March 26, 2023 - Sermon Notes & Questions
March 26, 2023

Blessed are the Pursued

Matthew 5:10-12

“Discipleship means allegiance to the suffering Christ, and it is therefore not at all surprising that Christians should be called upon to suffer. In fact it is a joy and a token of his grace.“ D. Bonhoeffer

Matthew 5:10-12 (ESV)
10 “Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
11 “Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. 12 Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

“persecuted” (v.10): pursued intensely to inflict harm
“for righteousness’ sake” (v.10): a Christ-followers’ actions, done out of love and obedience to Him

John 15:18-19 (ESV)
If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you.

2 Timothy 3:12 (ESV)
Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted…

Why is persecution so difficult to face?
1. We take our eyes off of Jesus. (Mt 14:30)
2. We face the World, the Flesh, and the Devil in our own strength. (Eph 2:2-3)

How are the persecuted blessed?
1. Jesus is truly with us as we suffer. (Acts 9:4)
2. We learn how to love like Jesus. (Mt 5:44)

Matthew 5:10-12 (Richard’s Standard Version)
Happy are those who are hounded and tortured for doing God’s good work on earth. Heavenly glory surrounds them.
Happy are you when evil people spit on you and your godly reputation and ruin your life with their filthy lies. Choose to rejoice in the light of what awaits you beyond this earth. When you’re there, all will be put into perspective by the martyrs and spiritual sages who ran the same gauntlet before you.

T.A.G Questions

  1. Show off one of your socially appropriate scars. What’s the story behind it?
  2. Describe a time when you were injured because you were doing something good in Christ’s Name. How has God blessed you beyond this pain?
  3. Share about an area of current persecution “for righteousness sake.” Pray for one another.

Small Group Guide

  1. Leader: Have someone open your group discussion with prayer.
  2. Icebreaker: What was one of your favorite games as a child?
  3. Read Matthew 5:10-12 aloud in several different bible versions. What word(s) stand(s) out to you? Ask God why and then share His response with the group.
  4. The Beatitudes (Mt 5:3-12) are proclamations of God’s blessings over those disciples who have entered the Kingdom through Jesus, rather than moral guideposts to be achieved in our own strength in order to be acceptable to God. Look over the contrasts below. In which of the blessings we’ve studied thus far is God most at work in your life with Him?
    Jesus’ Beatitudes Contrasted with the World’s Values
    • poor in spirit vs. rich in selfish pride & independence
    • the meek vs. the unbridled
    • those who hunger & thirst for righteousness vs. those who feed into a corrupt world system
    • the merciful vs. the cold-hearted
    • the pure in heart vs. those who close their eyes and ears to God
    • the peacemakers vs. the unreconciled and unforgiving
    • the persecuted because of righteousness vs. the insulated and silent
  5. Christ’s sacrifice mirrors the unjust persecution believers may face as they choose to love and obey the Lord. How are you learning to love your enemies?
  6. (optional): If you are a follower of Christ, share the Lord’s Supper together, reading aloud from 1 Cor. 11:23-26.
  7. Pray for one another.

Small Group Leadership Tips

  • Pray for your group before and after you meet. Prayerfully work through the questions and bible passage yourself before you meet.
  • At the beginning of your first time together, explain that these groups are meant to be discussions not lectures. Encourage the members of the group to participate. However, do not put pressure on those who may be hesitant to speak during the first few sessions.
  • Avoid answering your own questions. However, leaders may set the tone by occasionally sharing their own answers without dominating the time or the discussion.
  • Learn to accept silence in the group while they process your questions.
  • Appropriately call upon quieter members when they seem to have something to share.
  • Acknowledge and thank group members for their sharing. Redirect the group if they get off-topic too much.
  • Don’t be afraid of controversy. It can be very stimulating. If you don’t resolve an issue completely, don’t be frustrated. Move on and keep it in mind for later. A subsequent study may solve the problem.
  • You may need to divide the group into smaller subsets (men, women, pairs, etc.) to help the time and participation to flow.
  • If possible, the group host should not also be the group shepherd/facilitator. This helps the group to eventually multiply as it grows larger.
  • Look for ways to share the tasks in the group to help build a healthy discipleship culture. Look for the persons God may be leading to serve as apprentice hosts or shepherds.