The beloved physician Luke shared how Jesus, “lifted up his eyes on his disciples, and said, Blessed are you poor: for yours is the kingdom of God. Blessed are you that hunger now: for you shall be filled. Blessed are you that weep now: for you shall laugh”, and in chapter six and verse twenty-two of his book Luke shares how Jesus said, “Blessed are you, when men shall hate you” and “reproach you” where we read:
Blessed are you, when men shall hate you, and when they shall separate you from their company,
and shall reproach you, and cast out your name as evil, for the Son of man's sake.
The verse reads, “Blessed are you, when men shall hate you, and when they shall separate you from their company, ...” Luke began with the words, “Blessed” or “oh how happy” “are you, when men shall hate you” which means “are Jesus' disciples at the time and moment people both male and female will detest them”, “and when they shall separate you” or “and at the time and moment people limit, exclude as disreputable and sever Jesus' disciples” “from their company” which means “apart from being with or participating with them”. Luke shared how people who are “hated” by others who “exclude” them from being with them are considered “oh how happy” by Jesus.
The verse goes on to say, “... and shall reproach you, and cast out your name as evil, for the Son of man's sake.” Luke continued with the words, “and shall reproach you” which means “and will upbraid, revile, chide and taunt Jesus' disciples”, “and cast out your name” or “and drive, expel, compel and bid in stern though not violent language everything which the name covers including the thoughts or feelings which are aroused in the mind by mentioning, hearing and remembering” “as evil” which means “as full of labors, annoyances, hardships, toils, perils, of bad nature or condition, diseased, blind and wicked”, “for the Son of man's sake” or “on account, for the cause and on behalf of the offspring and progeny of God who is Jesus”. Luke shared how Jesus said people will command or make his disciples to depart in haste and “expel” them and their “names” as “bad, wicked and blind” because of His “cause and behalf”.
When we think through Luke's words in this verse, we see how Jesus acknowledged there would be opposition to those who follow Him. People who are against Jesus' principles “hate” those who promote them, and “alienation” is sometimes the result. They also “revile and upbraid” disciples of Jesus and violently expel and cancel their names because they deem them as “wicked and diseased”. In other words, there is a “cost” for following Jesus and His ways. Those who live their lives “for Jesus' sake” will find they are often “hated, spoken against and reviled” because their lives challenge and convict those in opposition to them. God loves everyone, and His desire is to have a relationship with them through His Son Jesus. Although there will be a “cost” for following Him, everyone who submits their life to Jesus will receive abundantly greater rewards in heaven for all eternity.
Next time Luke shares how Jesus says, “rejoice in that day, and leap for joy: for, behold, your reward is great in heaven”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.
Until
tomorrow…there is more…
Look for the daily devotional book
“Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the
marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the
Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms
Volumes I and II" and the new novel "Elizabeth County"
in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com
; http://www.barnesandnobles.com
; download to e-books, and find it locally at
www.mrzlc.com/bookstore.
All references are from "Strongs Concordance".
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