Matthew 5:10-12 – “Jump for joy!”

​In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus not only prepares us for ministry, but He also tells us how to be really, really happy. To be genuinely content, we must not be self-serving, but self-sacrificing. We must be gentle, merciful, pure in heart, yearn for righteousness, and seek to make peace on God’s terms.

This is what we endeavor to do—even if these attitudes cause persecution and suffering. Jesus gives us full disclosure as we serve others and lets us know that as we love and care for people in this way, we can anticipate and expect persecution.