WPCJ K+R2lsGNN.-PaW~܋=z7z[x/(HTZT$gU6B^OE| lQ4^@2|MiگybN}cl0=)5}#0*<4Q-%;̀D5+ M/'luBI} wZ0T#UNa % 0: U@ U @/ 0co 0c ^ 5 wA 4E Y h mj U0 0X  HP LaserJet 5/5M PostScript0(9 Z6Times New Roman RegularX($USUS.,.%$ p`(CenturyRegularTT(O Z(Times New Roman (;3u$ O!ʏ  (;3u$ O!ʏ  c4 u4:i+003|xU.XpZCentury :Crouch BkletBooklet printing for Crouch lessonsd3'P'XXXXCrouch Lesson&((h nHt%``HHTR'3Crouch Lesson3' '3Crouch Lessons  'PT7d7*XX,XX* s //// u)X XXX  _( ( 5Q  XX TheSermonontheMountLesson8  u*X XXX  _5Q  XX BlessedAreThePersecuted !USUS.,  _ (d3'P'XXXXCrouch Lesson&((h nHt%``HHTRO'3Crouch LessonX3' Letter'3Avery 5198 Audio Tape Landscape3'LetterT8XXdd8*XX,XX* s XXXXv@XX  RS&v@5Q &@||  THESERMONONTHEMOUNTLESSONEIGHT , 5QԈ X @  "BlessedAreThePersecuted"   @f f  #5Q ,#\I0 5QMatthew5:1012  ffff#5Q 0\I#{3 5QINTRODUCTION" ' I.0  Societyhasalwayspersecuteditsbestandprosecuteditsworstcitizens,for G refusingtoconformtothemiddleoftheroad.[ ffffII.0  Thereisunceasingconflictbetweengoodandevil,rightandwrong,truthand b   errorragingonearth,andfrequentlyinourhearts.   ffff0  X III.TheeighthbeatituderemindsusthatbeingaChristianinthesinfulworldwill %   inevitablycostandbringtribulation(John16:33).   DISCUSSION" Y   I.0  WHATITMEANSTOBEREPROACHEDAND/ORPERSECUTED. y    A.0  Reproach meansacauseoroccasionofblame,discreditordisgrace;the 5  actoractionofreproachingordisgracing;anexpressionofrebukeor I  disapproval.Toreproachanotherpersonmeanstospeakabusively,to   censure,rebukerevileorupbraid.It may includefalsestatements i inventedandtoldbecauseofprejudiceand/ormalicewhichledthose }% whoinventthemthatnothingistooeviltobelieve/tellagainsttheobject 9 oftheirmalice.   B.0  To persecute means"toharassinamannerdesignedtoinjure,grieve,or Y afflict;specif:Tocausetosufferbecauseofbelief.Toannoywith m persistentorurgentapproaches(asattacks,pleas,orimportunities): ) PESTER."Webster'sNewCollegiateDictionary,p.848.     1.0  Topersecutemeanstovex,oroppress;tormentortorture.I     2.0  "Thecontinuedinflictionofunjustpainorpunishment;especially,a ] periodofilltreatmentandoppositiononaccountofreligiousbeliefs;  thestateofbeingunjustlytreated,repeated_repeated_Ԁinjuryofany }  kind"_F.L._ԀCox,SermonNotesontheSermonontheMount,1955, 9! p.31.M" II.0  WHATAREITSCAUSES?m$   A.0  Intoleranceandprejudice. Therighteouspersonisdifferentandhasno )% fellowshipwiththeunfruitfulworksofdarkness.(Ephesians5:11); =& hence,thiscausesafeelingofresentmentintheheartofthewicked ' (John15:19).](   B.0  Pride. AChristian,byhisverymanneroflife,isaconstantrebuketo q) sinners(Hebrews11:7b).Someofthemhewins;someheoffends."He - * makestheworthlessandselfcentereduncomfortable.""Pridewounded  + writhesinpain:"HerodandJohntheBaptist(Matthew14:1ff;Mark !M, 6:2428).Elijahandthewidow:"Areyoucometocallmysintomy a" - remembrance?"(IKings17:18).X   C.0  EnvyorJealousy. Sinnersasaruledonotrejoicewhengodlypeoplein  thesamelinearefavoredabovethem(Genesis4:19).x   D.0  Selfishness. Thegenuine,vitalChristianmustoftenworkforthatwhich 4 worksagainsttheprofitsofvestedinterests(Acts16:1623;19:23ff; H John2:1317).   E.0  TheveryaggressivenessofaChristianincarryingoutGod'swill  h (John14:6;Jude3;2Timothy3:12).|$     1.0  LivinggoodnessprovokesoppositionbythoseunlikeJesusthe 8 ungodly,sensuous,profane;etc.Christianityisawarfare   (2Corinthians10:35;Ephesians6:12;1Timothy6:12). X      2.0  Jesussaid,Hewholovesdarknesshatesthelightwhichexposeshis l   evilworks(John3:1921;Luke6:22 26 :"Woeuntoyouwhenall (   menshallspeakwellofyou!...."      3.0  Althoughpersecutionisinevitabletohimwhoisdeterminedtolive  H  aChristianlife(2Timothy3:12),thisdoesnotmeanthatallpeople \   universallywillhateorharmtheChristian(2Corinthians4:2;1   Peter2:11,12;Acts2:47).|  III.0  INWHATFORMSDOESPERSECUTIONCOME?L    A.0  Materialorphysicallossorinjury: Byhand,fist,swordorflame.      1.0  Jesus;Stephen;Paul;Fox'sBookofMartyrs;etc.l     2.0  SeealsoHebrews11:34.(   B.0  Bytongueorpen: Verbalorwrittenabuseorreproach.<     1.0  Mostpersecutioninourlandhasshiftedfromscaffold,stakeand  whippingposttoclassroom,gym,officeandshop(Matthew5:11).\     2.0  Itmaycomeintheformofridicule,slander,derision,scoffing, p sport/rejection(Luke6:22).,     3.0  Jesuswasaccusedofbeingafriendofpublicansandsinners,a  glutton,_winebibber_,mad,inleaguewithSatan,etc., todiscredit L anddestroyhisinfluenceandname (John15:18,19).`   C.0  See20thCenturyChristian,8/67,p.33,_Paden_;_McCord_,Happiness  Guaranteed,p.58.  IV.0  HOWSHOULDWERESPOND?WHATISTHERIGHTATTITUDE P" TOWARDPERSECUTION? #   A.0  Wemustavoidunchristianresponse,suchaswhining/selfpity.p$     1.0  Donotyieldtothetemptationtocomplain,towhine,tosuccumbto ,% selfpity.Decidetowin,notlose.Becomingfullofselfpityinstead @& offaithinChristguaranteesdefeatandloss(Colossians1:27).'     2.0  Thereisgreatdangerinallowingapersecutioncomplextodevelop: `( Thisallowsone'smisfortunestobecomethechampionofhislife, t ) ratherthanhisfaithintheLordandworthyachievementthrough 0!* JesusChristourLordtobethechampion(Romans8:37).!+     3.0  Donotyieldtothetemptationtotakevengeance(Romans12:17 "P , 19).X     4.0  Donotbecomesodiscouragedthatyougiveupthefightforright,  saying,"What'stheuse?"(Mark4:16,17;1Corinthians10:13).x   B.0  WemustadoptandfollowtheChristianresponseandattitude.4     1.0  "Armyeyourselves:" "ForasmuchthenasChristsufferedinthe H flesh,armyeyourselfalso withthesamemind; forhethathath  sufferedinthefleshhathceasedfromsin;thatyeshouldnolonger h livetherestofyourtimeinthefleshtothelustsofmen,buttothe |$ willofGod"(1Peter4:1,2).8     2.0  Bless/pray foryourpersecutors:Donotcurse,censure,revile,   slanderorspeakevilagainstyourtormentors(Romans12:14;  X  Matthew5:4345).l       3.0  "Rejoiceandbeexceedingglad:"" Leapforjoy;""Letme (   congratulateyou;""Beofgoodcheer;"fortworeasons.        a.0  Abigrewardawaitsyou:"Greatisyourrewardinheaven"  H  compareRevelation3:21.\         b.0  Youareinwonderfulcompany:"Forsopersecutedthe   prophetsthatwerebeforeyou."Youarenowinthecompany |  ofAbel,Isaiah,Daniel,Stephen,Jesus,theapostles,anda 8  multitudeofotherrighteoussouls.L      4.0  Bearpatiently: Returngoodforevil(1Peter2:2124;Romans  12:21).l       a.0  Befearless,settledandstrongintheLord:FollowJesus,Paul ( andotherslikethem(1Corinthians15:58;16:13;11:1).<       b.0  "WaitforJehovah:Bestrong,andletthyhearttakecourage;  Yea,waitthouforJehovah"(Psalm27:14:Isaiah40:31;41:9 \ 11)."Thetidewillcomein:""Nopersoneverreallylivesuntil p hehasfoundsomethingworthdyingfor.Youcanneverreally , possesstheKingdomofGoduntilthecauseofGodbecome  moreimportantthanyouownlife"Allen,God'sPsychiatry, L p.158.`     5.0  Remainfirmfortheright: John12:23,27,28;17:5;Hebrews  12:2.        a.0  Stayinthestruggleforright,inthestreamoflife.<!       b.0  Keepongoing:Nevergiveup!Rightwillprevail!(1Corinth P" ian10:13). #     6.0  Remember thatitisbettertosufferforwelldoingthanbepraised p$ ortosufferforevildoing(1Peter2:2025;3:17,18;4:1416). ,% Boyce,PowertoBecome,p.4346.@&  V.0  BLESSINGSDERIVEDFROMPERSECUTION `(   A.0  Strength. ThoughbeingaChristiancosts,itisthepathwaytogrowthin t ) compassion,steadfastness,_approvedness_Ԁandhope(Romans5:15).0!*     1.0  Althoughthetrialortestingoffaithisseldompleasantfromthe !+ humanviewpoint,theprovingoffaithworkspatience,andit "P , developsandrevealsstronger,Christiancharacterwhichincludes X greatertrustinGodanddependenceuponHim(James1:24).     2.0  ThatishowwelearnandgrowinthegracethatisinChrist(Luke x 21:12,13;2Timothy2:1;2Peter3:118).4   B.0  Purity:refiningpower (1Peter1:69)."Whenhehathtriedme,Ishall H comeforthasgold"(Job23:1012).   C.0  Opportunitiesincrease: Largerusefulness.Opportunitiestoglorify h GodandexaltChristincrease(Philippians1:12;Acts8:4;1Peter3:16).|$   D.0  ConcernofChristandangels: Matthew5:1012;Hebrews1:14.8   E.0  Finalblessings:Crown,eternallife:Agreatrewardinproportion   to,yetmuchgreaterthan,thesacrifice (2Timothy4:68;Matthew  X  5:12;Cf.Romans8:18;2Corinthians4:17,18).Yetthispromiseisnot l   tohimwhoavoids,despisesormerelyobservesthecontest,whining (   "theycriticizeme,"etc.,etc.,whenthegoinggetstough,thesunishot,   orthebattleiscrucial. H   ffffVI.0  TOPARTAKEOFCHRIST'SSUFFERINGSHEREISTOSHAREHIS  O  GLORYWHENHECOMES (1Peter4:12, 13 ;Romans8:17,18).c   0  X VII.WEARE"MORETHANCONQUERORSTHROUGHHIM"   BECAUSE"ALLTHINGSWORKTOGETHERFORGOODTO ? THEMTHATLOVEGOD,EVENTOTHEMTHATARECALLED S ACCORDINGTOHISPURPOSE" (Romans8:28,3339). ffffCharlesE.Crouch#5Q 3{+#