Sermon on the Mountainside Intimidation

Sermon on the Mountainside

Intimidation

Intimidation is a big part of our world.

Animals use it like the frilled lizard,

the lizard spreads out its reddish frill,

opens its mouth wide and hisses

aggressively at the threat.

The barking dog or roaring lion

use intimidation to frighten others.

People too like to raise

their voice to intimidate.

They try to shut you down

by not allowing you to speak.

Persecution is a form of intimidation.

It is the threat to make you fearful

and back down from what is right.

Jesus says…

Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness,

for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

"Blessed are you when people insult you,

 persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me.

Intimidation

Intimidation is a big part of our world.

Animals use it like the frilled lizard,

the lizard spreads out its reddish frill,

opens its mouth wide and hisses

aggressively at the threat.

The barking dog or roaring lion

use intimidation to frighten others.

People too like to raise

their voice to intimidate.

They try to shut you down

by not allowing you to speak.

Persecution is a form of intimidation.

It is the threat to make you fearful

and back down from what is right.

Jesus says…

Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness,

for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

"Blessed are you when people insult you,

 persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me.

Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven,

for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

Matthew 5:10-11

 Someone once told me the

devil is a roaring lion,

 but he has no teeth.

 They were referring to 1 Peter 5:8-9…

Be self-controlled and alert.

Your enemy the devil prowls around like a

roaring lion looking for someone to devour.

Resist him, standing firm in the faith,

because you know that your brothers throughout

the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings.

 This passage is evident that the devil has

teeth because verse 9 says he causes “suffering”.

Peter was well aware of the devil’s and

world’s tactics to intimidate us…

And the temptation for us to use the same tactics.

That is why Peter says…

 “Be self-controlled and alert.”

You and I can get hurt.

We can suffer for doing what is right.

Jesus tells us to consider ourselves blessed

when we are intimidated for righteousness.

To not lose sight of the reward

of the Kingdom of Heaven.

Jesus did not let intimidation keep Him from

living the righteous life or from living out His faith.

Jesus in His Sermon tells us not to let intimidation

keep us from being salt and light in the world…

  "You are the salt of the earth.

But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled by men.

"You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.

Matthew 5:13-16

You have heard the term…

 Fight fire with fire.

 But the Bible says…

Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult, but with blessing,

because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing.

For, "Whoever would love life and see good days

must keep his tongue from evil and his lips from deceitful speech.

He must turn from evil and do good; he must seek peace and pursue it.

For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous

and his ears are attentive to their prayer,

but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil."  

Who is going to harm you if you are eager to do good?

But even if you should suffer for what is right, you are blessed.

"Do not fear what they fear; do not be frightened."

1 Peter 3:9-14

We have been called to bless…

 Not threaten.

 So the opposite of intimidate is…

Comfort, encourage, hearten, reassure,

soothe, embolden, calm, help, assist, release 

How has intimidation keep you from

being salt and light in this world?

Jesus was not intimidated because

He knew no one could take His life

because He was willing to lay it down.

Jesus was confident that if He laid

down his life, He would be raised back

to life with a greater blessing.

Not even the threat of death can intimidate

the believer who has the hope of eternal life.  

Scripture Reading

Matthew 5:10-16 NIV

10 Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness,

for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

11 "Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. 12 Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

13 "You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled by men.

14 "You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. 16 In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.