Lesson 12: The King’s Pain

The Gospel
of Matthew

Chapter 5

The King’s Pain

Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness
sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven Matthew 5:10

Per⋅se⋅cute: to pursue with harassing or oppressive treatment, esp. because of religion, race, or beliefs; harass persistently: to annoy or trouble persistently.

Synonyms:
1.afflict, torture, torment. 2. worry,badger, vex, bother, pester.

The final beatitude shakes us into the reality of being a disciple and following the Christ. The Lord is issuing both a blessing and a forecast; they that desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution. From the days of John the Baptist until now, the Kingdom
of God has suffered violence. The trailblazing power of the advancing Gospel always attracts opposition;

¹The priests and the captain of the temple guard and the Sadducees came up to Peter and John while they were speaking to the people. ²They were greatly disturbed because the apostles were teaching the people and proclaiming in Jesus the resurrection of the dead. ³They seized Peter and John, and because it was evening, they put them in jail until the next day. Acts 4:1-3

When the gospel is preached and the Kingdom expands, the forces of darkness look for human
agents to quell and suppress the momentum. This is a recurring pattern which Christians need to be aware of and prepared for:

Also a multitude gathered from the surrounding cities to Jerusalem, bringing sick people and those who were tormented by unclean spirits, and they were all
healed.

Then the high priest rose up, and all those who were with him (which is the sect of the Sadducees), and they were filled with indignation, ¹⁸ and laid their hands on the apostles and put them in the common prison. ¹⁹ But at night an angel of the Lord opened the prison doors and brought them out, and said, ²⁰ “Go, stand in the temple and speak to the people all the words of this life.” Acts 5:16-20

Many times the enemy uses stealth tactics to propagate an offensive against the believer and
it takes discernment to figure out what the opposition is up to:

Be sober, be vigilant; because^[a] your adversary the devil walks about like a
roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. ⁹ Resist him, steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are experienced by your brotherhood in the world. 1 Peter 5:8-9

Persecution therefore comes in physical and spiritual forms. If Satan cannot get the church
through physical persecution he reverts to hidden spiritual and divisive tactics:

Now in those days, when the number of the disciples was multiplying, there arose a complaint against the Hebrews by the Hellenists,^[a] because their widows were neglected in the daily distribution. Acts 6:1

But a certain man named Ananias, with Sapphira his wife, sold a possession. ² And he kept back part of the proceeds, his wife also being aware of it, and brought a certain part and laid it at the apostles’ feet. ³ But Peter said, “Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and keep back part of the price of the land for yourself? Acts 5:1-3

As the early church began to grow and blossom, the enemy temporarily changed tactics from external attacks via the religious authorities to internal subversive warfare. As disciples of Christ we need to understand that this is the way the enemy operates and no one is exempt.

The Lord was resisted and persecuted by the forces of darkness all through His ministry. When Satan couldn’t get Jesus from the outside, he infiltrated the disciples ring through seducing Judas. We therefore need to have our wits around us at all times to decipher the wiles of our enemy:

Lest Satan should take advantage of us; for we are not ignorant of his devices. 2Cor 2:11

Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. ¹¹ Put on the whole armour of God that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. ¹² For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age,^[a] against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. Eph 6:10-12

When you make up your mind to put your spiritual life into gear and follow Jesus without
compromise, you WILL encounter resistance. How ever we are encouraged to resist the enemy and stand our ground when things seem to be going awry. Jesus preaches to us to take Satan’s best punches and remain standing.

³³I have told you these things, so that in Me you may have [perfect] peace and
confidence. In the world you have tribulation and trials and distress and frustration; but be of good cheer [take courage; be confident, certain, undaunted]! For I have overcome the world. [I have deprived it of power to harm you and have conquered it for you.]John 16:33

In these days, the Lord is calling you to press into your destiny with ALL of your heart and
leave no room for compromise or lethargy. This is the season to spend time in the Lord’s Presence and put on the armour of purity, power and praise.

May God strengthen you in this hour to STAND!!

Lesson 11: The King’s Peace

The Gospel
of Matthew

Chapter 5

The King’s Peace

Blessed are the Peacemakers, for they shall be called
sons of God. Matthew 5:9

This outline will simply present parallel or complementary verses of scripture to help you arrive at your own conclusion of what peacemaking means.

So Abram said to Lot, “Please let there be no strife between you and me and between my herdsmen and your herdsmen; for we are brethren. Gen 13:8 A soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger. Prov 15:1

Who is the man who desires life, and loves many days, that he may see good? Keep your tongue from evil, and your lips from speaking deceit. Depart from evil and do good; Seek peace and pursue it. Ps34:12 Then on the next day he suddenly appeared to some, who were quarrelling and fighting among themselves, and he urged them to make peace and become reconciled, saying, Men, you are brethren; why do you abuse and wrong one another? Acts 7:26

Peace makers help to dispense peace many times at their own expense. If you step between two brawling parties, you are likely to get hit by a blow or two. Peacemakers stop fights and help to placate rage in it’s various forms. Does strife stop when it comes to you or does it go
to a new level?

It takes a really disciplined soul to hold back from reacting to provocation. How do you hold your tongue from speaking when everything within you wants to say something in return to a hurtful word?

Repay no one evil for evil. Have regard for good things in the sight of all men. If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men. Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath; for it is written, “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,” says the Lord….Do not be overcome by
evil, but overcome evil with good.Rom12:17,21

So let's agree to use all our energy in getting along with each other. Help others with encouraging words; don't drag them down by finding fault. Rom 14:19(Message)

The Bible is quite strong and clear about disagreements. See what Paul teaches the Corinthians:

And how dare you take each other to court! When you think you have been wronged, does it make any sense to go before a court that knows nothing of God's ways instead of a family of Christians?

I say this as bluntly as I can to wake you up to the stupidity of what you're doing. Is it possible that there isn't one level-headed person among you who can make fair decisions when disagreements
and disputes come up? I don't believe it. And here you are taking each other to court before people who don't even believe in God! How can they render justice if they don't believe in the God of justice?

These court cases are an ugly blot on your community. Wouldn't it be far better to just take it, to let yourselves be wronged and forget it? All you're doing is providing fuel for more wrong, more injustice, bringing more hurt to the people of your own spiritual family.1Cor6:1-7

Every Christian should be a strife-stopper and a peace-dispenser in a world full of troubles, quarrels, misunderstandings and fights. When we begin to live out our true nature in Christ, people will notice and call us gods (i.e. children of God)

I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called, with all lowliness and gentleness, with longsuffering, bearing with one another in love, endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. Eph 4:1-3

For further references, please check up Philippians 2:2-3, 2:14-15, 4:2-3, Colossians 3:12-15, 2Timothy 2:24, Hebrews 12:14, James 1:19, 20-27, James 3:16-18, 1Peter 3:10-12.

The key to walking in peace and releasing it wherever you go is; by staying close to Jesus. He said Peace I leave with you, My Peace I give to you, not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. John 14:26. The Lord is saying the HE gives us His type of tranquillity when we come to Him and freely receive His gift of peace.

Do not fret or have any anxiety about anything, but in every circumstance and in everything, by prayer and petition (definite requests), with thanksgiving, continue to make your wants known to God.

And God's peace [shall be yours, that tranquil state of a soul assured of its salvation through Christ, and so fearing nothing from God and being content with its earthly lot of whatever sort that is, that peace]
which transcends all understanding shall garrison and mount guard over your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Phil 4:6-7 (Amplified)

A peace-maker is a pace-maker of God’s tranquillity. When we come into the Lord’s Presence, His nature rubs off on us and we carry His Shalom wherever we go. This may take some time but be patient with your gradual progress. Spend time in the Word of God, read it, meditate
it, pray it and practice it. Sooner or later your nature will be transformed. This is the power of the Gospel!

Lesson 10: Purity: Key to the King’s Chambers

The Gospel
of Matthew

Chapter 5

Purity: Key to the King’s Chambers

Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.
Matthew 5:8

The pure in heart have a joy to which lust is a complete stranger. Pure means, unalloyed or unadulterated. We see only what we are able to see. And if we train ourselves by an open heart of undivided loyalty to gaze on the Lord, we shall one day be able to appreciate the supreme vision of the unutterable beautiful one in all His glory. Michael Green

Purity births vision. The cleaner your heart is the more of God you see. It is simple logic that a dirty windscreen mars your vision while a washed one provides clear sight. If what you focus on most is strife, anger, bitterness, wrongdoing and demons, then we can deduce that your heart is not clean. You have a dark heart.

Every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit. Matthew 7:17-18

Either make the tree good and its fruit good, or else make the tree bad and its fruit bad; for a tree is known by its fruit. ³⁴ Brood of vipers! How can you, being evil, speak good things? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. ³⁵ a good man out of the good treasure of his heart] brings forth good things, and an evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth
evil things. Matthew 12:34, 35

The Lord is the one speaking here and He clear states that your speech is a good indicator of your heart condition. What you say good or bad, is what your heart is singing.

Do not fool yourself! If the greater sum of what you say tends towards the negative, then you have a negative heart. If you speak good things most of the time, then your heart is good. This is the teaching of Jesus. If a man or woman works miracles, signs and wonders yet speaks negative things, that person has a bad heart. A very good indicator of how close a person is to the Kingdom of God is what comes out of their mouth not the miracles they perform.

Listen closely to what people say and you can easily place them…using this indicator of Jesus.

To the pure all things are pure, but to those who are defiled and unbelieving nothing is pure; but even their mind and conscience are defiled. Titus 1:15

Some may ask the question, how can I have a pure heart?

The answer lies not in determination or will power alone but in the power of the Word. David asked the same question;

How can a young man cleanse his way? By taking heed according to your word. ¹⁰ with my whole heart I have sought you; Oh, let me not wander from your commandments! ¹¹ Your word I have hidden in my heart that I might not sin against you. Ps 119:9-11

Having a cleaned out heart is not a human task but a divine act. We need to bring our cars to the car-wash and then the car is washed. The car cannot wash itself but it can be driven there. We have to drive our hearts to God’s purifying presence and allow Him to do the rest through the power of His word.

Let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water. Heb 10:22

² Wash away all my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin. ⁷Cleanse me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. ¹⁰Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Ps 51:2,7, 10.