“Blessed are you when people hate you and when they exclude you and revile you and spurn your name as evil, on account of the Son of Man! Rejoice in that day, and leap for joy, for behold, your reward is great in heaven; for so their fathers did to the prophets.” (Luke 6:22-23)
The portion of this chapter termed the Sermon on the Plain is Jesus’ teaching on discipleship. Jesus directed the sermon to His disciples, possibly in response to the popularity which He was experiencing as a result of the miracles of healing and deliverance which marked His ministry. Jesus had to teach them of the cold reality of the life to which they were called by outlining for them and us the characteristics of discipleship.
Discipleship is marked by persecution, injustice, insults, and loss but also by blessing and joy. Joy results from the love that the Lord has for His disciples and from the resources, assurance and strength He provides to those whom He has called into His kingdom. But joy and love are qualities which engender antagonism and hatred. The Lord empowers His disciples to display them for all the world to see, not just in times of blessing and peace, but also in the midst of suffering and trials. Such qualities oppose and overcome evil as they demonstrate the truth of salvation in Christ Jesus as well as the power of God. But those whose hearts are hardened against the Lord seek to silence truth and righteousness for they reveal the dark side of man, the corruption and evil which humans cling to with such tenacity.
We Christians today rant and complain about those in our world who promote sin and injustice in our government and legal system as well as those groups who persecute and seek to silence us. Rather than get angry or engage in counter demonstrations, we should rejoice. The hatred others have for us reveals the glory of God in us. Evil men have they way today, but the Lord gives us the hope of eternal life.