their body and pour cold water on at the same time to make the agony last longer. It's amazing what, the deceitful, desperately wicked heart can do to other human beings, all in the name of religious persecution or religious intolerance. Intense persecution then still takes place in our world today. You're well aware of that. And then thirdly, shall say all manner, in verse 11, of evil against you falsely for my sake. False accusations. I don't know if you've ever been a part of false accusations leveled against you. It can be very, very hurtful, as you well know, if you've had it happen to you. False witnesses did rise up. They laid to my charge things that I knew not, said the psalmist, I'm sorry, in Psalm 35, verse 11. Jesus faced false charges as well. Remember, they had to really work to find two that would finally agree to get him to be crucified. They had to work, work, finally they found two, and it was even a false trumped up charge. Well, he said he would destroy this body and this temple and raise it in three days. Yes, because he's God. He can do that. His truth was saying Though Peter said, who when he was reviled, reviled not again. What an example is our Savior. So that's the first paradox, which is by far the longest. Persecution is a given. Secondly, persecution is a gift, verse 12 of our text. Rejoice and be exceeding glad, for great is your reward in heaven. Now, I will tell you, most of us will go down the road, well, persecution is a given. If you're living for Christ, I'm living for Christ, you say, and I'm gonna walk with him, and I go, I'm probably gonna get persecuted eventually, yes. Perhaps even this week, you might. But when it comes to saying that persecution is a gift, now, that's a little further stretch for us, a gift. We're blessed when people mess with us, with our faith, and what we receive is the kingdom of heaven. It says here, for blessed are they, for they shall receive, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. We don't see it necessarily as a gift. But he, remember Stephen, but he being full of the Holy Ghost looked up steadfastly into heaven and saw the glory of God and Jesus standing on the right hand of God. The gift of the persecution of Stephen was a quick trip up to be with the Savior. By the way, those men that were doing the stoning, Paul was there as well, they should have had the fear of God put in them. When Stephen saw Jesus standing at the right hand of God and not seated at the right hand of God, I'm telling you, I don't think he's getting ready to send somebody. but they had known, they had seen what Stephen saw. Been amazing. It says in Hebrews 11.36, and others had trial of cruel mockings and scourging, yea, moreover of bonds and imprisonment. They were stoned, they were sawn asunder, were tempted, were slain with the sword. They wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins, being destitute, afflicted, tormented, of whom the world was not worthy. They wandered in deserts and in mountains and in the dens and caves of the earth. This world is not my home. We're just a passing through. But they saw this as a persecution, as a gift that brought them to their heavenly home. Bonhoeffer said, as he's going to his execution, this is the end. For me, though, the beginning of life, the beginning of life. God sympathizes with those who face persecution. I think he gives, as it says here, theirs for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. What a highest, the highest of rewards. God approves of those who face antagonism because they're living for him. Persecution really is someone that says the trigger that causes God to pour his blessings upon your life. Persecution, and we should not ever forget the wonderful quote from Eliot, he is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose. God will reward us exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think. So persecution is one, a given, two, it is a gift, and third, brings gladness. The last paradox, verse 12, rejoice and be exceeding glad, for great is your reward in heaven. For so persecuted they the prophets which were before you. We generally rejoice when we get good news. Now I was watching the top fuel drag race winner yesterday. I don't even know what month it was or what race it was, but they had won and they were all literally jumping up and down. True story. You can see it for yourself somewhere. Probably never find it again. But the idea is leap forth with exuberant gladness to jump with exceeding excitement. Rejoice and be exceeding glad. I tell you, I've never been persecuted and rejoiced and been exceeding glad about it. But great is your reward in heaven, it says here for that. Great is your reward in heaven. It's not implying that we should be happy about persecution itself. We are to leap for joy that what it presents, an opportunity to receive reward for being faithful through that difficult time. Four things regarding we should rejoice. Number one, persecution confirms our relationship. Someone has said that persecution's your certificate of Christian authenticity. Persecution, certificate of Christian authenticity. We should rejoice that people see Jesus in us. Peter says, yet if any man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God on his behalf. Jesus thinks enough of us to let us share in that persecution. Remember in Acts chapter 5, is it 41, 41, they departed from the presence of the council rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for his name. badge of suffering. I went to the commissioner meeting for Ashland on Thursday and they were pinning a new fireman. We'll come to find out that fireman who's young, his dad is the fire chief of Ashland and the fire chief's dad was also the fire chief commissioner of Ashland and he had the grandpa's badge that he used as the fire chief and he was pinning it on his son, the grandson's coat as a matter of, and it's a pretty moving thing for three generations to all serve. And I don't know if the guy that got pinned, badged on Thursday will ever become the fire chief, but that was a badge of, and with honor. It was to wear my grandfather's fireman badge with quite a bit of honor, it would have been. We should have it as an authenticity of our true Christian walk, persecution. Secondly, it causes reliance. When you're being persecuted, we turn more to God, do we not? We call upon him a little bit stronger. Paul said, he said unto me, my grace is sufficient for thee, for my strength is made perfect in weakness. So when we are weak, he is strong. That's what he wants from us. He wants us to quit doing it ourselves and trust him. Thirdly, persecution cultivates righteousness. Righteousness. One of the best ways to grow is to go through grief. Peter says again, but the God of all grace who has called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that we have suffered a while, make you perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle you. That's why Jesus mentions the persecution of the prophets before us. They serve as models because we can look back and say, well, he suffered, he suffered, he suffered. How much did Joseph suffer because of, no, Daniel, because of different things. How much they suffered. Daniel was made a eunuch, had to live his life as a eunuch all his life. I don't see him complaining about that one time in scripture. Served on, I think, what, four different administrations, was greatly influential in the world of, I'm telling you, in the world affairs of that day. I think he held the kingdom for Nebuchadnezzar during his seven year hiatus as a beast. I think Daniel kept the kingdom for him and was one really, maybe even in charge of, just my personal thinking, but in charge of everything in many ways. Persecution cultivates righteousness, and finally, persecution confers a reward. Great is your reward. We can jump for joy because of what is ahead. We may lose everything on earth, but we shall inherit everything in heaven. It's like when I was watching for my grandparents' rides, it was the 60s, and I would lay on the floor, look out, and I could see from here to about Bud's house, about that far, and we'd see them, they could turn, and we knew all the cars, and when Grandma and Grandpa rides, car turned, because they would bring me something from Richmond Dale, Ohio, and they'd have groceries for us, and they would turn up, oh, I see them coming, because we knew about when they're supposed to be here, and I'd watch over them, and I was so excited. We should be much more excited about what God's going to, as we suffer, and we handle it correctly with His help. and the Lord shall deliver me from every evil work and will preserve me unto his heavenly kingdom to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen. It's the promise that gave Roland Taylor and Bishop Ridley and John Bradford the impulse to kiss the stakes at which they were burned. Obadiah Holmes, and I was reading about Obadiah Holmes just today. He was a Baptist pastor. He pastored the First Baptist Church in Newark, Rhode Island, Newport, Rhode Island. But before that, he got sideways. He was accused of something, religious practices, and two of the guys had their things paid. And he would not let the people pay him. They gave him 30 stringent stripes. For a long time, he had to sleep on his elbows and knees because his back was so mutilated from 30 stripes just because he didn't fall in place with the Massachusetts Bay Colony religious ideology. Later, he became a Baptist pastor. He even said, he said, you struck me with roses. Now, I'm telling you, I get 30 lashes like that, I'm not saying you struck me with roses. I'm looking for, now, where's the lawyers? But you see, but that's not, today is what would happen, but he was willing to suffer for Christ. Some questions, and then we will have one illustration and we're done. Here's some questions for us, which is for me and for you as well. What have you done in the last month that has caused anyone to challenge your faith? When have you risked speaking out for Jesus? How have you defended the cause of Christ? Have you identified yourself as a Christ follower? Maybe you're not said anything against Jesus, but you haven't said anything for him either, or you've not said anything at all. Perhaps you're not persecuted because people don't see the Savior in your life. Have you been made fun of for your faith? Perhaps you were just ignored because someone thinks you're too religious. That promotions at work may be elusive because of your principles. Some of you may feel judged and condemned by fellow Christians. Many face sarcasm from a spouse perhaps that does not share your faith. Remember, persecution is a given. It is a gift that comes with blessing, and it should bring us gladness because the rewards are worth the risks. All these seven Beatitudes lead into eight. If you're doing the first seven, I'm telling you, pretty much, you're gonna end up in eight. In the days of the early church, there was a king, and he threatened to banish a Christian for preaching. And the Christian said, sire, you cannot banish me, for the world is my father's house. The king then said he would confiscate all his possessions. And the Christian answered, sire, you cannot confiscate all my possessions because my treasures are laid up in heaven. And the king was getting kind of irritated. He told him, he said, I would make you live in isolation away from all your friends. And the preacher said, sire, you cannot remove me from my greatest friend because he lives within me. Finally, the king shouted that I'll have you killed, to which the Christians calmly replied, you can take my breath. But you can never take my life, for it is hidden with God in Christ. I bet that king was ready fit to be tied about that point in time. So it's a paradox. Persecution is given. Persecution is a gift. Persecution brings gladness. It's the blessing that no one wants, truly, sometimes. Tom Brennan, the author of the book The Greatest Sermon Ever Preached, he says, perhaps the biggest reason America Christianity thinks persecution is a bad thing is not because of our Constitution. It's because we're soft. were soft. Watts said in the 1700s, must I be carried to the skies on flowery beds of ease, while others fought to win the prize and sailed through bloody seas? Are there no foes for me to face? Must I not stem the flood? Is this vile world a friend to grace, to help me on to God? Sure, I must fight if I would reign. Increase my courage, Lord. I'll bear the toil. Endure the pain supported by that word. Now that is what we're talking about, the Christian walk. May God help us to see persecution as a given, a gift, and it also can bring gladness because great is a reward in heaven when we handle it correctly. Let's pray. Lord, we just thank you for these beatitudes we have looked at last several weeks. Lord, it is a daunting, to be honest, daunting task we cannot do ourselves. We pray for each believer here this evening, myself primarily included, single out if you would, that you'd live your life through me this week. That these beatitudes, mourning, and pure in heart, and all these things would follow, be a part of my daily Christian walk, that you live your life through me. I can't do it. I raise my hands and say, Lord, I can't do it myself. I need your help. Please live your life through me. It is beyond me on my own. It's beyond all of us on our own. So Lord, help us as we walk this walk this week, that our walk would talk and our talk talks, but Lord, our walk's gonna probably speak a lot louder than a talk. but then it might give us opportunity to share the gospel with someone or good things about you. And if, Lord, if we get made fun of, just carry on. Just carry on. Great is our reward in heaven when we handle it correctly. In Jesus' name I pray these things, amen.