The Beatitudes: Global Perspectives on the Way of JesusSample

“Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” 

If Christ is risen and has defeated death, why doesn’t it always seem like it? In the final of his eight opening statements to the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus more or less sums up the tension of what it means to follow Him: Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.  

Notice how both parts of the statement are in the present tense. Jesus acknowledges that we will be persecuted. But at the exact same time, He says the kingdom of heaven is already ours. 

This is the tension of the resurrection: Christ is risen, indeed. The kingdom of heaven is ours. Yet we still live in the in-between, in the tension of what is and what is to come. 

And so, we walk forward with the knowledge of Christ’s victory, standing for what is right even when it feels excruciating in this fractured world because as Jesus followers, we live as citizens of Christ’s kingdom. 

The staff at Compassion centers around the world know this tension well. Our 8,000 local church partners serve in some incredibly difficult environments: some in neighborhoods with high rates of crime, gang violence, or human trafficking, some in communities where they are a religious minority, and of course, all of them in areas of desperate poverty. 

Standing for love, justice, compassion, peace, and faith in such environments isn’t easy. Yet each pastor, Compassion center director, tutor, specialist, and volunteer knows and believes in the power of Christ’s resurrection. In that truth, they continue to work faithfully to bring Christ’s kingdom here and now, on earth as it is in heaven.

A pastor working in a Christian-minority context in Asia says this: “Working in a non-Christian community may be an uphill climb, but at the end of the day when I look back at how I have been able to exhibit Jesus-like actions amongst those who do not know him, I feel rewarded for reaching out to those who need God in their lives the most.” 

As you consider Christ’s resurrection today, how can you lean into the tension of celebrating Christ’s victory in a broken world? What does it look like for you to live as a citizen of the kingdom of heaven here and now, and spread the hope of Christ’s victory over death in the world around you? 

As you live out of the reality of Christ’s resurrection, know that your hope is not empty. It is instead a powerful statement in a world that so desperately needs it. 

Prayer: 

Risen King Jesus, thank you for acknowledging the tension of what it means to follow you. Thank you for the hope of resurrection. Help me to lean into the tension of living in your way, even when I may experience persecution or difficulty because of it. And when it threatens to be too much, help me to remember your victory and the truth that the kingdom of heaven is near. Amen.  

We hope this plan encouraged you! Explore other resources from Compassion Canada today.