How Jesus Transforms Our Pain Into Something Better

Summary

The speaker discusses the concept of persecution and its role in developing resilience and deepening relationships with God and others. Drawing from the Beatitudes, they emphasize that Jesus declared those who are persecuted for righteousness as blessed. The message encourages embracing challenges as opportunities to grow in faith and community, highlighting the importance of leaning on others, focusing on Jesus, and remembering why one follows Jesus to stay resilient in the face of adversity.

Takeaways

• 🙏 In the US, Christians are fortunate to practice their faith without fear of persecution, unlike in many parts of the world.
• 🌟 Jesus teaches that the blessed life is not for the privileged but is paradoxically for those who face persecution for righteousness.
• 📖 The beatitudes, as mentioned in Matthew 5:10-12, suggest that those who are persecuted because of their righteousness inherit the kingdom of heaven.
• 💪 Persecution can lead to personal growth by developing resilience, similar to how a muscle strengthens through testing.
• 🤔 It's crucial to differentiate between persecution due to righteousness and that which may stem from self-righteous behavior.
• 👥 Persecution can deepen relationships with others, pushing believers closer to God's family and strengthening communal bonds.
• 👂 James 1:2-4 encourages viewing trials and persecution as opportunities for joy, as they build perseverance and spiritual maturity.
• 🌱 The story of Emily illustrates how facing persecution at school led to personal isolation but eventually resulted in a deeper commitment to her faith and community.
• 👫 The message emphasizes the importance of leaning on others, focusing on Jesus, remembering your 'why', and keeping Jesus at the center to stay resilient in the face of persecution.
• 🔥 The ultimate reward for enduring persecution is not just a future heavenly reward but also the present experience of God's kingdom and community.

Q & A

What is the main theme of the sermon discussed in the transcript?

The main theme of the sermon is that the blessed life is not necessarily easier, but it is always better, especially for those who face persecution because of their righteousness.

According to the sermon, why are Christians in certain parts of the world persecuted?

In some parts of the world, Christians are persecuted because public Christianity is not accepted, and followers of Jesus may face social ostracism, job loss, or even生命危险.

What does Jesus say about the blessed life in the context of persecution according to Matthew 5:10-12?

Jesus says in Matthew 5:10-12 that those who are persecuted because of righteousness are blessed, as theirs is the kingdom of heaven, and they should rejoice and be glad because their reward in heaven is great.

How does the sermon relate the concept of the 'blessed life' to the Beatitudes?

The sermon relates the 'blessed life' to the Beatitudes by explaining that Jesus's teachings in the Sermon on the Mount, which include the Beatitudes, present a series of blessings that may seem counterintuitive but are ultimately sources of true blessing.

What role does resilience play in the context of persecution as discussed in the sermon?

Resilience plays a significant role as it is developed through persecution. The sermon suggests that facing hardships and persecution for righteousness makes one stronger in faith, similar to how a muscle grows stronger with use.

Why does the sermon emphasize the importance of not being persecuted for being 'a bunch of jerks'?

The sermon emphasizes this to clarify that Jesus blesses those who are persecuted for righteousness, not for being judgmental or self-righteous, which can push people away from God rather than drawing them closer.

What example is given in the sermon to illustrate the personal impact of persecution?

The sermon shares the story of Emily, who faced persecution and social isolation after sharing her faith in a school assignment, leading to hurtful comments and even a suggestion for her to 'go and kill herself.'

How does the sermon suggest that persecution can deepen relationships with God and others?

The sermon suggests that persecution can push individuals towards God's family and deepen relationships with Jesus and his people, as it forces individuals to rely on their faith community for support and encouragement.

What are the four things the sermon recommends to stay in the fight when facing persecution?

The four things recommended are: 1) Lean on others for support, 2) Focus on Jesus and his teachings, 3) Remember your 'why' for following Jesus, and 4) Keep your eyes fixed on Jesus as the pioneer and perfecter of faith.

What does the sermon say about the kingdom of heaven in relation to the present life?

The sermon explains that Jesus declared the kingdom of heaven as being near, indicating that the rule and reign of God are not just a future hope but are present and active in the lives of believers through Jesus.

Outlines

00:00

🙏 The Paradox of Christian Persecution

The speaker begins by contrasting the freedom to practice Christianity in the United States with the severe persecution faced by believers in other parts of the world. Despite the privilege of living without fear of persecution, Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount teaches that the truly blessed are those who face persecution for righteousness. The speaker emphasizes that the blessed life is not about ease but about living a life aligned with God's will, even when it involves suffering. The message challenges the common perception of blessings and calls for a deeper understanding of Jesus's teachings on the beatitudes, particularly focusing on the blessing of persecution.

05:03

💪 Developing Resilience Through Persecution

This paragraph delves into how Jesus uses suffering for good, drawing parallels between his own life and the lives of believers. Persecution, when faced for righteousness, is presented as an opportunity to develop resilience, much like a muscle grows stronger through testing. The speaker cites James's letter, which encourages viewing trials as a source of joy, as they produce perseverance and spiritual maturity. Using the story of Emily, who faced significant social backlash for her faith, the narrative illustrates how persecution can push a person towards isolation but can also be an occasion to rely on God and community, ultimately strengthening one's faith and resolve.

10:04

🤝 Strengthening Community in the Face of Persecution

The speaker discusses the communal aspect of persecution, noting that while it can isolate, it can also drive individuals deeper into the Christian community. Jesus's words from the Sermon on the Mount are revisited, highlighting the personal and relational nature of persecution and its blessings. The narrative explains that persecution can lead to a stronger sense of purpose and closer relationships with fellow believers, as it pushes individuals towards God's family. The story of Emily and her friend starting a Bible study exemplifies this, showing how they created a supportive space for others to grow in their faith amidst persecution.

15:06

🌟 Embracing the Blessed Life Despite Persecution

In this paragraph, the speaker addresses the emotional and psychological impact of persecution, acknowledging the pain and challenges it brings. The focus is on the promise of a 'blessed life' that comes with following Jesus, which includes spiritual fulfillment, purpose, and joy. The speaker encourages listeners to lean on their faith community, to keep their eyes fixed on Jesus, to remember why they started their faith journey, and to stay focused on Jesus when tempted to give up. The message concludes with a call to action, urging listeners to stay in the fight for their faith, supported by the assurance that the life with Jesus is infinitely better than life without him.

20:06

🙌 Staying in the Fight Through Faith and Community

The final paragraph is a call to action, encouraging believers to stay committed to their faith even when faced with the temptation to quit. The speaker provides four strategies for maintaining resilience and faith: leaning on others for support, focusing on Jesus, remembering the personal 'why' behind one's faith, and keeping one's eyes fixed on Jesus. A scripture from Hebrews 12:1-3 is referenced to reinforce the message of perseverance and the joy that comes from enduring hardships for one's faith. The speaker concludes with a prayer, expressing gratitude for Jesus's example and asking for strength to continue following him despite persecution.

Keywords

💡Persecution

Persecution refers to the suffering or harm endured by individuals or groups due to their beliefs, race, or identity. In the context of the video, persecution is specifically tied to the experience of Christians who face challenges for their faith. The script discusses how Christians in certain parts of the world face severe persecution, which can include social ostracism, job loss, and even threats to their lives. The video contrasts this with the freedom to practice faith in the United States, emphasizing the importance of resilience and the development of a deeper relationship with God through these challenges.

💡Blessed life

The 'blessed life' in the video is a concept rooted in Christian theology, particularly as described by Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount. It is not defined by worldly comfort or ease but by a state of grace and righteousness. The video argues that the blessed life, while not necessarily easier, is 'always better' because it is characterized by a close relationship with God and a commitment to righteousness, even in the face of persecution. The script uses this term to encourage viewers to see value and purpose in their struggles and to find joy in their faith journey.

💡Righteousness

Righteousness in the video is associated with moral uprightness and adherence to a set of principles, particularly those found in Christian teachings. It is the basis for the persecution discussed, as the individuals facing challenges do so because of their commitment to living righteously. The video makes a clear distinction that persecution is considered a blessing when it stems from a commitment to righteousness, not from negative behaviors. For example, the speaker clarifies that it is not self-righteousness that leads to blessings, but a genuine pursuit of righteousness that may attract persecution.

💡Resilience

Resilience, as discussed in the video, is the capacity to recover quickly from difficulties and to face or deal with adverse situations. The script uses the concept to explain how facing persecution can strengthen a person's faith and character. It is likened to a muscle that grows stronger with use, where the trials and tribulations of persecution serve to build spiritual strength and perseverance. The video encourages viewers to view their struggles not as setbacks but as opportunities to develop resilience.

💡Prophets

In the video, 'prophets' refers to the biblical figures who were messengers of God and often faced persecution for their prophecies and teachings. The script draws a parallel between the persecution of these historical figures and the experiences of contemporary Christians. It uses the example of prophets to illustrate that persecution has been a recurring theme for those who stand for their faith, and it is through this lens that the speaker encourages viewers to find strength and identity in their own experiences of persecution.

💡Self-righteousness

Self-righteousness is portrayed in the video as a negative trait, where individuals believe themselves to be morally superior to others. The speaker contrasts this with true righteousness, which is the basis for the 'blessed life.' The video warns against self-righteousness, suggesting that it can lead to behaviors that alienate others and do not reflect the teachings of Jesus. It is used as a cautionary example to illustrate the difference between genuine faith, which may lead to persecution, and a self-aggrandizing attitude that does not.

💡Beatitudes

The Beatitudes are a series of blessings found in the Sermon on the Mount in the New Testament. In the video, they are referenced as teachings by Jesus that outline the characteristics of those who are blessed. The script specifically mentions the beatitude that blesses those who are persecuted for righteousness, highlighting it as a central theme of the discussion. The video uses the Beatitudes to frame the idea that the qualities traditionally seen as negative or challenging can actually be sources of spiritual blessing.

💡Kingdom of Heaven

The 'Kingdom of Heaven' in the video is a reference to the realm or rule of God, as taught by Jesus in the New Testament. It is mentioned in the context of the Beatitudes, where those who are persecuted for righteousness are promised the Kingdom of Heaven. The video uses this concept to provide hope and encouragement, suggesting that despite the hardships faced on earth, there is a greater reward and purpose for those who live righteously.

💡Perseverance

Perseverance in the video is the act of persisting in a course of action despite difficulty or delay in achieving success. It is closely related to the concept of resilience and is seen as a virtue that is developed through trials and tribulations. The script quotes James, who encourages Christians to view trials as opportunities to develop perseverance, which in turn leads to spiritual maturity. The video uses the concept to inspire viewers to maintain their faith and commitment even in the face of opposition.

💡Community

Community in the video refers to the collective group of individuals who share common values, interests, or beliefs. It is highlighted as a source of support and strength for those facing persecution. The script includes an example of a student who, despite facing persecution, finds encouragement and solidarity by forming a Bible study group. The video emphasizes the importance of community for providing a safe space for individuals to grow in their faith and to find mutual support during challenging times.

Highlights

Christians in the US are blessed to practice their faith without fear of persecution, unlike in some parts of the world.

Jesus in Matthew 5:10-12 states that the blessed life is for those who are persecuted for righteousness, not the privileged.

The blessed life is not necessarily easier, but it is always better, according to the message.

The Sermon on the Mount introduces a series of nine blessings called the beatitudes.

The first four beatitudes discuss blessings for those who are poor in spirit, mourn, are meek, and hunger for righteousness.

The next three beatitudes highlight blessings for the merciful, pure in heart, and peacemakers.

The final beatitude discusses the blessing for those who are persecuted for righteousness, which is the focus of this week's message.

Persecution for righteousness is not the same as persecution due to being judgmental or self-righteous.

Jesus used his suffering for good, and he does the same for those who endure persecution for righteousness.

Persecution develops resilience, making faith stronger through trials, as explained by James in the New Testament.

Persecution can push individuals into isolation, but it can also deepen relationships with God and the community.

The story of Emily illustrates how persecution at school led to personal growth and the creation of a supportive Bible study group.

Jesus' message emphasizes that persecution can lead to a greater reward in heaven and strengthen one's purpose.

The kingdom of heaven is not just a future promise but a present reality that Jesus brings into our lives.

Four strategies to stay in the fight against persecution are: leaning on others, focusing on Jesus, remembering your why, and keeping your eyes on Jesus.

The message concludes with a prayer for strength to endure persecution and to keep following Jesus.

Transcripts

- Well, it's pretty common as Christians here

in the US of A to talk about how blessed we are

to live in a nation

where we can practice our faith

without the fear of persecution.

Because there are actually places in the world today

where public Christianity is a no-no.

Like if people found out you are a follower of Jesus,

you would be cut off from all of your friends.

You would potentially lose your job

and in certain places they would actually take your life

because there are places in the world

where to be a Christian brings persecution

at really severe levels.

And what I'm not trying to tell you

is that we should not be grateful to God,

that we can practice our faith here in the ways that we can.

That is an amazing privilege to enjoy.

But it's really interesting

because when Jesus talks about the blessed life,

he doesn't say the blessed life is for the privileged.

In fact, he says the opposite.

He says, "The blessed life is for the persecuted."

In Matthew Chapter 5:10-12, he says,

"Blessed are those who are persecuted

because of righteousness.

For theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Blessed are you when people insult you,

when they persecute you, when they 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."

That's why if you're taking notes,

the main point from this week's message is this,

that the blessed life is rarely easier,

but it is always better.

The blessed life is rarely easier,

but it is always better.

Now throughout this series, we have been walking through

the introduction to the Sermon on the Mount.

The greatest sermon ever preached it is Jesus's manifesto

on what life is like when God is in charge

and he kicks things off with a series of nine blessings

that are called the beatitudes.

And that's what we've been walking through in this series.

Like in the first week we looked at the first four

of these blessings that when you hear them they sound

kind of backwards like the first four.

Jesus said, "Blessed are those who are poor in spirit

because theirs is the kingdom of heaven."

He says, "Blessed are those who mourn

for they'll be comforted.

Blessed are the meek or the powerless

because they will inherit the earth.

And blessed are those who hunger

and thirst for righteousness."

The fact that they're hungry and thirsting for it means

that they do not have it, but they will be filled.

That's the first four.

And then in week two of the series,

we looked at the next three where Jesus goes on to say,

and also "Blessed are the merciful

because they'll be shown mercy.

Blessed are the pure in heart for they will see God.

Blessed are the peacemakers

for will be called children of God."

And like those ones actually seem to make sense,

like it seems like a good thing to be merciful.

But then Jesus like closes out the whole thing with this,

"Blessed are those who are persecuted

because of righteousness

for theirs is the kingdom of heaven."

That's what we're gonna talk about this week.

How in the world it can be true that those

who are persecuted are actually blessed.

Now actually before we get to that,

we do have to address a very important detail

that Jesus says.

He does not say, "Blessed are those who are persecuted

because they're being a bunch of jerks."

That is not what he says.

He says, "Blessed are those who are persecuted

because of righteousness."

And this is like really important

because it is not uncommon

to hear Christians complain about the persecution

and the pressure they're experiencing

that they kind of bring on themselves

because they're being a bunch of judgmental jerks.

Like when I first became a Christian,

I totally messed this up.

Like I was really excited about living for Jesus

and sharing what life with like is like what life

with him is really like to all the people around me.

So like at my job,

I was the assistant manager

at this frozen custard shop in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

I was telling everybody about

how much Jesus has changed my life,

but I was being so self righteous

that I kept making these like passive aggressive comments

that I didn't quite realize were so aggressive

and really not that passive to the point where my attempts

to bring them to church was actually just pushing them

farther away from God.

And they didn't want to have a whole lot to do with me.

Not because of righteousness,

but because of my own self-righteousness.

Jesus does not say, "Blessed are those who are jerks."

He says, "Blessed are those who are persecuted

because of righteousness."

Now, how does that work?

Now, I think the answer actually comes from the fact

that if we look at the way Jesus works, if we look at

how he responds to our pain, if we look at his own life,

Jesus who endured immense suffering,

always used it for good

and he does the same exact same thing for you.

That's why I would say one of the reasons we can trust

that the persecuted are blessed

is because persecution actually develops resilience.

It develops resilience in us.

Like when you go through hard things, you become stronger.

Like faith is kind of like a muscle

that the more it is tested, the stronger it grows.

And some of the greatest testing you will experience

in your faith is actually persecution

because of righteousness.

James, he's the brother of Jesus

and he was a leader in the early church.

He writes this in the first chapter

of his letter in the New Testament.

He says, "To consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters,

whenever you face trials of many kinds

because trials, persecution, struggles, suffering,

all of that, the testing of your faith,

it produces perseverance, it develops resilience.

And when perseverance is allowed to finish its work in you,

you'll become mature and complete, not lacking anything."

Why are those who are persecuted called blessed by Jesus?

Because persecution develops resilience in us.

When we are pushed, when we are stretched,

when we are challenged, we actually get better.

And like this makes sense

because it is true in almost any craft

that we might engage in.

Like when it comes to your sport,

if you wanna get better at your sport, you do not get better

by simply sitting on the couch watching YouTube videos

about your sport.

Like you might learn a little bit, it might be enjoyable,

but if you're not actually pushing yourself

and challenging yourself,

you're probably not gonna grow very much.

When it comes to like your musical instrument of choice,

the way that you get better is you challenge yourself.

You put in the work to learn to grow

and to become better in the future

than you used to be in the past.

And the same thing is true when it comes to our faith.

When our faith is tested, when we do the right things,

righteousness and we experience persecution,

pressure and pushback,

God uses that to develop resilience in us.

Emily took a communication class at her school

and one of the really early assignments

that they were given was

to share about the most important night of their lives.

And so Emily got in front of her class

and shared the story of how being at Switch changed her life

because it was there that she devoted her entire life

to following Jesus.

But after she shared this with her class,

things started to change pretty quickly.

Like the people in her class

started treating her very differently.

All of a sudden they started making all sorts of comments

about her being the girl

who never stops talking about Jesus.

They started to make her the butt of all the jokes.

A lot of people began to say increasingly hurtful

and hateful things to where there's this one guy sitting

at her table who literally said to her,

"You should go and kill yourself."

That was what Emily was walking through

and it was ridiculously painful for her

and so she did what most of us do

when we experienced that level of pushback,

she started to isolate herself.

She started to withdraw

because she did not want to be around the people

who were inflicting so much pain on her.

Like it got to the point where every day at lunch

she would eat by herself in her car

because she was convinced that nobody wanted her around.

She stopped getting invited to parties,

her friends stopped making time for her.

It gotta the point where she felt completely alone

and at times she was actually

like a little bit okay with that

because she felt like if she just keeps her head down,

then the harassment will eventually come to an end.

But thank God that is not how her story ends.

You see, while going through that,

Emily felt like God was calling her

to do something different,

to not let the persecution push her down,

but actually allow it to build her up,

to give her the confidence to stand out,

to be intentional in every space that God had placed her

to be intentional with all of the people around her,

doing the best she could to let her light shine

even when it was hard.

And what's super cool about Emily, she got together with one

of her friends and they decided to start this Bible study

because they knew that they needed each other

and they knew that it is really hard to follow Jesus

when you're doing it on your own

and you don't feel like you have a safe space.

So they came together to create a space

for other students just like them,

to find community around the things that matter most to them

to build each other up and encourage one another

when they're feeling discouraged because of the persecution

and the pushback they experience.

Why is it blessed to be persecuted?

Because God uses the persecution,

he uses the pain that we endure to strengthen our purpose,

to develop resilience, to make us more like Jesus

so we can love others the way that Jesus has loved us.

The other thing that God does is he uses our persecution

to deepen our relationships.

Now, what's super interesting about this series

of blessings is this one right here

at the end versus 10 and 11 where Jesus says,

"Blessed are those who are persecuted."

Is the first time that Jesus doubles down

on the same blessing because he says like,

"Blessed are those who are persecuted

because of righteousness."

And then he goes on to say right after that,

"And blessed are you when you are persecuted."

So what I wanna do is I actually wanna show you

both of them next to each other

because when you put them next to each other,

you see a couple of really key differences.

And I think this is important because it could be the case

that Jesus is just doubling down

because he didn't think we would believe him the first time

he said it, might be the case.

But I think it's more than that.

I think it's because the first blessing

is a lot more general.

Jesus says, "Blessed are those who are persecuted

because of righteousness."

But the second one is so much more personal.

It's so much more relational.

Jesus blessed are you.

When people insult you, when people persecute you,

when people falsely say all kinds of evil against you

because of me, the first blessing is general.

The second is relational.

Because persecution,

it has the power to develop resilience within us.

And if we let it, it has the potential

to deepen our relationships with Jesus and his people.

Because it's absolutely true that when people persecute you,

they are pushing you away.

And what they wanna do is push you into isolation.

But if you will let it,

then persecution can push you deeper into God's family,

deeper into his kingdom, deeper into relationship with him.

This is why the persecuted are blessed

because it develops resilience

and it deepens our relationships.

Here's the thing that Jesus goes on to say, he says,

"When you are persecuted, rejoice and be glad

because great is your reward in heaven,

for in the same way they persecuted the prophets

who were before you, great is your reward in heaven."

Now, I think it is important to acknowledge

that when most of us here in heaven,

we think, "Okay, cool, so like my life

is gonna suck until eventually I die.

And then I go to the floating city in the clouds

and that's where everything gets better."

And the thing about Jesus

is when he stepped onto the stage of history,

he announced his ministry by declaring

that the kingdom of heaven has come near.

He showed up in history to tell everybody the good news

that the rule and reign of God

was taking root in the real world.

It is not just some far off place in the future.

With Jesus, it is here it is now, it is in the present.

Yes, there is an aspect

that we will not experience this side of eternity,

but what Jesus came to do was to create a space in this life

for us to know him, for us to experience God

and for us to find community with his people.

This is why persecution can produce blessing,

because it develops our resilience

and it deepens our relationships if we will let it.

And there's some of you like you're hearing all of this

and it sounds good, but like none of it feels good

because persecution is ridiculously painful

and there are some of you who you have been insulted

because of your faith in Jesus.

Like there are people who have literally called you dumb,

uneducated and closed minded

because you believe in a God

that you cannot prove scientifically.

There are some of you who have been persecuted

because you have chosen to live in a way

that honors your purity and your sexual integrity.

Like you're not sleeping around, you're not looking at porn

because you wanna honor God and your future spouse,

and that makes you really weird.

And the people are around you,

they're telling you about all the things

that you're missing out.

There are some of you who because you follow Jesus,

there are people that are spreading rumors

and saying all kinds of untrue and evil things about you.

And every time you hear it,

it hurts again like it's the first time

because none of that, none of that is what we wanted.

None of it's what we asked for.

The blessed life is rarely easier,

but I promise you it is always better

because when you choose to follow Jesus,

he invites you into his kingdom.

He creates a place for you in his family.

He fills you with his spirit.

He breathes new life into your lungs.

He gives you purpose and freedom

and joy that this world can never understand or take away.

And there will be times where you are tempted

to throw in the towel,

but you will choose to stay in the fight

because you know that yes, this sucks.

But following Jesus is so much better

than anything I ever experienced before.

And I am not going back

where I came from because this isn't perfect.

But Jesus is making me and Jesus is working in me,

and Jesus is using me to do more than I ever could on my own

because the blessed life, it's rarely easier

but I promise you it is always better

because Jesus uses persecution to develop our resilience.

He uses the persecution to deepen our relationships to him

and with others.

So what do you do?

What do you do when you're ready to call it quits?

What do you do when you don't think

you can keep following Jesus?

What do you do when you're tempted to throw in the towel?

How do you stay in the fight?

I got four things for you.

The first thing, you gotta lean on others,

because none of us were meant to do this alone.

We need each other to carry the weight of following Jesus.

Second thing you need to do is focus on Jesus

to actually point your eyes at him,

fix your attention on him

because he wants to help you through it.

Third thing you gotta do is you have to remember your why.

Like when you are tempted to stop, remember why you started.

How has Jesus moved in your life?

How have you seen him work in you to produce change

and blessing and to show you that life

with him is better than life without?

And fourth thing, you gotta focus on Jesus

and I don't just put that one twice because it's Jesus,

I put it twice because those four steps actually

are what shows up in one of my favorite scriptures

of all time.

It's in the book of Hebrews chapter 12:1-3,

where if we read this, what it tells us is that,

"Since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses.

When you feel alone,

you're not on your own

because we are surrounded by God's people.

You gotta lean on others.

"Let us throw off everything that hinders

and the sin that's so easily entangles.

Let us run with perseverance with resilience,

the race that is marked out for us,

fixing our eyes on Jesus.

Focus on Jesus, he's the pioneer and perfecter of faith.

It was for the joy set before him

that he endured the cross."

What was Jesus' why?

It was the joy set before him.

It was your salvation.

It was you, you are the reason that Jesus endured the cross,

because of the love that he had for you.

It is the thing that pulled him through all

of the pain he endured.

So focus on Jesus.

Remember your why.

"After Jesus endured the cross, he scorned its shame.

He sat down at the right hand of the throne of God

and then consider him."

Focus on Jesus.

"Who endured such opposition,

such persecution from sinners so that you

will not grow weary and lose heart."

When you are tempted to throw in the towel.

Choose to stay in the fight by leaning on others,

by focusing on Jesus, by remembering your why,

and also focusing on Jesus, the blessed life.

It is rarely easier, but it is always better.

So what's it gonna look like for you

to stay in the fight when you're tempted to call it quits?

For some of you, the thing that you need to do

is actually start leaning on your Switch group,

your church family, inviting them into the struggles

that you're going through so that you can feel the joy

of other people being in your corner.

For others of you, it's gonna be to focus on Jesus.

Like when you're showing up here to Switch

week in and week out, actually paying attention

to the songs we sing, to the messages we preach

to hear freshly the goodness of God

and all that he has done for you.

Others of you, you're gonna remember your why.

You're gonna remember why you started following Jesus.

You're gonna remember who you used to be

and who it is that he is turning you into,

transforming you from the inside out.

And for all of us, let us choose to focus on Jesus,

fixing our eyes on him, the pioneer and perfecter of faith,

the one who for the joy set before him

endured the cross scorning its shame

because he's inviting us to live the blessed life.

A life that begins by believing in him

and a life that always involves him,

making us more and more of who we are meant to be.

That's why the persecuted are blessed,

because persecution, it develops resilience

and it deepens our relationships.

So Lord Jesus, we come before you right now,

so grateful for the example that you have set for us.

Help us to lean on others, to focus on you,

to remember our why

and to keep our eyes fixed on you every time we are tempted

to throw in the towel,

because we know that following you is worth it

because life with you is so much better than anything else

this world has to offer.

We pray all this in your name.

Amen.

And Amen.

And Amen.

- Wasn't that an awesome message?

If you're curious about Jesus

and wanna learn more about who he is,

be sure to tap here to check out our series,

"How We Follow Jesus."

(upbeat music)