Rejoice and Be Exceeding Glad | Matthew 5:11-12

Matthew 5:11-12 "Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you."

The Introduction to Jesus's Sermon

What we have covered so far is just the introduction to Jesus's Sermon, a preview of what is to come and the foundation He will build on. Those who will live by these principles Jesus lays out will be poor in spirit. At times they will mourn. They will be meek. They will hunger and thirst after righteousness. They will be merciful, pure in heart, peacemakers—and they will be persecuted. Yet, despite all of this, they are blessed and will be blessed. Blessed with eternal blessings for their temporal burdens.

Notice who it is that says you are blessed. It is God Himself, in the flesh, Jesus Christ. These are not assumed blessings but actual blessings. Notice also that these are current blessings: "Blessed are"—the present tense is used every time. We are presently blessed because of future promises and realities that frame our thinking and affect our decision-making, which the world cannot presently understand. But those who will live by Jesus's sermon cannot live life with an earthly mindset, but a heavenly one.

Rejoice and Be Exceeding Glad

Then our last verse has one element that none of the other beatitudes have: an instruction. He has been stating realities, but now He gives a responsibility: "Rejoice, and be exceeding glad." To rejoice is to re-joy. To fill your cup to overflowing with joy because of the reality of our rewards in heaven. I admit it is hard to rejoice under the kind of circumstances spoken of in these verses, but when I remember that mine is the kingdom of heaven, and that I shall be comforted, and that I will inherit the earth, and that I will be filled, obtain mercy, see God, and be called the children of God, then it becomes quite easy to rejoice! I am full of joy because of future promises and present realities that this world just can't see! But we aren't looking at this life from earth's point of view but from His point of view, heaven's point of view. Surely we ought to "Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you."