November 11, 2022  | Silver Spring, Maryland, United States | Ted N.C. Wilson, President, General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists

Hello, friends. Imagine you are sitting on a grassy hillside beside the Sea of Galilee, listening to Jesus as He speaks beautiful words of blessing. Suddenly, you hear Him say:

“Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness’ sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake. Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you” (Matt. 5:10-12).

What strange “blessings,” you might wonder. After all, no one wants to be persecuted! No one likes to be reviled. How can these bring blessings?

Sadly, persecution of God’s people entered this world shortly after the Fall when Cain killed his brother Abel. Down the centuries, many who have followed God’s way have suffered and died at the hands of those who have chosen to rebel against their Maker.

In Hebrews, chapter 11, we read a short summary of some who have suffered: They “had trial of mockings and scourgings . . . of chains and imprisonment. They were stoned . . . sawn in two . . . tempted . . . slain with the sword. They wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins, being destitute, afflicted, tormented—of whom the world was not worthy” (vss. 36-38).

Millions of God’s faithful have suffered at the hands of those who hate them, and yet, they have found God’s promises to be true, for He has said, “As your days, so shall your strength be” (Deut. 33:25), and “My grace is sufficient for you: for My strength is made perfect in weakness” (2 Cor. 12:9).

 In the book, Thoughts from the Mount of Blessings, we read this wonderful assurance: “If you are called to go through the fiery furnace for His sake, Jesus will be by your side even as He was with the faithful three in Babylon,” referring to the faithful Hebrew young men who would not bow to Nebuchadnezzar’s golden idol. She continues, “Those who love their Redeemer will rejoice at every opportunity of sharing with Him humiliation and reproach. The love they bear their Lord makes suffering for His sake sweet” (p. 30).

You see friends, when we suffer for the Lord, whether it be through reproach, misrepresentation, slander, physical persecution, or even death, we are promised His presence and we may say with the Apostle Paul, “I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for Whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ . . . that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings . . .” (Phil. 3:8, 10).

In the first volume of Testimonies to the Church, a powerful story illustrating this very point is told of a faithful Christian about to suffer martyrdom for his faith. It reads as follows:

“A brother Christian had been conversing with him in regard to the power of the Christian hope—if it would be strong enough to sustain him while his flesh should be consuming with fire. He asked this Christian, about to suffer, to give him a signal if the Christian faith and hope were stronger than the raging, consuming fire. He expected his turn to come next, and this would fortify him for the fire. The former promised that the signal should be given. He was brought to the stake amid the taunts and jeers of the idle and curious crowd assembled to witness the burning of this Christian. The [wood was] brought and the fire kindled, and the brother Christian fixed his eyes upon the suffering, dying martyr, feeling that much depended upon the signal. The fire burned and burned. The flesh was blackened; but the signal came not. His eye was not taken for a moment from the painful sight. The arms were already crisped. There was no appearance of life. All thought that the fire had done its work, and that no life remained; when, lo! amid the flames, up went both arms toward heaven. The brother Christian, whose heart was becoming faint, caught sight of the joyful signal; it sent a thrill through his whole being, and renewed his faith, his hope, his courage. He wept tears of joy” (p. 657).

Friends, our God is powerful. He has promised not only to be with us, but to bring a blessing out of suffering for His sake. He assures us, “Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness’ sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven” (Matt. 5:10).

I invite you to pray with me just now. Father, thank you for the promise that when we are persecuted, reviled, taunted, that you will be with us and that we can actually rejoice because we are participating in your suffering. Lord, we ask that you will guide us in a special way as we face the future and whatever we face. May we never be tempted. To in any way disconnect ourselves or disown you. But may we firmly place ourselves on your side and realize you will be with us to the very end, and that one day soon you will give us new bodies, new lives, and that we will be eternally young as we are faithful to you. Thank you for hearing us, and thank you for the power that only comes from heaven to sustain us through these difficulties. And we thank you in Jesus name. Amen.

 

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