DISPARAGEMENT RESPONSE

Matthew 5:11-12
“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.”

It’s an easy thing to get down when people attack us for being Christ-followers. Jesus knew this when He was giving the message to His disciples during the Sermon on the Mount.

These disciples would, and already had in some cases, been disparaged even before meeting Jesus. When Mathew (called Levi and employed as a tax collector before in his pre-disciple life) arranged for a feast in his house that included Jesus, where a great number of tax collectors sat down with them (see Luke 5:29-32), the Pharisees condemned Jesus, as from a cultural viewpoint, a tax collector was on the same level as a prostitute (see Matthew 21:31-32).

But this is how the self-righteous react when Godly people reach out in loving ways toward those whom society considers unworthy. Jesus responded to their criticism by saying He came to help those that know they are sinners.

If we as Christ-followers are to be fishers of men, we must embrace everyone that needs Christ, which means none are excluded.

Obviously Peter was concerned about being condemned for following Jesus when he denied Him three times before the rooster crowed following the crucifixion of Jesus. Later, we see his remorse and recognition of his need for forgiveness after the resurrection, when the disciples were fishing and Peter saw that it was Jesus on the shore. His need for reconciliation was so great he jumped from the boat rather than waiting for it to dock.