SUFFERING WITH CHRIST- A GREAT HONOUR Romans 8:17

Paul wrote, ‘If we are children, then heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, (on this condition ) ‘if we suffer with Him, that we may be glorified together. ‘Recent events, such as the endurance of the Burnhams in the book ’In the presence of My enemies’ have underscored this truth of bearing torture for our Lord. Naturally man flinches from such distress. Martin, her courageous husband, took the hail of fire to protect Gracia, his dear wife; and entered into the glory of heaven.

Our beloved Lord challenged us when He claimed, ’He who does not take his cross and follow Me is not worthy of Me. He went on, ’He who finds his life will lose it, and he who loses his life for MY sake will find it.’ (Matthew 10:38,39 ) No faithful teacher withholds this searching truth from his flock, yet many believers in the Lord are hurt, when hearing that suffering is a crucial part of the believer’s experience.

A dear friend, a surgeon, left his post to work in a nation where the Lord’s name was not known. ’He took up his cross’; lives were won for his Saviour at great cost.

On the Emmaus road, our risen Lord spoke freely of His suffering: ’Ought not Christ to have suffered these things and to enter into His glory?’ How keenly our Lord anticipated the glorious home-coming to heaven after the gruelling agonies of the cross. He had received His glorious resurrection body, walking together step by step. Superior glory awaited HIM when the Father welcomed Him at the throne. Home at last- the mighty Conqueror; with all the accolades of heaven. Suffering was essential in our Saviour’s redemptive work. The principle applies to us also.

In that amazing discourse, our Lord , ‘Opened their understanding that they might comprehend the Scriptures, saying ‘ Thus it is written, and thus it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead the third day.’ (v46) Now after HE awakened them to value His endurance, the purpose of our Lord’s rejection and Calvary sufferings became obvious. The Father was obliged to raise His beloved Son from the dead. These mighty truths are inseparable as twins.

Glory and suffering were intermingled in our Lord’s teaching when the Greeks desired to see Jesus, HE said, ‘The hour has come that the Son of Man should be glorified. Then powerfully, ‘I say to you, unless the corn of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it abides alone: but if it dies, it brings forth much fruit.’ Then our Lord applied it, ’He who loves his life will lose it, and he who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. ( John 12:23-25) What is your first love?

David brilliantly graduated at Cambridge, dedicating his linguistic talent to his God. He served in China, excelling in Mandarin. Later he transferred to a Bible College in Java, where we had hearty fellowship. Later the Lord called this distinguished scholar to chaufeur the unknown revival leader, Rufus, often preaching through the entire nights. Whole villages turned to Christ; marriages were solemnised in the name of the newly-found Saviour. David urgently prayed while Rufus preached in the unrecognisable Javanese language. Suffering solitude and weary, David saw the Holy Spirit Revival as his delight and reward.

Our Lord has given us this immense gift of faith , yet it carries with it equally great responsibilities. For example, Paul wrote in Philippians 1:29 , ‘for to you it has been granted on behalf of Christ not only to believe in HIM, but also to suffer for His sake.’ Our Lord favours us in gladly enduring all things for HIM.

Consider Stephen who showed how the Old testament accurately prophesied Christ‘s rejection, so minutely fulfilled in His death and resurrection. The stoning brought Stephen to his knees, where “he gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. Then he shouted ’Look! I see heavens opened and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.’ (Acts 7:55,57 ) Suffering for Christ- glorified together: these are parallel principles.

Sufferings enlarge not confine our ministries. Paul explained ‘We are able to comfort those who are in any trouble with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted of God.’ Then the explanation, ’For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also abounds through Christ. ‘ ( 2 Corinthians 1:5,6) When we have suffered trials, we are competent to help others. When we have agonised, we can weep and pray together. Do not spurn your sufferings for Him. God takes us through the school of affliction; so that, all is for His glory.

Paul was unashamed of His beloved Lord in enduring, for he wrote in 2 Corinthians 4:6 ‘God commands the light to shine out of darkness, and has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.’ In the exhilaration of pure mountain air, he continued, ‘We have this treasure in earthen vessels , that the excellency of the power may be of God and not of us.’ Who would dream of the following truths from his inspired pen?

‘We are hard-pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are bewildered but not destroyed.‘ (v8) Paul records the blessing, not complaint of the cost involved.

‘We are persecuted, not forsaken ( or left in the lurch ) : struck down, but not destroyed.’ This great preacher accepted harassment as a follower of his Lord and master. His Lord had assured him ‘He would not leave him nor forsake him’ which greatly comforted this courageous preacher. He was often struck down - not knocked out like a boxer - but his life work continued.

Paul summed up his thoughts, ‘Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life of Jesus may be manifested in our body. ‘ (v10) Paul‘s scars from beatings and stonings reminded many of the Saviour‘s vicarious suffering. While Paul could not bear our sin, his bodily thrashing reflected His Lord’s Calvary victory. The onlooker saw the life of our Lord Jesus in all that Paul endured.