October 2, 2024 • 39 mins
Believe in yourself. Promote yourself. Be true to yourself. Satisfy yourself. According to the world, this is the good life. But this is precisely the opposite of what it means to live as a citizen of God’s kingdom. In this message from Matthew 5:7–12, David Platt helps us see the radical, upside-down nature of what it means to live the good life according to Jesus. While followers of Jesus may be weak and maligned in the eyes of the world, the promise of an eternal kingdom, along with God’s strength and presence daily, gives us a different glimpse of the life that is truly blessed.
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
You are listening to Radical with David Platt, a
weekly podcast with sermons andmessages from pastor, author and
teacher David Platt.
If you have a Bible and I hopeyou or somebody around you does
that you can look on with.
Let me invite you to open withme to Matthew, chapter 5.
And as you're turning, I wantto welcome those of you in other
locations around Metro DC forour church family, as well as
(00:24):
others online, who arephysically not able to be with
us today, and especially ifyou're visiting with us whether
you're a follower of Jesusvisiting from another church, or
maybe you're not a follower ofJesus and you're just checking
out church, or a friend orfamily member invited you today.
We want you to know that youare welcome here and we are
(00:44):
genuinely glad that you're here.
We're studying Jesus's teachingin the Sermon on the Mount this
fall, as we think about what itwould look like to experience
life on earth as it is in heaven, I just want you to think about
what would that look like.
Think about just pulling upnews on your phone this week.
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You see news of global wars andterrorism and political
polarization and violence andmoral failings among prominent
leaders, including churchleaders, mental health crises.
You see social media inflamingall these things and then
realize none of those things arehappening in heaven.
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None of them, which is why wepray God, our Father in heaven,
may your kingdom come on earth.
As it is in heaven and in theSermon on the Mount, jesus is
showing us a glimpse of what thekingdom of heaven actually
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looks like here in our lives.
He's showing us how the king ofheaven totally changes the way
we live on earth in ways thatare completely counter-cultural.
Just think about what we lookedat last week.
From the very beginning, jesussaying blessed are so happy are
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fortunate are hashtag, blessedare the poor in spirit.
It's totally counter-cultural.
It goes against everything thisworld says and we think this
world says and we think the keyto life is to believe in
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yourself and trust in yourself.
Have confidence in yourself.
The mantra of the world isplease yourself, protect
yourself, promote yourself, betrue to yourself, satisfy
yourself, comfort yourself, takecare of yourself, live for
yourself.
Jesus says no, the key to lifeis to die to yourself.
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No, the key to life is to dieto yourself, to express not
yourself but your utter povertyapart from God, your complete
dependence on God for life, andthat's when you'll live.
The kingdom of heaven willbelong to you.
Then blessed are those who mourn.
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What is that?
Happy are those who mourn?
What is that?
Happy are those who mourn?
We think happy are those whodelight in this world and all it
has to offer offer.
Happier those who live it uphere, who get what they want
here and live how they want here.
Jesus says no.
Happy are those who mourn oversin and suffering in this world,
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over their sin and theirsuffering, over other sin and
other suffering.
Happy are those who long for atotally different world.
God will wrap his arms aroundthem and they shall be comforted
.
Then blessed are the meek whoputs that on a resume.
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Not that you would write I'mreally meek and kind of show
that you're not, but this is nota trait we prize Gentleness,
humility, consideration of otherinterests above your own.
Jesus says the humble, not theproud, shall inherit the earth,
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shall gain the world.
Then we think happier those whohunger and thirst, who long and
work hard for more and nicerand better and newer and bigger
in this world.
Blessed are those who work hardfor possessions and position
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and a good reputation andcomfort and safety and security
in this world.
Jesus says no, blessed arethose who hunger and thirst, who
long and work hard forrighteousness, for holiness, for
justice, no matter what thatmeans for them in this world.
That's where satisfaction isfound.
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So we looked at all those lastweek the first four Beatitudes,
these declarations anddescriptions from Jesus of
blessing or happiness.
So now we're going to hit thelast four today, to use language
from Mike last week.
In these Beatitudes, thesepronouncements of blessing, how
does Jesus, the King of heaven,redefine the good life in this
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world?
And if you're taking notes,just to let you know, I don't
have like point one, two, three,four, we're simply gonna just
walk through each verse.
I would encourage you to writedown whatever sticks out to you
along the way when it comes tohow Jesus redefines the good
life.
So he says in verse sevenblessed are the merciful, for
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they shall receive mercy.
Happy are the compassionate,the sympathetic.
Happy are the people who areconcerned about others in need.
You just look at the differentways this word is used in other
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times.
In the book of Matthew we seetwo pictures, and here's how I
would put it you see mercytoward sufferers and you see
mercy toward sinners, both.
And Let me show you both ofthese First sufferers so four
times this word is used inMatthew by suffering people who
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come to Jesus crying out formercy.
In Matthew 9, 27, two blind mencried out have mercy on us, son
of David, and Jesus heals them.
Then, in Matthew 15, 22, aGentile woman comes to Jesus
crying out on behalf of herdemon-possessed daughter and she
says have mercy on me, lord,and Jesus heals her daughter.
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Then, matthew 17, 14, lord,have mercy on my son.
This is a man who comes toJesus on behalf of his son who's
experiencing uncontrollableseizures, and once he asks for
Jesus' mercy, jesus heals hisson.
And then, finally, in Matthew20, verses 30 and 31, a crowd
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tries to quiet two blind men,but they keep crying out twice,
lord, have mercy on us, andJesus heals them.
So this is mercy, this iscompassion, concern for and
helping people who are suffering.
And then you see mercy towardsinners.
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So Jesus uses the same word inMatthew, chapter 18, verse 33,
when he's talking aboutforgiving people who sin against
you.
He tells a parable of anunforgiving servant who receives
forgiveness for what he haddone, but then doesn't go out
and show that same forgivenessto those who've done things to
him.
And the punchline in the wholeparable is verse 33, when the
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master says to this unforgivingservant, whom he had forgiven,
should not you have had mercy onyour fellow servant as I had
mercy on you?
So what's the happy life, thegood life, what are Christians
known for?
To use Mike's language fromlast week, for mercy towards
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sufferers and mercy towardsinners Towards sufferers.
Don't miss this.
Jesus is also talking aboutmercy toward those who hurt us,
towards sinners, generally tothose struggling with sin,
because we know what it's liketo struggle with sin, and
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specifically toward those whosin against you.
The good life shows mercy tothem.
The good life doesn't hold onto bitterness against people who
sin against you and, to be sure, when you've been hurt in a
significant way, forgiveness isnot easy and often involves a
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process, and mercy also doesn'tmean justice just goes out the
window.
I think about a judge in ourchurch family giving just
judgments all day.
Jesus is not calling that judgeto just be merciful and let
everybody off the hook, becausethat's the good life.
Now, the God of mercy is also aGod of justice, which ironically
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was mentioned in that previousbeatitude.
Those who hunger and thirst forrighteousness, for justice.
The picture here, though, isjust.
As God has shown mercy in oursin, we should desire to show
others mercy in their sin, and acommentary I'm an editor for.
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On the Sermon on the Mount,Danny Akin writes we will never
forgive anyone as much as God inChrist has forgiven us.
Happy are the merciful who showmercy to sufferers and sinners
out of the overflow we receivefrom God, of the mercy we
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receive from God in our sin andin our suffering, which leads to
the next beatitude.
Matthew, chapter five, verseeight Blessed are the pure in
heart, for they shall see God sogood.
The same phrase is in ourchurch's bible reading this
morning Psalm 73 1.
The Lord is good to all who arepure in heart, and the word
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Jesus uses for pure here meansto be clean, to be free from
adulterating matter, and theheart is clearly the focus here,
because later in the book ofMatthew, jesus is speaking to
religious leaders who weresqueaky clean on the outside.
They followed every religiousrule and regulation, but their
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hearts were far from God.
Listen to the language Jesususes there in Matthew 23, 25.
He says Woe to you, scribes andPharisees, hypocrites, for you
clean the outside of the cup andthe plate, but inside they're
full of greed andself-indulgence.
You blind Pharisee.
First clean the inside of thecup and the plate that the
outside also may be clean.
(11:39):
That word clean three timessame word that Jesus uses for
pure in Matthew, chapter 5,verse 8.
The whole point is they didn'thave clean, pure hearts.
They were seeking God alone.
And that's the whole point.
Jesus is saying here in the NewTestament what Psalm 24 says in
the Old Testament who shallascend the hill of the Lord?
Who shall stand in this holyplace?
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In other words, who shall seeGod?
He who has clean hands and apure heart, clean, pure heart
who doesn't lift up his soul towhat is false, does not swear
deceitfully that's a referenceto swearing allegiance to other
gods he will receive blessingfrom the Lord and righteousness
from the God of his salvation,such as the generation of those
(12:23):
who seek him, who seek the faceof the God of Jacob.
A pure heart seeks God, seeksthe face of God above all, and
then it makes sense, doesn't it,that those who seek God out of
a pure heart will see God, andthat is happiness to see and
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know and experience God himself.
Yes, there's nothing in theworld that can compare with God,
which then leads to the nextbeatitude blessed are the
peacemakers, for they shall becalled sons of God.
I love this.
If you're taking notes, maybewrite down like father, like son
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or daughter.
That's the whole picture here.
So God is a God of peace, a Godof peace.
Romans, chapter 16, verse 20, 1Thessalonians 5, 23,.
Hebrews 13, 20,.
All refer to God as the God ofpeace, and here's why.
(13:34):
So if you're not a follower ofJesus, I would invite you to
listen particularly close here.
God has created you and me, allof us, for a relationship with
him marked by peace and joy andlove and closeness.
The problem is we have allsinned against God.
We've turned aside from God inhis ways to ourselves, in our
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own ways, we've rebelled againstGod, our hearts have warred
against God and as a result, wedeserve eternal judgment from
God and his holiness and our sin.
But the good news of the Bible,and the greatest news in all
the world, is that God loves usso much that he sent his son
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Jesus to die on the cross forour sins so that we could be
restored to peace with God nowand forever, not through works
we do for God, but through faithin Jesus and his love for us.
The Bible says in Romans,chapter 5, verse 1, oh sorry,
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where is it?
It is therefore, since we havebeen justified by faith, we have
peace with God through our LordJesus Christ.
This is the good news you canbe justified, forgiven of all
your sins before God.
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You can, invites you to do thattoday, and when you do so, when
you have peace with God, thenwhat's the good life?
Well, it's, first and foremost,leading others to peace with
God.
You and I have the privilegethis week we can lead people to
peace with God.
What else do you have moreimportant on your to-do
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privilege this week?
We can lead people to peacewith God.
What else do you have moreimportant on your to-do list
this week?
It's right, just in case youdidn't hear it, another sound of
the camera, the shout from thefront was nothing.
There is nothing more importantthan leading people to peace
with God.
So this is why we live in aworld that's at war against God,
(15:48):
and we have spiritual armor andspiritual battle, including
Ephesians 6, 15, shoes for yourfeet.
Having put on the readiness bythe gospel of peace, the good
news of peace.
We walk into this world today,where people are rebelling
against God, and we bring thegreatest news in the world of
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peace with God that's possiblethrough faith in Jesus.
This is the great commission tospread the good news of peace
with God all around the world.
And then, as the overflow ofpeace with God, surely it makes
sense for us to live to makepeace with others.
Hebrews 12, 14,.
(16:29):
Strive for peace with everyoneand for the holiness, without
which no one will see the Lord.
It's a great picture of boththese last Beatitudes, but what
a word from God here, in a dayof polarization and accusation
and division.
God is saying not my children,not you.
You strive for peace witheveryone.
(16:52):
You know what that wordincludes Everyone, everyone.
God says Ephesians 4, 1 through3, I urge you to walk in a
manner worthy of the calling towhich you have been called, with
all humility and gentleness,with patience, bearing with one
(17:15):
another in love, eager tomaintain the unity of the Spirit
and the bond of peace.
What language this is?
What marks my children?
God says Humility, gentleness,patience, bearing with one
another, believing the bestabout one another and love for
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them, because you're bondedtogether by the spirit of peace,
spirit of peace, at the sametime knowing that there are
times when people won't respondto desire for peace, which is
why Romans 12, 18 says ifpossible, so far as it depends
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on you, live peaceably with all.
Sometimes in this world, peoplewill refuse to make peace.
Sometimes in this world, peoplewill refuse to make peace, in
which case God actually says inTitus 3, 10 through 11, as for a
person who stirs up division,after warning him once and then
twice, have nothing more to dowith him, knowing that such a
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person is warped and sinful, heis self condemned.
Jesus himself says later inMatthew 18, there's actually a
time to distance yourself andthe church from people who won't
work toward peace with you andGod.
But even when that happens,keep longing for peace, knowing
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that is the heart of God andbeyond the church.
In a world of conflict anddivision, we don't stoke fires
in person or on social media.
We actually make sacrifices tode-escalate and reconcile sides,
obviously never in a way thatcompromises the gospel, but
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always in a way that flows fromthe gospel, as sinners
reconciled to God and oneanother.
In the church we work forreconciliation to God and among
others in the world, like father, like son and daughter, which
all leads to the last beatitude,and this one takes the cake.
(19:22):
So all of these others havebeen counter-cultural, but this
one takes the cake.
So all of these others havebeen countercultural, but this
one is over the top.
Matthew, chapter 5, verse 10,blessed are those who are
persecuted for righteousnesssake, for theirs is the what.
Happy Are the persecuted?
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That word means harassed,pressed on, pursued by people
who want to drive you out anddestroy your reputation or your
life.
Jesus says that is happiness.
Are you serious?
You can almost imagine theconfusion on the disciples'
(20:14):
faces and the crowds as theythink wait.
Did he just say blessed are thepersecuted?
Blessed are those who areharassed and driven out and
opposed in these ways.
And you can tell they'reconfused because Jesus does
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something here that he hasn'tdone with any of the other
beatitudes.
He says the same thing again,but he makes it more forceful
and more personal.
This time.
He's clarifying what he justsaid.
He says in verse 11, blessedare you, not just those, like he
said in other attitudes, butnow it's you.
Blessed are you I'm talkingabout you Happy are you when
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others revile you?
That word means to heap insultson you to mock you, to work to
shame you?
Happy are you when others dothat to you and persecute you
and utter all kinds of evilagainst you, falsely on my
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account, on my account?
Happy are you when people lieabout you in all kinds of ways?
Fortunate are you when peopleslander you and then watch this
command.
Jesus says rejoice and be glad,rejoice, be glad, rejoice.
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It's the same word that's usedin Luke 15, 32 to describe the
father whose son was lost and isfound.
It's the same word that's usedin Revelation, chapter 19, verse
7, to describe this celebrationin heaven when we will rejoice
in the presence of Jesus for thevery first time.
Rejoice and be glad Same wordthat's used in 1 Peter, chapter
1, verse 8, when he talks aboutfollowing Jesus and loving him
and rejoicing over him with joythat is inexpressible and filled
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with glory.
Jesus is giving a command hereto rejoice and be glad when
people attack you.
Glad when people attack you.
How's that possible?
That's impossible.
Think about it.
One this is Jesus commanding anemotion, a feeling and we don't
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always have immediate controlover our feelings and two, in
light of the fact that ouremotions follow our thoughts,
jesus is telling us to feel anemotion that's completely
contrary to the way we think.
Nobody is slandered, attacked,shamed, lied about and feels
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elated by that.
No, we feel inflamed by thesethings.
In a sermon I listened to acouple years ago on this text,
john Piper said I would arguethis is the most difficult
command in the Bible, namely,for Jesus' sake, to feel joy and
gladness when you are reviledand persecuted and slandered.
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And the key obviously to all ofthis is these things happening
for Jesus' sake.
In verse 10, it's blessed arethose who are persecuted for
righteousness' sake, and verse11, it's blessed are you when
people revile, you, persecute,you, utter all kinds of evil
against you falsely on myaccount, meaning because you're
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obeying me.
So this is not just Jesussaying blessed are those who are
persecuted, reviled, slanderedin general, but blessed are you
when people persecute you,revile you, slander you because
of righteousness and obedienceto me.
Now let's point out the obvious.
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Obviously, slanderers won't saythat's why they're attacking
you, because you're righteous orobeying God.
They'll say they're doing thisbecause they're righteous and
you're wicked.
That's the whole point.
They don't want anyone to thinkwell of you.
I distinctly remember hearing atestimony, and I can't remember
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exactly who it was from.
But it was a pastor in anothercountry who had been imprisoned
for his faith and for spreadingthe gospel, and authorities were
threatening to have himexecuted, to hang him.
But the authorities didn't wanthim to be seen by others as a
noble martyr, so they startedspreading slander about him that
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he'd been unfaithful to hiswife, that he'd misused the
church's money, and he said thatthere in prison it hit him as
they started to do this that hewas glad to die for Jesus as
long as the people he loved inhis family and in the church
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were applauding him as he wentto his death.
But he couldn't bear thethought of dying and people he
loved in his family or thechurch not cheering him on as he
went to his death because theywere believing those lies about
him.
Believing those lies about him,and he shared how he realized
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in all of this that even in hiswillingness to die for Jesus, he
was still prioritizing himselfand his reputation.
We've never forgotten that thisis truly an impossible command
To rejoice and be glad whenpeople relentlessly attack you,
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to harm you and to cause othersto think false things about you.
You just think about what thislooks like.
Picture our brothers and sistersin Christ today in a place like
North Korea.
If any of them are caughtpraying or reading any tiny
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portion of a Bible they mighthappen to have, or just not
worshiping Kim Jong-un and allthe ways that he and the state
prescribe, they will immediatelybe taken to a labor camp where
they will be put to work inharsh, deplorable, painful
conditions, with little food andwater, until they wither and
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die and their family and theirfriends will be told they are
traitors and enemies.
So North Korea other settingslike it around the world would
be the most clear and severeexample of what Jesus is saying
here.
Rejoice and be glad in a laborcamp, as your family and your
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friends and your country thinkyou're a traitor and an enemy.
Then there are other examplesthat are nowhere near as severe
but are still significant in thecultural climate we're in today
.
I grieve over faithful,bible-believing,
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gospel-spreading leaders inchurches, including friends of
mine, brothers and sisters alike, from a variety of different
sides in our culture, but whoare all in Christ as the church,
who've been attacked andslandered and reviled by anyone
who can gain a hearing on socialmedia by using their name it
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happens enough from outside thechurch, it makes it all the more
sad inside the church and it'shumanly impossible for those
brothers and sisters to rejoiceand be glad in that.
But I really want to bring thisinto your lap because the
reality is this is not just ablessing and a command for North
Korean believers or churchleaders in our cultural climate.
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This is a blessing and acommand for you, right where
you're sitting right now, ifyou're a Christian, because God
makes crystal clear in 2 Timothy3.12, indeed, all who desire to
live a godly life in ChristJesus will be persecuted.
So do you desire to live agodly life in Christ Jesus?
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If the answer to that questionis yes, which will be true for
every follower of Jesus, thenGod is saying you will be
persecuted, not might Will.
That's guaranteed persecutionfor all who follow Jesus.
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So it's not that you seek afterpersecution, opposition,
reviling, slandering, no.
Instead, when you seek afterJesus and you obey his commands,
you live in righteousness.
To use language from Matthew5.10, you spread the gospel with
Jesus on his account, then youwill be persecuted in this world
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, you will be reviled, you willbe slandered, which means okay.
This verse means if this is nothappening in your life.
You need to at least ask oneare you compromising with this
world, maybe evenunintentionally, living your
(29:35):
life in such a way that you canstay in good standing with a
godless world?
Are you compromising what itmeans to truly obey Jesus?
Are you living like the rest ofthe world lives?
Or two are you sharing Jesuswith others?
You're telling people that theyneed Jesus, that he loves them
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and he's made a way for them tobe saved from eternal
condemnation.
Are you sharing that withothers?
Are you keeping the light ofJesus under a bushel in your
life?
Because, mark it down, ifyou're not compromising with the
world and you are sharing thegospel of Jesus, then challenges
are coming your way.
(30:25):
I think about one brother in ourchurch family whose company was
and is actively affirming LGBTQissues in a way that not only
go against God's word, butthey're making it look they've
been making it look like he waspersonally promoting a sexual
ethic that goes against God'sgood design for men and women.
He had to make a costlydecision that risks his job in
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order to make it clear he doesnot affirm what his company is
affirming.
And I know scores of you inbusiness and in teaching, in
medicine, in the government,military all sorts of jobs are
facing decisions like this moreand more on a daily basis in our
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country.
And then I think aboutteenagers, students.
You guys are in it.
Every time I do a Q&A sessionwith you guys at camps or
retreats, you're askingquestions about how to follow
Jesus faithfully, how to sharethe gospel with friends and in a
culture where you will becanceled if you believe and talk
about the Bible.
(31:31):
And I am so proud of you fornot compromising, even though it
is costing you.
And I want you to know, as yourchurch family, we are behind
you.
I want all of you to know,across our church family,
whatever age or stage you're in,we're together in this.
In a world where persecuting,reviling, slandering is coming
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for me and for you from allsides, let's help each other to
be faithful to Jesus, to notcompromise, to keep following
Jesus, make him known together.
And so now bring this back toMatthew 5, 12.
I have 12.
(32:12):
Bring it back here Realizingthat faithfulness to Jesus for
you and me actually meansrejoicing and being glad when
this happens.
So we got to help each other,rejoice and be glad.
This hit me so personally as Iwas studying this passage.
I want to be faithful to Jesusmore than anything else, all the
way to the end.
When I see his face, I want tobe faithful to Jesus more than
anything else, all the way tothe end.
When I see his face, I want tobe faithful to Jesus, and Jesus
(32:34):
just said here's whatfaithfulness looks like when
people attack you, you rejoiceand be happy.
How do you do that when you'rein a labor camp or when your
company might fire you or doesfire you, or your friends at
school totally cancel you.
Here's how Rejoice and be gladfor so that word clues us in.
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This is Jesus telling us howand why we can do this.
How and why we can rejoice andbe glad when we're obeying him
and people come after us.
For your reward is great inheaven.
The only way to rejoice and beglad when persecuted, reviled,
slandered in this world is whenyou stop looking to this world
(33:19):
for reward and you start livingfor reward in another world, and
not just any reward Greatreward In heaven, verse 10.
Yours is the kingdom of heaven.
It belongs to you, so you canrejoice.
(33:42):
Talk about reward.
Just think about all.
This reward is Based on whatwe've seen in the Beatitudes.
Put them together.
You're going to be in thepresence of God himself.
You're going to see his faceand be infinitely satisfied as
he calls you his son or hisdaughter, as his mercy covers
(34:03):
over all your sins and heals allyour suffering, as he comforts
you and wipes every tear fromyour eyes.
And he says here's the world,with everything finally set
right in you and around youeverywhere.
Yes, rejoice, like a father whofinds his son who is lost.
Be glad with joy that'sinexpressible and filled with
(34:27):
glory.
You have a reward that faroutweighs health and freedom and
a job and a reputation in thisworld.
You have a reward that isinfinitely better than
everything this world has puttogether.
And Jesus says know that you arenot alone, for so they
(34:47):
persecuted the prophets who werebefore you.
They called the prophets liarsand deceivers.
They attacked and canceled andeven killed them too.
And those prophets Hebrews 11and 12, are in heaven right now.
And do you know what they'redoing, brother or sister in
(35:11):
Christ?
Right now they are cheering youand me on.
Why?
Because they know the reward isworth it.
Hebrews 11, verse 13,.
These all died in faith, nothaving received the things
promised, having seen them andgreeted them from afar, and
having acknowledged that theywere strangers and exiles on the
(35:33):
earth.
For people who speak thus makeit clear they're seeking a
homeland.
If they'd been thinking of thatland, for which they had gone
out, they would have had anopportunity to return, but as it
is, they desire a bettercountry, that is, a heavenly one
.
Therefore, god is not ashamedto be called their God, for he
has prepared for them a city.
He's prepared it for them andfor you.
(35:56):
Teenager, teacher, nurse,employee of this temporary
government, whoever you are,don't compromise your faith.
Keep speaking about Jesus, nomatter what it costs you in this
world that's passing away,knowing that your reward is
great in the world that willlast forever.
(36:19):
And can I just add one morething?
I'm totally out of time, butthis is so important.
How can you best love thepeople who persecute you and
revile you and slander you?
And the answer is by doing whatJesus says to do here by truly,
(36:40):
authentically, deeply rejoicingand being glad.
When?
What does it say in verse 10?
When, oh sorry, I can'tremember where it is, but when
they persecute you, when theyrevile you, when they slander
you, rejoice and be glad.
Not.
(37:00):
So follow this, not in someselfish desire to spite them, no
, but because you want to showthem that Jesus really is a
reward worth living for.
Show them that their attacks onyou don't decrease your joy.
(37:21):
They actually increase your joy.
Why?
Because you're not dependent onwhat they do or say or spread
about you or what anyone does orthinks about you.
You're not dependent on them orothers for your joy, because
(37:42):
Jesus alone is your supremesource of joy and gladness and
nothing that happens to you inthis world can shake that.
In fact, attacks against you inthis world only increase your
joy and gladness in the king ofanother world of heaven.
(38:04):
And in this way, hopefully,prayer even your persecutors,
revilers, slanders, will come toknow the reward that's found in
Jesus alone.
You put it all together thismiracle that God alone can bring
about of rejoicing and beingglad, happiness in the face of
persecution, reviling,slandering, is good for you,
(38:28):
it's good for those who do thosethings to you and ultimately
it's glorifying to God.
This is the good life and it'stotally different from the way
of this world.
And today I just want to inviteyou to believe Jesus when he
(38:51):
says these things, to take himat his word in these beatitudes.
We hope you've enjoyed thisweek's episode of Radical with
David Platt.
For more resources from DavidPlatt, we invite you to visit
radicalnet.
You are listening to Radical with David Platt, a
weekly podcast with sermons andmessages from pastor, author and
teacher David Platt.
If you have a Bible and I hopeyou or somebody around you does
that you can look on with.
Let me invite you to open withme to Matthew, chapter 5.
And as you're turning, I wantto welcome those of you in other
locations around Metro DC forour church family, as well as
(00:24):
others online, who arephysically not able to be with
us today, and especially ifyou're visiting with us whether
you're a follower of Jesusvisiting from another church, or
maybe you're not a follower ofJesus and you're just checking
out church, or a friend orfamily member invited you today.
We want you to know that youare welcome here and we are
(00:44):
genuinely glad that you're here.
We're studying Jesus's teachingin the Sermon on the Mount this
fall, as we think about what itwould look like to experience
life on earth as it is in heaven, I just want you to think about
what would that look like.
Think about just pulling upnews on your phone this week.
(01:15):
You see news of global wars andterrorism and political
polarization and violence andmoral failings among prominent
leaders, including churchleaders, mental health crises.
You see social media inflamingall these things and then
realize none of those things arehappening in heaven.
(01:36):
None of them, which is why wepray God, our Father in heaven,
may your kingdom come on earth.
As it is in heaven and in theSermon on the Mount, jesus is
showing us a glimpse of what thekingdom of heaven actually
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looks like here in our lives.
He's showing us how the king ofheaven totally changes the way
we live on earth in ways thatare completely counter-cultural.
Just think about what we lookedat last week.
From the very beginning, jesussaying blessed are so happy are
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fortunate are hashtag, blessedare the poor in spirit.
It's totally counter-cultural.
It goes against everything thisworld says and we think this
world says and we think the keyto life is to believe in
(02:40):
yourself and trust in yourself.
Have confidence in yourself.
The mantra of the world isplease yourself, protect
yourself, promote yourself, betrue to yourself, satisfy
yourself, comfort yourself, takecare of yourself, live for
yourself.
Jesus says no, the key to lifeis to die to yourself.
(03:03):
No, the key to life is to dieto yourself, to express not
yourself but your utter povertyapart from God, your complete
dependence on God for life, andthat's when you'll live.
The kingdom of heaven willbelong to you.
Then blessed are those who mourn.
(03:24):
What is that?
Happy are those who mourn?
What is that?
Happy are those who mourn?
We think happy are those whodelight in this world and all it
has to offer offer.
Happier those who live it uphere, who get what they want
here and live how they want here.
Jesus says no.
Happy are those who mourn oversin and suffering in this world,
(03:48):
over their sin and theirsuffering, over other sin and
other suffering.
Happy are those who long for atotally different world.
God will wrap his arms aroundthem and they shall be comforted
.
Then blessed are the meek whoputs that on a resume.
(04:11):
Not that you would write I'mreally meek and kind of show
that you're not, but this is nota trait we prize Gentleness,
humility, consideration of otherinterests above your own.
Jesus says the humble, not theproud, shall inherit the earth,
(04:34):
shall gain the world.
Then we think happier those whohunger and thirst, who long and
work hard for more and nicerand better and newer and bigger
in this world.
Blessed are those who work hardfor possessions and position
(04:55):
and a good reputation andcomfort and safety and security
in this world.
Jesus says no, blessed arethose who hunger and thirst, who
long and work hard forrighteousness, for holiness, for
justice, no matter what thatmeans for them in this world.
That's where satisfaction isfound.
(05:19):
So we looked at all those lastweek the first four Beatitudes,
these declarations anddescriptions from Jesus of
blessing or happiness.
So now we're going to hit thelast four today, to use language
from Mike last week.
In these Beatitudes, thesepronouncements of blessing, how
does Jesus, the King of heaven,redefine the good life in this
(05:43):
world?
And if you're taking notes,just to let you know, I don't
have like point one, two, three,four, we're simply gonna just
walk through each verse.
I would encourage you to writedown whatever sticks out to you
along the way when it comes tohow Jesus redefines the good
life.
So he says in verse sevenblessed are the merciful, for
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they shall receive mercy.
Happy are the compassionate,the sympathetic.
Happy are the people who areconcerned about others in need.
You just look at the differentways this word is used in other
(06:28):
times.
In the book of Matthew we seetwo pictures, and here's how I
would put it you see mercytoward sufferers and you see
mercy toward sinners, both.
And Let me show you both ofthese First sufferers so four
times this word is used inMatthew by suffering people who
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come to Jesus crying out formercy.
In Matthew 9, 27, two blind mencried out have mercy on us, son
of David, and Jesus heals them.
Then, in Matthew 15, 22, aGentile woman comes to Jesus
crying out on behalf of herdemon-possessed daughter and she
says have mercy on me, lord,and Jesus heals her daughter.
(07:16):
Then, matthew 17, 14, lord,have mercy on my son.
This is a man who comes toJesus on behalf of his son who's
experiencing uncontrollableseizures, and once he asks for
Jesus' mercy, jesus heals hisson.
And then, finally, in Matthew20, verses 30 and 31, a crowd
(07:36):
tries to quiet two blind men,but they keep crying out twice,
lord, have mercy on us, andJesus heals them.
So this is mercy, this iscompassion, concern for and
helping people who are suffering.
And then you see mercy towardsinners.
(07:57):
So Jesus uses the same word inMatthew, chapter 18, verse 33,
when he's talking aboutforgiving people who sin against
you.
He tells a parable of anunforgiving servant who receives
forgiveness for what he haddone, but then doesn't go out
and show that same forgivenessto those who've done things to
him.
And the punchline in the wholeparable is verse 33, when the
(08:21):
master says to this unforgivingservant, whom he had forgiven,
should not you have had mercy onyour fellow servant as I had
mercy on you?
So what's the happy life, thegood life, what are Christians
known for?
To use Mike's language fromlast week, for mercy towards
(08:43):
sufferers and mercy towardsinners Towards sufferers.
Don't miss this.
Jesus is also talking aboutmercy toward those who hurt us,
towards sinners, generally tothose struggling with sin,
because we know what it's liketo struggle with sin, and
(09:07):
specifically toward those whosin against you.
The good life shows mercy tothem.
The good life doesn't hold onto bitterness against people who
sin against you and, to be sure, when you've been hurt in a
significant way, forgiveness isnot easy and often involves a
(09:29):
process, and mercy also doesn'tmean justice just goes out the
window.
I think about a judge in ourchurch family giving just
judgments all day.
Jesus is not calling that judgeto just be merciful and let
everybody off the hook, becausethat's the good life.
Now, the God of mercy is also aGod of justice, which ironically
(09:53):
was mentioned in that previousbeatitude.
Those who hunger and thirst forrighteousness, for justice.
The picture here, though, isjust.
As God has shown mercy in oursin, we should desire to show
others mercy in their sin, and acommentary I'm an editor for.
(10:13):
On the Sermon on the Mount,Danny Akin writes we will never
forgive anyone as much as God inChrist has forgiven us.
Happy are the merciful who showmercy to sufferers and sinners
out of the overflow we receivefrom God, of the mercy we
(10:33):
receive from God in our sin andin our suffering, which leads to
the next beatitude.
Matthew, chapter five, verseeight Blessed are the pure in
heart, for they shall see God sogood.
The same phrase is in ourchurch's bible reading this
morning Psalm 73 1.
The Lord is good to all who arepure in heart, and the word
(10:57):
Jesus uses for pure here meansto be clean, to be free from
adulterating matter, and theheart is clearly the focus here,
because later in the book ofMatthew, jesus is speaking to
religious leaders who weresqueaky clean on the outside.
They followed every religiousrule and regulation, but their
(11:19):
hearts were far from God.
Listen to the language Jesususes there in Matthew 23, 25.
He says Woe to you, scribes andPharisees, hypocrites, for you
clean the outside of the cup andthe plate, but inside they're
full of greed andself-indulgence.
You blind Pharisee.
First clean the inside of thecup and the plate that the
outside also may be clean.
(11:39):
That word clean three timessame word that Jesus uses for
pure in Matthew, chapter 5,verse 8.
The whole point is they didn'thave clean, pure hearts.
They were seeking God alone.
And that's the whole point.
Jesus is saying here in the NewTestament what Psalm 24 says in
the Old Testament who shallascend the hill of the Lord?
Who shall stand in this holyplace?
(12:01):
In other words, who shall seeGod?
He who has clean hands and apure heart, clean, pure heart
who doesn't lift up his soul towhat is false, does not swear
deceitfully that's a referenceto swearing allegiance to other
gods he will receive blessingfrom the Lord and righteousness
from the God of his salvation,such as the generation of those
(12:23):
who seek him, who seek the faceof the God of Jacob.
A pure heart seeks God, seeksthe face of God above all, and
then it makes sense, doesn't it,that those who seek God out of
a pure heart will see God, andthat is happiness to see and
(12:47):
know and experience God himself.
Yes, there's nothing in theworld that can compare with God,
which then leads to the nextbeatitude blessed are the
peacemakers, for they shall becalled sons of God.
I love this.
If you're taking notes, maybewrite down like father, like son
(13:12):
or daughter.
That's the whole picture here.
So God is a God of peace, a Godof peace.
Romans, chapter 16, verse 20, 1Thessalonians 5, 23,.
Hebrews 13, 20,.
All refer to God as the God ofpeace, and here's why.
(13:34):
So if you're not a follower ofJesus, I would invite you to
listen particularly close here.
God has created you and me, allof us, for a relationship with
him marked by peace and joy andlove and closeness.
The problem is we have allsinned against God.
We've turned aside from God inhis ways to ourselves, in our
(13:58):
own ways, we've rebelled againstGod, our hearts have warred
against God and as a result, wedeserve eternal judgment from
God and his holiness and our sin.
But the good news of the Bible,and the greatest news in all
the world, is that God loves usso much that he sent his son
(14:21):
Jesus to die on the cross forour sins so that we could be
restored to peace with God nowand forever, not through works
we do for God, but through faithin Jesus and his love for us.
The Bible says in Romans,chapter 5, verse 1, oh sorry,
(14:41):
where is it?
It is therefore, since we havebeen justified by faith, we have
peace with God through our LordJesus Christ.
This is the good news you canbe justified, forgiven of all
your sins before God.
(15:03):
You can, invites you to do thattoday, and when you do so, when
you have peace with God, thenwhat's the good life?
Well, it's, first and foremost,leading others to peace with
God.
You and I have the privilegethis week we can lead people to
peace with God.
What else do you have moreimportant on your to-do
(15:24):
privilege this week?
We can lead people to peacewith God.
What else do you have moreimportant on your to-do list
this week?
It's right, just in case youdidn't hear it, another sound of
the camera, the shout from thefront was nothing.
There is nothing more importantthan leading people to peace
with God.
So this is why we live in aworld that's at war against God,
(15:48):
and we have spiritual armor andspiritual battle, including
Ephesians 6, 15, shoes for yourfeet.
Having put on the readiness bythe gospel of peace, the good
news of peace.
We walk into this world today,where people are rebelling
against God, and we bring thegreatest news in the world of
(16:08):
peace with God that's possiblethrough faith in Jesus.
This is the great commission tospread the good news of peace
with God all around the world.
And then, as the overflow ofpeace with God, surely it makes
sense for us to live to makepeace with others.
Hebrews 12, 14,.
(16:29):
Strive for peace with everyoneand for the holiness, without
which no one will see the Lord.
It's a great picture of boththese last Beatitudes, but what
a word from God here, in a dayof polarization and accusation
and division.
God is saying not my children,not you.
You strive for peace witheveryone.
(16:52):
You know what that wordincludes Everyone, everyone.
God says Ephesians 4, 1 through3, I urge you to walk in a
manner worthy of the calling towhich you have been called, with
all humility and gentleness,with patience, bearing with one
(17:15):
another in love, eager tomaintain the unity of the Spirit
and the bond of peace.
What language this is?
What marks my children?
God says Humility, gentleness,patience, bearing with one
another, believing the bestabout one another and love for
(17:35):
them, because you're bondedtogether by the spirit of peace,
spirit of peace, at the sametime knowing that there are
times when people won't respondto desire for peace, which is
why Romans 12, 18 says ifpossible, so far as it depends
(17:56):
on you, live peaceably with all.
Sometimes in this world, peoplewill refuse to make peace.
Sometimes in this world, peoplewill refuse to make peace, in
which case God actually says inTitus 3, 10 through 11, as for a
person who stirs up division,after warning him once and then
twice, have nothing more to dowith him, knowing that such a
(18:17):
person is warped and sinful, heis self condemned.
Jesus himself says later inMatthew 18, there's actually a
time to distance yourself andthe church from people who won't
work toward peace with you andGod.
But even when that happens,keep longing for peace, knowing
(18:40):
that is the heart of God andbeyond the church.
In a world of conflict anddivision, we don't stoke fires
in person or on social media.
We actually make sacrifices tode-escalate and reconcile sides,
obviously never in a way thatcompromises the gospel, but
(19:02):
always in a way that flows fromthe gospel, as sinners
reconciled to God and oneanother.
In the church we work forreconciliation to God and among
others in the world, like father, like son and daughter, which
all leads to the last beatitude,and this one takes the cake.
(19:22):
So all of these others havebeen counter-cultural, but this
one takes the cake.
So all of these others havebeen countercultural, but this
one is over the top.
Matthew, chapter 5, verse 10,blessed are those who are
persecuted for righteousnesssake, for theirs is the what.
Happy Are the persecuted?
(19:51):
That word means harassed,pressed on, pursued by people
who want to drive you out anddestroy your reputation or your
life.
Jesus says that is happiness.
Are you serious?
You can almost imagine theconfusion on the disciples'
(20:14):
faces and the crowds as theythink wait.
Did he just say blessed are thepersecuted?
Blessed are those who areharassed and driven out and
opposed in these ways.
And you can tell they'reconfused because Jesus does
(20:35):
something here that he hasn'tdone with any of the other
beatitudes.
He says the same thing again,but he makes it more forceful
and more personal.
This time.
He's clarifying what he justsaid.
He says in verse 11, blessedare you, not just those, like he
said in other attitudes, butnow it's you.
Blessed are you I'm talkingabout you Happy are you when
(20:58):
others revile you?
That word means to heap insultson you to mock you, to work to
shame you?
Happy are you when others dothat to you and persecute you
and utter all kinds of evilagainst you, falsely on my
(21:21):
account, on my account?
Happy are you when people lieabout you in all kinds of ways?
Fortunate are you when peopleslander you and then watch this
command.
Jesus says rejoice and be glad,rejoice, be glad, rejoice.
(21:50):
It's the same word that's usedin Luke 15, 32 to describe the
father whose son was lost and isfound.
It's the same word that's usedin Revelation, chapter 19, verse
7, to describe this celebrationin heaven when we will rejoice
in the presence of Jesus for thevery first time.
Rejoice and be glad Same wordthat's used in 1 Peter, chapter
1, verse 8, when he talks aboutfollowing Jesus and loving him
and rejoicing over him with joythat is inexpressible and filled
(22:13):
with glory.
Jesus is giving a command hereto rejoice and be glad when
people attack you.
Glad when people attack you.
How's that possible?
That's impossible.
Think about it.
One this is Jesus commanding anemotion, a feeling and we don't
(22:34):
always have immediate controlover our feelings and two, in
light of the fact that ouremotions follow our thoughts,
jesus is telling us to feel anemotion that's completely
contrary to the way we think.
Nobody is slandered, attacked,shamed, lied about and feels
(22:56):
elated by that.
No, we feel inflamed by thesethings.
In a sermon I listened to acouple years ago on this text,
john Piper said I would arguethis is the most difficult
command in the Bible, namely,for Jesus' sake, to feel joy and
gladness when you are reviledand persecuted and slandered.
(23:18):
And the key obviously to all ofthis is these things happening
for Jesus' sake.
In verse 10, it's blessed arethose who are persecuted for
righteousness' sake, and verse11, it's blessed are you when
people revile, you, persecute,you, utter all kinds of evil
against you falsely on myaccount, meaning because you're
(23:42):
obeying me.
So this is not just Jesussaying blessed are those who are
persecuted, reviled, slanderedin general, but blessed are you
when people persecute you,revile you, slander you because
of righteousness and obedienceto me.
Now let's point out the obvious.
(24:02):
Obviously, slanderers won't saythat's why they're attacking
you, because you're righteous orobeying God.
They'll say they're doing thisbecause they're righteous and
you're wicked.
That's the whole point.
They don't want anyone to thinkwell of you.
I distinctly remember hearing atestimony, and I can't remember
(24:22):
exactly who it was from.
But it was a pastor in anothercountry who had been imprisoned
for his faith and for spreadingthe gospel, and authorities were
threatening to have himexecuted, to hang him.
But the authorities didn't wanthim to be seen by others as a
noble martyr, so they startedspreading slander about him that
(24:44):
he'd been unfaithful to hiswife, that he'd misused the
church's money, and he said thatthere in prison it hit him as
they started to do this that hewas glad to die for Jesus as
long as the people he loved inhis family and in the church
(25:04):
were applauding him as he wentto his death.
But he couldn't bear thethought of dying and people he
loved in his family or thechurch not cheering him on as he
went to his death because theywere believing those lies about
him.
Believing those lies about him,and he shared how he realized
(25:26):
in all of this that even in hiswillingness to die for Jesus, he
was still prioritizing himselfand his reputation.
We've never forgotten that thisis truly an impossible command
To rejoice and be glad whenpeople relentlessly attack you,
(25:51):
to harm you and to cause othersto think false things about you.
You just think about what thislooks like.
Picture our brothers and sistersin Christ today in a place like
North Korea.
If any of them are caughtpraying or reading any tiny
(26:13):
portion of a Bible they mighthappen to have, or just not
worshiping Kim Jong-un and allthe ways that he and the state
prescribe, they will immediatelybe taken to a labor camp where
they will be put to work inharsh, deplorable, painful
conditions, with little food andwater, until they wither and
(26:35):
die and their family and theirfriends will be told they are
traitors and enemies.
So North Korea other settingslike it around the world would
be the most clear and severeexample of what Jesus is saying
here.
Rejoice and be glad in a laborcamp, as your family and your
(27:00):
friends and your country thinkyou're a traitor and an enemy.
Then there are other examplesthat are nowhere near as severe
but are still significant in thecultural climate we're in today
.
I grieve over faithful,bible-believing,
(27:22):
gospel-spreading leaders inchurches, including friends of
mine, brothers and sisters alike, from a variety of different
sides in our culture, but whoare all in Christ as the church,
who've been attacked andslandered and reviled by anyone
who can gain a hearing on socialmedia by using their name it
(27:44):
happens enough from outside thechurch, it makes it all the more
sad inside the church and it'shumanly impossible for those
brothers and sisters to rejoiceand be glad in that.
But I really want to bring thisinto your lap because the
reality is this is not just ablessing and a command for North
Korean believers or churchleaders in our cultural climate.
(28:08):
This is a blessing and acommand for you, right where
you're sitting right now, ifyou're a Christian, because God
makes crystal clear in 2 Timothy3.12, indeed, all who desire to
live a godly life in ChristJesus will be persecuted.
So do you desire to live agodly life in Christ Jesus?
(28:30):
If the answer to that questionis yes, which will be true for
every follower of Jesus, thenGod is saying you will be
persecuted, not might Will.
That's guaranteed persecutionfor all who follow Jesus.
(28:51):
So it's not that you seek afterpersecution, opposition,
reviling, slandering, no.
Instead, when you seek afterJesus and you obey his commands,
you live in righteousness.
To use language from Matthew5.10, you spread the gospel with
Jesus on his account, then youwill be persecuted in this world
(29:13):
, you will be reviled, you willbe slandered, which means okay.
This verse means if this is nothappening in your life.
You need to at least ask oneare you compromising with this
world, maybe evenunintentionally, living your
(29:35):
life in such a way that you canstay in good standing with a
godless world?
Are you compromising what itmeans to truly obey Jesus?
Are you living like the rest ofthe world lives?
Or two are you sharing Jesuswith others?
You're telling people that theyneed Jesus, that he loves them
(30:02):
and he's made a way for them tobe saved from eternal
condemnation.
Are you sharing that withothers?
Are you keeping the light ofJesus under a bushel in your
life?
Because, mark it down, ifyou're not compromising with the
world and you are sharing thegospel of Jesus, then challenges
are coming your way.
(30:25):
I think about one brother in ourchurch family whose company was
and is actively affirming LGBTQissues in a way that not only
go against God's word, butthey're making it look they've
been making it look like he waspersonally promoting a sexual
ethic that goes against God'sgood design for men and women.
He had to make a costlydecision that risks his job in
(30:49):
order to make it clear he doesnot affirm what his company is
affirming.
And I know scores of you inbusiness and in teaching, in
medicine, in the government,military all sorts of jobs are
facing decisions like this moreand more on a daily basis in our
(31:10):
country.
And then I think aboutteenagers, students.
You guys are in it.
Every time I do a Q&A sessionwith you guys at camps or
retreats, you're askingquestions about how to follow
Jesus faithfully, how to sharethe gospel with friends and in a
culture where you will becanceled if you believe and talk
about the Bible.
(31:31):
And I am so proud of you fornot compromising, even though it
is costing you.
And I want you to know, as yourchurch family, we are behind
you.
I want all of you to know,across our church family,
whatever age or stage you're in,we're together in this.
In a world where persecuting,reviling, slandering is coming
(31:51):
for me and for you from allsides, let's help each other to
be faithful to Jesus, to notcompromise, to keep following
Jesus, make him known together.
And so now bring this back toMatthew 5, 12.
I have 12.
(32:12):
Bring it back here Realizingthat faithfulness to Jesus for
you and me actually meansrejoicing and being glad when
this happens.
So we got to help each other,rejoice and be glad.
This hit me so personally as Iwas studying this passage.
I want to be faithful to Jesusmore than anything else, all the
way to the end.
When I see his face, I want tobe faithful to Jesus more than
anything else, all the way tothe end.
When I see his face, I want tobe faithful to Jesus, and Jesus
(32:34):
just said here's whatfaithfulness looks like when
people attack you, you rejoiceand be happy.
How do you do that when you'rein a labor camp or when your
company might fire you or doesfire you, or your friends at
school totally cancel you.
Here's how Rejoice and be gladfor so that word clues us in.
(32:57):
This is Jesus telling us howand why we can do this.
How and why we can rejoice andbe glad when we're obeying him
and people come after us.
For your reward is great inheaven.
The only way to rejoice and beglad when persecuted, reviled,
slandered in this world is whenyou stop looking to this world
(33:19):
for reward and you start livingfor reward in another world, and
not just any reward Greatreward In heaven, verse 10.
Yours is the kingdom of heaven.
It belongs to you, so you canrejoice.
(33:42):
Talk about reward.
Just think about all.
This reward is Based on whatwe've seen in the Beatitudes.
Put them together.
You're going to be in thepresence of God himself.
You're going to see his faceand be infinitely satisfied as
he calls you his son or hisdaughter, as his mercy covers
(34:03):
over all your sins and heals allyour suffering, as he comforts
you and wipes every tear fromyour eyes.
And he says here's the world,with everything finally set
right in you and around youeverywhere.
Yes, rejoice, like a father whofinds his son who is lost.
Be glad with joy that'sinexpressible and filled with
(34:27):
glory.
You have a reward that faroutweighs health and freedom and
a job and a reputation in thisworld.
You have a reward that isinfinitely better than
everything this world has puttogether.
And Jesus says know that you arenot alone, for so they
(34:47):
persecuted the prophets who werebefore you.
They called the prophets liarsand deceivers.
They attacked and canceled andeven killed them too.
And those prophets Hebrews 11and 12, are in heaven right now.
And do you know what they'redoing, brother or sister in
(35:11):
Christ?
Right now they are cheering youand me on.
Why?
Because they know the reward isworth it.
Hebrews 11, verse 13,.
These all died in faith, nothaving received the things
promised, having seen them andgreeted them from afar, and
having acknowledged that theywere strangers and exiles on the
(35:33):
earth.
For people who speak thus makeit clear they're seeking a
homeland.
If they'd been thinking of thatland, for which they had gone
out, they would have had anopportunity to return, but as it
is, they desire a bettercountry, that is, a heavenly one
.
Therefore, god is not ashamedto be called their God, for he
has prepared for them a city.
He's prepared it for them andfor you.
(35:56):
Teenager, teacher, nurse,employee of this temporary
government, whoever you are,don't compromise your faith.
Keep speaking about Jesus, nomatter what it costs you in this
world that's passing away,knowing that your reward is
great in the world that willlast forever.
(36:19):
And can I just add one morething?
I'm totally out of time, butthis is so important.
How can you best love thepeople who persecute you and
revile you and slander you?
And the answer is by doing whatJesus says to do here by truly,
(36:40):
authentically, deeply rejoicingand being glad.
When?
What does it say in verse 10?
When, oh sorry, I can'tremember where it is, but when
they persecute you, when theyrevile you, when they slander
you, rejoice and be glad.
Not.
(37:00):
So follow this, not in someselfish desire to spite them, no
, but because you want to showthem that Jesus really is a
reward worth living for.
Show them that their attacks onyou don't decrease your joy.
(37:21):
They actually increase your joy.
Why?
Because you're not dependent onwhat they do or say or spread
about you or what anyone does orthinks about you.
You're not dependent on them orothers for your joy, because
(37:42):
Jesus alone is your supremesource of joy and gladness and
nothing that happens to you inthis world can shake that.
In fact, attacks against you inthis world only increase your
joy and gladness in the king ofanother world of heaven.
(38:04):
And in this way, hopefully,prayer even your persecutors,
revilers, slanders, will come toknow the reward that's found in
Jesus alone.
You put it all together thismiracle that God alone can bring
about of rejoicing and beingglad, happiness in the face of
persecution, reviling,slandering, is good for you,
(38:28):
it's good for those who do thosethings to you and ultimately
it's glorifying to God.
This is the good life and it'stotally different from the way
of this world.
And today I just want to inviteyou to believe Jesus when he
(38:51):
says these things, to take himat his word in these beatitudes.
We hope you've enjoyed thisweek's episode of Radical with
David Platt.
For more resources from DavidPlatt, we invite you to visit
radicalnet.
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