“For in bringing many sons to glory, it was entirely appropriate that God — all things exist for Him and through Him — should make the source of their salvation perfect through sufferings.” Hebrews 2:10 HCSB
Jesus was made perfect through suffering? I thought He was perfect because He did not sin. Jesus had to suffer at the hands of men to die the death of a man in order to save man. But He handled the suffering perfectly. In His most trying times, He did not let His flesh win out but He obeyed the Spirit of God who was in Him. Verse 9 told us that Jesus was crowned with glory because of His suffering and death.
Because He suffered we can know that we too will suffer. He told us, “Remember the word I spoke to you: ‘A slave is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you. If they kept My word, they will also keep yours.”
John 15:20 HCSB. Why do we expect the Christian life to be a bed of rose petals? In fact, the Christian life was never promised to be pleasant. It was to be hard form the beginning and during their sufferings, as the early church, they grew by substantial numbers.
The first days of the early church brought huge numbers of people to God through Jesus because of the Baptism of the Holy Spirit (Acts 2). But that only happened in Jerusalem. Soon afterward a man named Saul would make it his personal mission to single-handedly bring down the early church. He began to persecute the church with jail time and death. At this point, many of the disciples of the first disciples left Jerusalem and began to minister to the Jews scattered about in Israel. Then one day, while Saul was traveling to a town outside of Jerusalem Jesus, appeared to him and told him that It was Jesus whom he was persecuting. Jesus blinded him and His companions lead him into town. He began to fast and pray. A man named Ananias showed up and opened his eyes. This saul became known as Paul and letter in his life God would call him out of Jerusalem and Israel to become a witness to the people in the whole providence of Rome. He suffered many times at the hands of men for his faith in Jesus.
“Are they servants of Christ? I’m talking like a madman — I’m a better one: with far more labors, many more imprisonments, far worse beatings, near death many times. Five times I received 39 lashes from Jews. Three times I was beaten with rods by the Romans. Once I was stoned by my enemies. Three times I was shipwrecked. I have spent a night and a day in the open sea. On frequent journeys, I faced dangers from rivers, dangers from robbers, dangers from my own people, dangers from the Gentiles, dangers in the city, dangers in the open country, dangers on the sea, and dangers among false brothers; labor and hardship, many sleepless nights, hunger and thirst, often without food, cold, and lacking clothing. Not to mention other things, there is the daily pressure on me: my care for all the churches.”
2 Corinthians 11:23-28 HCSB
What excuse do we have to stop serving Jesus because It got hard? We have none! As Americans, we have not faced anywhere near the persecutions of the early Church, or even other brothers and sisters in Jesus about the world. I do believe Persecutions are coming to America and the Church will face a huge growth in Faith and then a huge growth in numbers.
Are you ready for it? Have you been able to stand up against harsh words to your faith? Will you put your faith in God to see you through death if it comes to that? Or will you throw in the towel as soon as it gets a little hard? As soon as we accepted Jesus as our Lord and Savior we have made one enemy, the devil. He is intent to make sure that the Church of Jesus. He has made it his personal mission to single-handedly bring down the church. So far he has not been successful but He will keep trying. One day Jesus will show up and imprison him and his followers. Keep up your faith. Hold on to Jesus.
“Unless those days were limited, no one would survive. But those days will be limited because of the elect.”
Matthew 24:22 HCSB
Our suffering will produce two results. we can become better or bitter. Which one will you be? Decide now to be better so that when it gets supper hard you will be able to help other Christians keep their faith.
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