Monday, 21st September 2026
Rev Xi An Poon
經文：馬太福音 5:10–12
主題經文「為義受逼迫的人有福了！因為天國是他們的。」——馬太福音 5:10
引言
今天來到贖罪日，是一個讓我們停下來、省察自己、認罪，也重新回到神面前的日子。從吹角節開始，我們進入十日敬畏，也一路思想耶穌在登山寶訓所講的八福。當我們一福一福走過，就會發現，耶穌不是給我們八條彼此分開的要求，而是在一步一步讓我們看見：一個真正屬於天國的人，他的生命會怎樣被神改變。從虛心開始，我們看見自己的貧乏；到哀慟，為罪和生命的破碎憂傷；到溫柔，學習放下自己；到飢渴慕義，重新渴慕神所喜悅的；到憐恤，讓神的憐憫流進我們與人的關係；到清心，讓心重新單單向著神；再到使人和睦，開始活出天父的性情。
走到今天，我們不能停在第七福。因為如果少了最後一福，我們就還沒有完整看見耶穌所描寫的天國生命。
耶穌說：「為義受逼迫的人有福了！因為天國是他們的。」如果只看「受逼迫」這幾個字，我們很容易以為耶穌只是在教我們怎樣忍受痛苦。但當我們把它放回整個八福裡，就會發現，第八福其實是把前面整個生命的塑造帶到最深的地方：當神真的成為我生命的主，我是不是仍然願意按著祂的方向走？
所以，要活出天國的生命，第一，就是：
一、讓神的話成為我們的方向
耶穌說：「為義受逼迫的人有福了。」祂不是說所有受逼迫的人都有福。祂特別說：「為義。」所以真正的問題不是：「有沒有人反對我？」而是：「我現在走的方向，是不是神所喜悅的方向？」這裡有很清楚的舊約根基。
以賽亞書51:7說：「知道公義，將我訓誨存在心中的民，要聽我言！不要怕人的辱罵，也不要因人的毀謗驚惶。」
請留意這個次序。神首先說：「知道公義，將我訓誨存在心中。」然後才說：「不要怕人的辱罵。」也就是說，一個人能夠在壓力裡站得住，首先不是因為他很勇敢，而是因為他裡面已經有一個清楚的方向。這個方向不是來自自己的感覺。不是來自人的意見。不是來自環境。而是來自神的話。
我們很多時候做決定，很容易先問：別人會怎樣看？這樣做會不會吃虧？這樣做會不會令人不喜歡我？我自己現在舒服不舒服？但是天國的生命，不是先跟著人的反應走，也不是先跟著自己的感受走。
而是先問：神的話怎樣帶我走？所以今天在贖罪日裡，我們不能只問：「我做錯了甚麼？」更要問：「我現在生命的方向，是不是仍然由神的話來帶領？」
當聖靈光照我的時候，我願不願意回到神的話？當神的話與我的想法不同，我願不願意調整？當神的話指出我需要悔改的地方，我願不願意轉回來？因為如果方向一開始就錯了，後面走得再努力，也只會離神越來越遠。
所以天國的生命，第一步就是：讓神的話成為我們的方向。當方向清楚之後，真正的考驗就來了。因為知道應該怎樣走是一回事，當環境不容易的時候，仍然照著走，又是另一回事。
所以，要活出天國的生命，第二，就是：
二、無論環境怎樣，仍然選擇神
耶穌接著說：「受逼迫。」當我們開始照著神的方向走，就會發現，現實不一定會因此變得容易。很有意思，第七福才說：「使人和睦的人有福了！因為他們必稱為神的兒子。」
下一句卻是：「為義受逼迫的人有福了！」這告訴我們：一個人越活出天父的性情，不代表所有人都會接受他。但這也不是叫我們故意與人衝突。真正屬神的人，不是到處批判、爭吵、製造問題的人。
因為耶穌才剛剛說：「使人和睦。」但是，使人和睦也不等於為了維持表面的和平，就放棄神的真理。
耶穌在第12節說：「在你們以前的先知，人也是這樣逼迫他們。」所以耶穌自己把第八福與舊約先知連起來。以利亞面對亞哈和耶洗別，仍然忠於神；耶利米被人反對、被打、被囚，仍然傳講神的話；但以理知道繼續禱告可能帶來危險，仍然向神禱告。
他們不是沒有害怕。不是沒有感受。也不是沒有掙扎。而是在人的壓力、環境的壓力，甚至自己裡面的掙扎中，仍然選擇神。耶穌自己更是如此。祂滿有恩典，也滿有真理；祂愛人，卻不因人的期待改變天父的旨意；祂使人和好，最後自己卻走上十字架。所以今天我們未必面對先知那樣的逼迫，但我們每天都面對很多選擇。
- 有時候是人：我怕別人不喜歡我。
- 有時候是環境：現在真的太困難。
- 有時候是自己：我不想改，我不想放下，我覺得自己沒有錯。
- 有時候是利益：如果我照著神的意思做，我可能會失去一些東西。
所以真正的問題不是只有：「別人會不會影響我？」而是：「無論人怎樣、環境怎樣、我自己感覺怎樣，我還會不會選擇神？」我知道應該道歉，我願不願意？我知道應該饒恕，我願不願意？我知道有些事情不討神喜悅，我願不願意停下來？我知道神要我順服，但需要付代價，我還願不願意？
這就是天國生命走深的地方：不是沒有掙扎，而是在掙扎裡仍然選擇神。但如果只有意志力，我們很快就會累。所以耶穌最後不是只說：「你們要忍耐。」祂說：「因為天國是他們的。」
所以，要活出天國的生命，第三，就是：
三、記得我真正屬於天國
八福第一福說：「虛心的人有福了！因為天國是他們的。」到了最後一福，又說：「為義受逼迫的人有福了！因為天國是他們的。」整個八福，好像用同一句話把它包起來：「天國是他們的。」第一福的時候，一個人來到神面前說：「主啊，我需要祢。」到了最後一福，這個生命已經一路被神塑造到一個地步，可以說：「主啊，即使跟隨祢要付代價，我仍然選擇祢。」
為甚麼？因為我知道：我真正屬於天國。這也幫助我們明白，為甚麼耶穌後來在馬可福音10:29–30說：凡為祂和福音撇下房屋、弟兄、姊妹、父母、兒女、田地的，在今世要得百倍，並且要受逼迫，在來世必得永生。馬太福音19:29也記載相同的教導。路加福音18:29–30更直接說：「人為神的國撇下房屋，或是妻子、弟兄、父母、兒女……」
耶穌不是叫我們不愛家庭。不是叫我們不愛兒女。更不是叫我們逃避責任。而是要問：在我的生命裡，有沒有任何一樣東西，比神更加不能失去？我們的家庭很寶貴。兒女很寶貴。工作很寶貴。房屋很寶貴。健康很寶貴。我們所擁有的一切都很寶貴。
但是：再寶貴，也不能取代神。這個屬靈次序，在舊約早已出現。
神呼召亞伯拉罕的時候說：「你要離開本地、本族、父家，往我所要指示你的地去。」——創世記 12:1
亞伯拉罕離開原來熟悉、安全、有保障的地方，只因神呼召他。到了列王紀上19章，以利沙蒙召的時候，也離開原來的工作和生活保障，回應神的呼召。這些都讓我們看見：神所賜的東西很寶貴，但不能高過賜下這些東西的神。真正屬於天國的人，不是看不起地上的生活。
而是他知道：地上的一切都不是最後。人的稱讚不是最後。人的反對不是最後。成功不是最後。失敗不是最後。得著不是最後。失去也不是最後。甚至今生都不是最後。天國才是我們真正的歸屬。
所以當我記得自己真正屬於哪裡，我就不需要用地上的得失來決定自己是否繼續跟隨神。
天國的生命，就是從：「主啊，我需要祢。」走到：「主啊，讓祢的話帶我走。」再走到：「主啊，無論環境怎樣，我仍然選擇祢。」最後：「主啊，我屬於祢。」
總結
今天，我們終於完整走完耶穌所講的八福。從吹角節開始，我們進入十日敬畏，也一路讓八福照亮自己的生命。到了贖罪日，我們不能少了最後一福。因為完整的八福讓我們看見：甚麼叫作天國的生命。
- 虛心——我知道自己需要神。
- 哀慟——我願意面對罪和破碎。
- 溫柔——我學習放下自己。
- 飢渴慕義——我開始渴慕神所喜悅的。
- 憐恤——神的憐憫開始從我的生命流出去。
- 清心——我的心重新單單向著神。
- 使人和睦——我開始活出天父的性情。
到了最後一福：讓神的話成為我們的方向；無論環境怎樣，仍然選擇神；記得我真正屬於天國。
這就是：天國的生命
所以第八福不是叫我們去尋找逼迫。不是叫我們證明自己很勇敢。而是把我們帶到生命最深的地方：當人不明白我，環境不容易，甚至我自己裡面都有掙扎的時候，我是不是仍然知道自己應該往哪裡走、仍然知道要選擇誰，也仍然知道自己真正屬於哪裡？
今天在贖罪日裡，也許我們最後真正需要問的，不只是：「我做錯了甚麼？」
而是：「我的生命，現在是不是仍然沿著神的方向走？」
當完整的八福再次照亮我們，我們是否能夠向神說：「主啊，讓祢的話成為我的方向；
無論環境怎樣，我仍然選擇祢；因為我知道，我真正屬於祢的國。」
耶穌說：「為義受逼迫的人有福了！因為天國是他們的。」這就是天國的生命。
Scripture: Matthew 5:10–12
Key Verse“Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake,
For theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” — Matthew 5:10, NKJV
Introduction
Today we come to the Day of Atonement, a day that calls us to pause, examine ourselves, repent, and return to God. From the Feast of Trumpets, as we entered the Ten Days of Awe, we have been walking through the Beatitudes in Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount.
As we have gone through them one by one, we begin to see that Jesus was not giving us eight separate religious requirements. He was showing us, step by step, what happens when a life truly belongs to the kingdom of heaven.
We began with being poor in spirit, recognizing our need for God. Then mourning, grieving over sin and brokenness. Then meekness, learning to let go of ourselves. Then hungering and thirsting for righteousness, longing for what pleases God. Then mercy, allowing God’s compassion to flow into our relationships. Then purity of heart, turning our hearts back to God alone. Then peacemaking, beginning to reflect the character of our heavenly Father.
And today, we cannot stop at the seventh Beatitude. Because if we leave out the final Beatitude, we have not yet seen the complete picture of the life of the kingdom.
Jesus says: “Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake,
For theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” If we focus only on the words “are persecuted,” we may think Jesus is simply teaching us how to endure suffering. But when we place this verse back into the whole of the Beatitudes, we see something deeper.
The eighth Beatitude brings the whole process of spiritual formation to its deepest point: When God truly becomes the Lord of my life, am I still willing to follow His direction, whatever the cost? So if we are to live the life of the kingdom, the first thing is this:
- Let God’s Word Become Our Direction
Jesus says: “Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake.”
He does not say that everyone who suffers persecution is blessed. The key is: “for righteousness’ sake.” So the first question is not: “Are people against me?” The deeper question is: “Am I walking in the direction that pleases God?” There is a clear Old Testament foundation for this.
Isaiah 51:7 says: “Listen to Me, you who know righteousness, You people in whose heart is My law: Do not fear the reproach of men, Nor be afraid of their insults.”
Notice the order.
First: “You who know righteousness, You people in whose heart is My law.” Then: “Do not fear the reproach of men.” In other words, a person is able to stand under pressure not because he is naturally brave, but because he already knows which direction he is walking.
That direction does not come from our feelings. It does not come from people’s opinions. It does not come from circumstances. It comes from the Word of God. Many times, when we make decisions, our first questions are: What will people think? Will I lose something? Will people dislike me? Do I feel comfortable with this? But the life of the kingdom does not first follow people’s reactions, nor our own feelings.
It asks: “How is God’s Word leading me?” So on this Day of Atonement, we should not only ask: “What have I done wrong?” We also need to ask: “Is the direction of my life still being shaped by God’s Word?”
When the Holy Spirit exposes something in me, am I willing to return to Scripture? When God’s Word disagrees with my own thinking, am I willing to change? When God’s Word shows me something that requires repentance, am I willing to turn back?
Because if the direction is wrong from the beginning, no matter how hard we walk, we will only move farther away from God. So the first step in the life of the kingdom is: Let God’s Word become our direction. Once the direction is clear, the real test begins. Knowing the right way is one thing. Continuing to walk that way when life becomes difficult is another. So if we are to live the life of the kingdom, the second thing is this:
- Whatever the Circumstances, Still Choose God
Jesus continues: “are persecuted.” When we begin to walk in God’s direction, we soon discover that life does not necessarily become easier. It is very significant that the seventh Beatitude says: “Blessed are the peacemakers, For they shall be called sons of God.” And immediately after that Jesus says: “Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake.”
This tells us something important. The more we reflect the character of our heavenly Father, the more people will not necessarily accept us.
But this does not mean that we should deliberately create conflict.
A person who truly belongs to God is not someone who is always criticizing, arguing, or causing trouble.
Jesus has just said: “Blessed are the peacemakers.” But peacemaking does not mean giving up God’s truth just to preserve outward peace. Jesus says in verse 12: “For so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.”
So Jesus Himself connects the eighth Beatitude with the prophets of the Old Testament. Elijah remained faithful to God in the face of Ahab and Jezebel. Jeremiah was rejected, beaten, and imprisoned, but he continued to speak the word of God. Daniel knew that continuing to pray could cost him his life, but he still prayed to God.
They were not without fear. They were not without emotion. They were not without struggle.
But in the pressure of people, circumstances, and even their own inner struggles, they still chose God. Jesus Himself lived this perfectly. He was full of grace and truth. He loved people, but He did not change the Father’s will because of people’s expectations. He brought peace, yet He Himself finally went to the cross.
Today, we may not face the same kind of persecution as the prophets.
But every day we still face choices. Sometimes it is people:
I am afraid they will not like me.
Sometimes it is the situation:
This is too difficult.
Sometimes it is myself:
I do not want to change.
I do not want to let go.
I still think I am right.
Sometimes it is personal interest:
If I obey God, I may lose something.
So the real question is not only:
“Will other people influence me?”
The deeper question is:
“Whatever people do, whatever the circumstances are, whatever I feel inside, will I still choose God?”
I know I should apologize—will I do it?
I know I should forgive—will I do it?
I know something does not please God—will I stop?
I know God is asking me to obey, but it will cost me something—will I still follow?
This is where the life of the kingdom goes deeper.
It is not a life without struggle.
It is a life that still chooses God in the middle of the struggle.
But if this depends only on willpower, we will soon become tired.
That is why Jesus does not simply say:
“Endure.”
He says:
“For theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”
So if we are to live the life of the kingdom, the third thing is this:
- Remember That We Truly Belong to the Kingdom of Heaven
The first Beatitude says:
“Blessed are the poor in spirit,
For theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”
And the final Beatitude says:
“Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake,
For theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”
The whole Beatitudes are almost wrapped inside this one promise:
“Theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”
At the first Beatitude, a person comes before God and says:
“Lord, I need You.”
By the final Beatitude, that life has been shaped by God to the point where it can say:
“Lord, even if following You costs me something, I still choose You.”
Why?
Because I know:
I truly belong to the kingdom of heaven.
This also helps us understand what Jesus later says in Mark 10:29–30.
Jesus says that anyone who has left house, brothers, sisters, father, mother, children, or lands for His sake and the gospel’s sake will receive a hundredfold in this age, with persecutions, and in the age to come, eternal life.
Matthew 19:29 records the same teaching.
Luke 18:29–30 makes it even more direct:
“There is no one who has left house or parents or brothers or wife or children, for the sake of the kingdom of God…”
Jesus is not telling us not to love our families.
He is not telling us not to love our children.
He is not telling us to neglect our responsibilities.
He is asking a much deeper question:
Is there anything in my life that I feel I cannot afford to lose more than God Himself?
Our family is precious.
Our children are precious.
Our work is precious.
Our home is precious.
Our health is precious.
Everything God has given us is precious.
But:
Nothing precious can take the place of God.
This spiritual order was already present in the Old Testament.
When God called Abraham, He said:
“Get out of your country,
From your family
And from your father’s house,
To a land that I will show you.”
— Genesis 12:1
Abraham left what was familiar, secure, and predictable because God called him.
In 1 Kings 19, when Elisha was called, he also left his former work and security to respond to God’s call.
These stories show us something very important:
What God gives us is precious, but it can never become more important than the God who gave it.
A person who belongs to the kingdom does not despise earthly life.
He simply knows:
Earthly things are not the final reality.
People’s praise is not final.
People’s rejection is not final.
Success is not final.
Failure is not final.
Gain is not final.
Loss is not final.
Even this life is not final.
The kingdom of heaven is our true home.
So when I remember where I truly belong, earthly gain and loss no longer determine whether I continue to follow God.
The life of the kingdom moves from:
“Lord, I need You.”
to:
“Lord, let Your Word direct me.”
then:
“Lord, whatever the circumstances, I still choose You.”
and finally:
“Lord, I belong to You.”
Conclusion
Today we have finally completed all eight Beatitudes.
From the Feast of Trumpets, through the Ten Days of Awe, we have allowed the Beatitudes to shine light into our lives.
And now, on the Day of Atonement, we cannot leave out the final Beatitude.
Because the complete Beatitudes show us:
What the life of the kingdom really looks like.
Poor in spirit—
I know I need God.
Mourning—
I am willing to face sin and brokenness.
Meekness—
I learn to let go of myself.
Hungering and thirsting for righteousness—
I begin to long for what pleases God.
Mercy—
God’s compassion begins to flow through my life.
Purity of heart—
My heart turns back to God alone.
Peacemaking—
I begin to reflect the character of my heavenly Father.
And in the final Beatitude:
Let God’s Word become our direction.
Whatever the circumstances, still choose God.
Remember that we truly belong to the kingdom of heaven.
This is:
The Life of the Kingdom
The eighth Beatitude is not telling us to go looking for persecution.
It is not asking us to prove how brave we are.
It brings us to the deepest question of our spiritual life:
When people do not understand me, when circumstances are difficult, and even when I am struggling within myself, do I still know which direction I should walk, whom I will choose, and where I truly belong?
On this Day of Atonement, perhaps the final question is not only:
“What have I done wrong?”
But:
“Is my life still moving in God’s direction?”
As the complete Beatitudes shine light on us again, may we be able to say:
“Lord, let Your Word become my direction.
Whatever the circumstances, I will still choose You.
Because I know that I truly belong to Your kingdom.”
Jesus says:
“Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake,
For theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”
This is the life of the kingdom.
Zion Bread of Life Christian Church 
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