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Broken and the Blessed Week 8, Day 1

by David Joynt on February 26, 2017


WEEK 8

DAY 50

“Blessed are those who are persecuted.” Matthew 5:10a

 The suffering of Jesus’ followers is not novel, and it is not accidental, and it is not absurd. This blessing for the persecuted follows the blessing for peacemaking, and this is not accidental. Those who dive deep into the world’s troubles and divisions in God’s name will come under pressure, as the prophets did, as Jesus did, and as the early church did. Acts 7:51-53 describes the martyrdom of Stephen. In a hateful and impure world, we must often say no to things and people that are evil, and this will give rise to both organized and spontaneous opposition.

 

What forms does persecution take?

Have you ever experienced it?

 

FAMILY TIME:

Jesus does not promise our lives will be easy, but He does promise our rewards will be great. How does that make you feel?

 

Tags: blessed, suffering

About the Author
David Joynt

Dave Joynt began his service as a pastor at Valley Presbyterian Church in Paradise Valley, Arizona in September 2014. This meant a move away from the Northeast, where he has a long history, growing up in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania and then serving congregations in Delaware and New Jersey for a total of 23 years.

Dave was nurtured in a great church in Bethlehem where his parents, Anne and Carey, served as elders. He graduated in classics from Lehigh University where his Father taught, and then from Oxford, where he met his wife Julia. Ordained in 1988, he completed a Ph.D. from Princeton Theological Seminary in 1993.

He and Julia have a son, Tristan, and a daughter, Madeleine.

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