Matthew 5:11 Blessed are you, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake.… 1. There is a self-assertion here, which is justified by the character and position of the speaker. 2. All beings capable of love and hatred must, if placed together, act with direct regard to each other, and they will do many things for each other's sake. I. WHAT IS THE NATURE OF JESUS' CLAIMS? 1. Jesus claims work for His sake. 2. We owe to Jesus Christ patient endurance of suffering for His sake. 3. Jesus claims cheerful and generous gifts for His sake. 4. Jesus claims attachment to life, with a readiness to die, for His sake. 5. Jesus claims the devotion of ourselves to Him. II. SOME OF THE MEANS BY WHICH WE MAY STIR UP OURSELVES TO RECOGNIZE THESE CLAIMS MORE CORDIALLY. 1. Distinct ideas of the person of Christ are essential to our being moved by considerations which originate in Himself. 2. Frequent meditation upon the service He has rendered. 3. In order to this we need the communion of the Holy Ghost. (S. Martin, D,D.)The words bring before us the relation of the Christian to his living and loving Lord. I. Let us seek clearer views of the INFLUENCE of Christian motive. Christ has certain peculiar and special claims on us. There is the authority of His Godhead. The love of His incarnation and death. II. Let us get a juster estimate of its RANGE. 1. It bears on our efforts after personal holiness. 2. On the Christian's work for others. 3. It extends to the enduring of suffering for conscience' sake. 4. It applies to the sacrifices we are required to make. This principle possesses a testing power to reveal whether or not we are what we profess to be as followers of Christ. (Dr. W. M. Taylor.) Parallel Verses KJV: Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. |
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