The Beatitudes (Part 8)
The worst it can get
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Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to them.
Matthew 5:10 (NET)
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I know all of these Beatitudes have been about perspective shifts.
That’s part of what makes this Sermon on the Mount so incredible.
But this one, in particular, stands out to me.
I usually think of citizens of a kingdom as the more privileged people.
For instance, citizens of the Roman Empire had more privileges than non-citizens.
It’s a bit strange to think of the citizens as being the ones who are suffering persecution. Why should they be? Part of the perceived privilege of citizenship was not having to endure some of the hardships that others did.
Yet here we have this shift from Jesus and the “upside-down kingdom”:
The ones who are persecuted will become the privileged citizens.
Of course, this isn’t just any persecution.
It’s persecution for the sake of righteousness. Being oppressed because of our specific relationship with Jesus and our heavenly citizenship.
The Enemy, the temporary ruler of this fallen world, hates God. And he hates those of us who look like his enemy. (Remember, Christian means “little Christ,” so by being a Christian we are identifying ourselves with Christ and putting ourselves as enemies of the devil.)
Because of all this, the devil lashes out at us and will seek to persecute us.
But what can he do, really?
God is the one who protects and preserves our soul. The apostle Paul understood this. That’s why he told the Philippians that to live was Christ and dying?
That’s gain.
— Ricky Ketchum
Copyright © 2025 by Ricky Ketchum. All rights reserved. Unauthorized duplication prohibited.
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