The Crucified Messiah

Jesus exhorted us to become “ perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect ,” yet how can we emulate the perfect righteousness of God? His explanation was clear - By performing acts of mercy,  ESPECIALLY  to our enemies. Self-sacrificial love goes to the heart of his message and reflects the nature of the merciful God. Was he not the Messiah who submitted to an undeserved death for us even when we were the “ enemies of God ”?

The reality of persecution raises important questions. How should disciples react, especially when persecuted by the State? Is resorting to expressions of anger or acts of civil disobedience appropriate? Or should they instead emulate Jesus of Nazareth? In his teachings, he warns that all men who decide to follow him will experience “ tribulation ,” and he summons his disciple to follow the same path that he did (“ If they persecuted me, so they will persecute you ”).