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Mark 8:31-32 KJV
31And he began to teach them, that the Son of man must suffer many things, and be rejected of the elders, and of the chief priests, and scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again.
32And he spake that saying openly. And Peter took him, and began to rebuke him.
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Peter could not accept the concept of suffering at first. He did not want his Rabbi to suffer. But Peter did not understand that without Jesus suffering, and dying, and rising again, there could be no salvation for Peter, or anyone else. Not to mention the fact that Peter probably realized that if Jesus suffered, then he probably would suffer also! In his flesh, he did not like that idea!
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2 Tim 2:8-13 KJV
8Remember that Jesus Christ of the seed of David was raised from the dead according to my gospel:
9Wherein I suffer trouble, as an evil doer, even unto bonds; but the word of God is not bound.
10Therefore I endure all things for the elect’s sakes, that they may also obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory.
11It is a faithful saying: For if we be dead with him, we shall also live with him:
12If we SUFFER, we shall also REIGN with him: if we deny him, he also will deny us:
13If we believe not, yet he abideth faithful: he cannot deny himself.
We are patterned after the pattern Son, Jesus. If we believe and follow God (Jesus), we WILL suffer one way or another at the hands of others. That is because the corrupt world-system hates Christ. It hates light, and it hates anything bearing His Light. There are also other kinds of suffering. I realize that. There is the pain of ill health due to the sinful nature of Adam. His sin caused all of us to return to dust. Our body degrades and dies But Jesus rose from death. We can and will share in this resurrection! Also, there is pain that we bring on ourselves when we do something only to regret it later. There is suffering that has no explanation. But we do not love this life or the "things" in it. We love Jesus. And we forsake all to follow Him. When circumstances are good, bad or ugly, we choose to be His disciples. (See Mark 8:34-35) Will we trust Him in the bad times? It is part of our character training, in becoming more like Him! (See Galatians 5:22-23) We grow more of His fruit/character when we are trimmed and pruned. But we must be as branches, attached to the Vine, Jesus, before we can bear any fruit!
During the pruning season, Jesus sends us the Comforter, the Holy Spirit, to help us when we do suffer. (See John 14:16)
And if we endure to the end, we will reign with Him. An awesome promise.
There is more to this. What we see and feel matters to God. Jesus felt the same things as us and is a faithful high priest after the order of Melchisedec. And He sees the whole picture. He knows where you are going in Him.
Indeed when I have suffered, I could not see clearly in those moments. But then Jesus comes to me in a powerful, gentle, caring and high-priestly way and reminds me of what I am taking to heaven. I am not taking possessions, money, or "worldly fame" to heaven. I take my character with me. Times of suffering are opportunities in disguise. I say that because I truly have not seen the benefit of my bad times while enduring them.
And yet, When I stand before Him in the judgement, I will be in His blood, and pronounced righteous before His throne. I am redeemed with the precious blood of the Lamb who suffered for me! (1 Peter 1:18-19). And He will also want to see the image of Himself and His character formed in me!
To follow Jesus is to follow His way. And the comfort we receive from His Spirit in those times of suffering is unparalleled. I speak from experience. Simply ask Him.
And as the book of Revelation puts it, suffering is temporary. But joy and peace and freedom is eternal, in Christ! And when we spend eternity with Jesus, we spend it in the very character we formed here on earth while learning to trust Jesus. Quite amazing when you think about it.
Revelation 21:4 Geneva Version
And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes, and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, neither crying, neither shall there be anymore pain: for the first things are passed.
The suffering is part of the pattern, and Christ Himself willingly submitted to this process. The suffering is temporary. It builds fruit in us if we yield to the Holy Spirit. And if we endure the suffering in Jesus to the end, then we shall rule with Him.
Bless you! Be encouraged in Jesus.
Pastor Curtis
Wed. Aug 27, 2014 11:34PM EST
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