Address—B. Prost
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Plus for the Lord together, blessed God our Father, we thank me for what we have sung together and surely our hearts are humbled as we think of the example that has been set before us of our Lord Jesus Christ, we think of that one, our God and Father who?
In every step of his pathway.
Glorify thee was obedient to thy will, and yet went down, down, down.
And we have sung together at the end of this hymn, words which perhaps for some of us at least, are much to sing.
And all our rest and pleasure find in learning. Lord of thee, O our Lord, we pray that.
It may be true.
And so we ask for help as we open Thy word this afternoon, commending it to Thee and praying Thou wilt speak to each one of our hearts, for we ask it in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, Amen.
What I have on my heart this afternoon is to speak a little on suffering for Christ, and perhaps to distinguish between suffering for Christ and suffering with Christ.
And so let's turn first of all to the book of Hebrews, chapter 12.
Some of these scriptures may seem to be a little, shall I say, disjointed in the way that we're going to look at them.
But.
We trust that the Lord will bring out.
What I think he's laid on my heart. Hebrews, chapter 12.
Verse one. Wherefore, seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us.
Looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself.
Lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds, for ye have not yet resisted unto blood, striving against sin.
And then turn over to a connecting verse please in the 9th chapter of Acts.
Acts Chapter 9.
And we'll read from verse 13 to get the connection.
This is after the conversion of the Apostle Paul.
And the Lord speaking to Ananias, who was to go and baptize him.
Acts 9 and 13 then Ananias answered, Lord, I have heard by many of this man.
How much evil he hath done to thy Saints at Jerusalem, and here he hath authority from the chief priests to bind all that call on thy name.
But the Lord said unto him, Go thy way, for he is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel.
Or I will show him how great things.
He must suffer for my name's sake.
We want to point out right at the very outset.
That the pathway of the believer is, we might say, by definition, a pathway of suffering.
And all who try to get out from under that are going to find that they can't walk that pathway. Brother Ernie mentioned yesterday in the reading meeting that salvation is free, but discipleship is costly.
And the Lord Jesus laid that very firmly on to the people who followed him, when great multitudes followed him, you'll remember in Luke's gospel.
He turned around and reminded them that if any man were to follow him.
It was a question of denying himself and taking up his cross daily and following him. And so the Lord Jesus reminds us that the pathway of the believer is a pathway of suffering.
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In Hebrews here in chapter 12, I believe it's very significant the way it is presented.
Because if you go through the book of Hebrews, you will find, I believe, 4 separate times in which the Lord Jesus is directly referred to as being sat down or sitting down at the right hand of God. Three of those occasions.
He sits down for himself in virtue of who he is, in virtue of what he has done.
But here in Chapter 12, it's distinctive because he sits down.
As an example for us, and you'll notice here in chapter 12 That while sufferings are mentioned.
The atoning sufferings are not brought in, just as they are not brought in in Philippians 2, which was read to us this morning, because you and I could never, of course, follow him in those sufferings.
I say the atoning sufferings. I believe that's understood. Although properly speaking, it's interesting that the word atonement is never used in the New Testament. It's used in our King James translation once. But it should read reconciliation in Romans 5, not atonement, because atonement simply means to cover. And at Calvary's cross, the whole issue was settled once and for all, wasn't it? And so it's not that our sins are simply atoned for, although I don't object to the expression.
They have been dealt with once and for all by the finished work of Christ, But then when the Lord Jesus calls you and me and we are truly saved.
Then it's a matter of following a rejected Christ, following one whose pathway through this world was one of rejection.
And suffering. And it's rather interesting that right at the beginning of the Apostle Paul's career, as soon as he was saved, before he had even been baptized, before he even perhaps realized in the fullest way what had happened to him, we find the Lord speaking to Ananias and telling him that here was a chosen vessel, a chosen vessel. And it's a wonderful thing to think about.
When you think of the grace of God that picked up a man like the apostle Paul, to think that here was a man who was one of the worst.
And what had he just done? He'd been standing there when Stephen.
Was stoned to death standing there when the brightest light that God had in that early church, the one whose ministry, whose preaching was so powerful that no one could resist it. And Satan says I'm going to put that light out. I'm going to put it out. I'm going to get rid of that man. What is the grace of God do? I've said this before, but we'll repeat it again.
The grace of God, we might say, and these are not my words originally, they come from Mr. Wigram's ministry. But.
The grace of God says, all right, Satan, if that's what you're going to do, I'm going to take the worst one, the very worst one of those that were responsible, pick him up. And as it were, God says, all right, Paul, all right, Saul, you come and take his place then, if that's the way it's going to be, what could Satan say to that? And so here he picks up Saul of Tarsus. What does he tell Ananias about that man?
Oh, it's true. He's going to be a chosen vessel.
He's going to be a witness before kings and before the children of Israel and the Gentiles.
But then he says I will show him how great things he must suffer for my name's sake.
Why does it say that? Oh, because Paul was the if we could use the expression, the prototype, the standard bearer, the one who kind of pointed the way in the day of God's grace.
So much so that if we turn to Colossians, we don't need to turn to it, but we find that Paul could say that.
He filled up that which was behind of the sufferings of Christ for his body's sake, which is the Church.
I don't suggest that you and I do that in the same sense that he did, but nevertheless it was a pathway of suffering.
A few years ago.
Quite a few now, I suppose. Probably 20.
There was a missionary in India. I do not know who he was. I only read what he wrote.
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But he had been in India many, many years and had not come home on furlough for a long time.
And when he came back, America was his home. And what I'm going to repeat is no slur on the United States. It wouldn't have been any different if he'd come to Canada or perhaps parts of Western Europe. But he came back home. And after he had been here a while, his reaction was, where did you get this false American gospel that I hear being preached that promises health and wealth and prosperity in good times and the good life and everything if you follow Christ?
He said. That's not what I read in the word of God. That's not the pathway that the Master marked out. That's not the pathway that the apostles marked out. That's not the pathway that faithful men have walked in all down through the ages of the church's history.
Where did you get that gospel?
Well, some years ago, perhaps more recently, there was a man from the United States who went over to China to visit, and he was a true believer. And in speaking with Chinese believers there and being perhaps overwhelmed by the persecution that they endured, and it is very serious there, he made the remark rather in the way of.
Just as I said, being overwhelmed by what he heard, he said why? Why does God allow the believers in China?
To be so devastated by persecution year after year after year.
Well, he wasn't prepared for the comeback that he got because the Chinese believer looked at him and he said we have a question over here in China, too.
He said why does God allow the believers in North America to be ruined by materialism?
Year after year after year.
Hard to reply to that, isn't it?
And yet we can't change the lock where we are cast. Just as the believers are in China and we are in North America, We have to live and move.
But what we want to speak about, perhaps, is a little of suffering for Christ and with Christ. And so let's turn Our time is going.
To a couple of scriptures that bring before us suffering for Christ. There are several of them, but turn to Philippians for one scripture.
Philippians chapter one.
Verse 27.
Only let your conversation be as it becometh the gospel of Christ, that whether I come and see you, or else be absent.
I may hear of your affairs, that she stand fast in one spirit, with one mind, striving together for the faith of the gospel, and in nothing terrified by your adversaries, which is to them an evident token of perdition, but to you of salvation and to that of God.
Now here's the verse for unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on Him, but also to suffer for his sake.
Turn over now to first Peter for a couple of verses.
First Peter, chapter 4.
There are many others that could be referred to, but these will do for our purposes.
First Peter Four and verse 12.
Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you.
As though some strange thing happened unto you. But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ's suffering, that when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy. If ye be reproached for the name of Christ. Happy are ye.
For the spirit of glory and of God rest upon you on their part.
He is evil spoken of, but on your part he is glorified.
We don't face too much of what we might call suffering for Christ.
In these favored lands, at least not in the way that it is spoken of Indiana. Some of these verses.
I remember standing a few years ago.
On the Front St.
Of the city of Oxford in England.
And noticing a monument there that had been set up, the three men.
One of them was named Cranmer, and he was a man who was high up way back in the 1500s there.
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And he was called upon to give up his faith in Christ.
And for a while he did, and signed his name to a document that recanted.
All that he believed in, but afterward when he got back into the Lord's presence.
He thought of how awful that had been to deny his Lord and Master, and so he, along with two others, went forward.
And said they wanted it to be known that they believed every word that they had previously denied, and they reaffirmed their faith in Christ.
And I'm told on good authority that when the three of them were burned at the stake there, right on that very spot where that monument stands.
That he was so horrified, even at that time at what he had done.
But as they lit the wood around him and the flames came up, he.
He said that unworthy right hand that had signed that document, that unworthy right hand, and he held it out in the flames until it was burned to a crisp.
Without flinching.
And there are many dear believers today that are suffering for Christ. You and I know that, but we need to be reminded of it. There are those that are suffering unto death.
I have had the privilege for some years now of visiting the country of Romania.
And there are those sitting here who have grown up in that country, and they know better than I some of the things that were suffered under the fires of persecution there.
And so it goes on. Today there are probably more believers who are suffering bodily for Christ.
Today than at any other time in the history of the Church.
Do you and I suffer for Christ? I believe we do if we're faithful, because although we may not, at least for the moment, suffer bodily persecution.
We suffer the reproach, we suffer the cold shoulder, we suffer the rejection that comes with following one who is not wanted in this world. And it may get more difficult as time goes on. We don't know how long the liberties that have been afforded to us.
But it's worth it.
It's worth it.
Sometimes we wonder how those who went through such things could go through them and still are going through them.
A man could hold his right hand in the flames without flinching.
And many stories like that could be multiplied.
If I may be permitted, I'll tell a story about Romania.
I believe it's true.
Where there was a young woman in her early 20s who was out and out for the Lord.
And the Securitate there had their eye on anyone who was out and out.
Secret police. They often let ordinary Christians alone as long as they minded their own business and didn't.
Become too much of A testimony. But here was a girl who was out and out, who spoke of Christ, who radiated the joy of Christ.
And they watched her for a chance to get her.
In due time, she fell in love with a young man.
And they were engaged to be married, and the day came when she went together with him to the place where they were to be married, dressed in a beautiful dress.
And with their friends and relatives all standing around.
And it was at that point that the government chose to arrest her.
Took her away right from the side of her husband as they were exchanging their marriage vows.
And took her off to prison. And those who were present at that time say they will never forget the look on her face, tears running down her face. Yes, there were. But they will never forget the way in which she calmly and with a look of joy on her face, held out her hand.
So that the handcuffs could be applied and saw that she was taken away.
Did she know what was ahead of her? I believe she did. And I'm not going to soil your ears with what happened to her.
But in being kept five years in prison, those who saw her afterwards said that she aged 30 years. Was it worth it? Indeed it was. Indeed it was.
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Well, why do we go over these things in the context of where you and I live? 2 reasons.
Two reasons. First of all, let us remember those that are in bonds, as it says in Timothy is bound with them.
Let us remember that, and let us remember that if you and I enjoy the wonderful liberties we have in these favored lands, we can be thankful for them. But let us remember that there are many others, probably the greater part of those who are believers in this world, who are suffering for Christ.
But then there's another reason, and that is and that leads us on to what we're going to talk about.
Because I read a story some years ago, and if you've heard me tell it before, pardon that, but it struck a chord in my own heart.
Probably well over 100 years ago now. This was in London, England. Charles Spurgeon was going to preach the gospel.
And he was walking along the street there toward the place where he was going to preach.
And a fellow believer who knew him very well.
Notice that it was Spurgeon. Excuse me?
And caught up with them and fell into step with them and they walked along chatting together.
Suddenly he turned and said Spurgeon.
Would you have the grace? Would you have what it took to be burned at the stake for your faith in Christ right now?
Quite a question, isn't it?
Spurgeon, I thought, gave a good answer. He thought for a moment.
Thought a little longer and then he said, well, he said, I have to confess that at the moment I don't know that I would.
But he said that is not the kind of grace I need right now. What I need is grace to preach the gospel in about 20 minutes, and that's what I'm asking for.
That was a good answer.
Because he wasn't being called upon at that moment to give up his life for Christ. He wasn't being called upon at that moment to go through suffering.
In that same sense. But he had a responsibility and that's what he was asking for.
And let us remember that those about whom we speak, they are men, they are women of like passions, such as we are, as Scripture says.
And it is God who gives the grace for whatever circumstances he sends.
But we want to talk a little bit perhaps.
About something else. Because while I believe we all, in that sense, perhaps not physically, but in various ways, suffer for Christ.
There is a dimension which I suggest, and I don't want to be misunderstood, please. I don't want this to be taken in any way as a belittling of the physical sufferings of those who suffer for Christ, or a belittling in any way of the reproach and shame and rejection that perhaps you and I experienced from this world as a result of walking through it as believers.
But I believe Scripture brings before us a dimension, but is in one sense a higher calling even, and that is suffering with Christ.
To see what I'm talking about, turn to 2nd Corinthians 12.
2nd Corinthians 12.
Or I'm sorry, 11, not 1211.
Now, we're not going to read this chapter, but it details many of the sufferings of the Apostle Paul.
How he was beaten, imprisoned, shipwrecked, stoned, and all of the various things that he went through. But notice the end of the chapter.
Verse 28.
Beside those things that are without.
That which cometh upon me daily, the care of all the churches.
Who is weak and I am not weak? Who is offended and I burn not?
If I must needs glory, I will glory of the things which concern mine infirmities.
The God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which is blessed forevermore, knoweth that I lie not.
In Damascus the governor under Aridus the king, kept the city of the Democines with a Garrison desirous to apprehend me, and through a window in a basket was I let down by the wall, and escaped his hands.
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I used to wonder about the end of this chapter.
And I wondered why the Apostle Paul would speak of all of those things that he had suffered physically.
Things our brother Bob Bauman mentioned them the other day that probably no one has suffered as much as.
Paul did. And many of these things we wouldn't know about anywhere else. They're not recorded anywhere else in the Word of God.
Except here.
And yet, after detailing all those things, he tells a story about being let down in a basket over the wall.
I don't want to try and be humorous, but I can remember as a young man thinking, what was so bad about that? That would kind of be a bit fun. Wouldn't it be a bit of an adventure? Somebody all around the city with a bunch of soldiers waiting to get you and then you out with them by getting let down over the wall in a basket and running off and saying aha, they didn't get me or something like that. That would seem to be a little bit of fun. And after all, he did get away, So what was so awful about that?
But what does Paul really say here?
Let me use an illustration that perhaps lacks something, but it makes the point.
We'll suppose for purposes of discussion, that President.
George Bush of the United States were to come to Denver, and he comes, as I am sure would be the case, with a motorcade and police escort and all the fanfare and maybe a band that would play Hail to the Chief and all those things.
But for some reason, and we're just talking a hypothetical situation while he is here in Denver.
For some reason, the tide of public opinion turns against him and he makes a decision that makes him so vastly unpopular.
In Denver.
That in the middle of the night, one or two good friends in the Secret Service get him up and say, listen, we've got to get out of here. We've got to get out of here. And so he climbs out a window of the hotel where he's staying, and shinny's down by a rope and goes furtively through the streets, disguised in a cloak or coat or something so no one recognizes who he is. And they sneak out of Denver and somehow get on to Interstate 70 and get out of there.
Would that be an adventure?
Maybe in one sense, but it would be a pretty big come down, wouldn't it?
It would be going right from the top to the bottom.
It would be going away without all the honor that he was due.
That's what Paul's talking about here. He came to Damascus the first time with a retinue of soldiers, with men with him, with letters of authority and everything. Then he comes to Christ, and what's the result? He has to sneak away.
I understand the Chinese have two words in their language for suffering.
And I'm no expert on it, I just read this, but one of those words.
Refers to isolated incidents that may happen to us.
That may cause suffering. The other refers to taking on that as a whole way of life.
What Paul is talking about here, because here I suggest this, is more suffering with Christ, He was finding out that walking in the steps of the Master entailed not merely being rejected, but losing everything in this world.
Turn to another scripture. We'll come back to this, but turn to Philippians 2.
Or three. I'm sorry, Philippians 3 the verses I want.
Philippians 3.
Verse.
Well, we'll read from verse 8.
Yeah, doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the Excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things. And do count them but dung, that I may win Christ, and be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ to the righteousness which is of God by faith. Now notice this, that I may know him, and the power of his resurrection.
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And the fellowship of his sufferings being made conformable unto his death, if by any means I might attain under the resurrection of the dead, the fellowship of his sufferings. Oh, that's a deeper thing than suffering for Christ, because it means entering into, if we can put it this way, His thoughts, his feelings about it all.
Sometimes you don't find those in the New Testament in the same way, but if you go back to the book of the Psalms, you read verses. For example. Reproach hath broken mine heart.
Reproach as they were there.
And you and I, in following a rejected Christ, I believe can have the highest privilege of the believer.
And that is to feel what he felt.
There's no premium on that.
I can't say, well, I live in North America and so I can't feel all of that.
Have you ever been misunderstood?
Have you ever done something for the Lord and had someone take the credit for it? Have you ever worked hard behind the scenes?
And found that you got nothing for it.
The fellowship of his sufferings.
Have you ever found something happen to you that no one else knew anything about, and yet you realize that you were being taken along the steps of the Master? Oh, what a privilege that is. And so I believe the apostle mentions that here in Philippians. Why does it bring together the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of his sufferings all? I suggest that you and I can't have one without the other.
We love to have the power of His resurrection. We love to have power in our lives. But may I suggest?
To my own heart most of all, Why is there so little power in our Christian lives? Why is there so little power to witness for Christ? Why is there so little?
Spiritual power manifested generally. We're not talking about knowledge. All of this, I suggest, transcends.
Ecclesiastical considerations, although they are important.
But it means, why is there so little power? Oh, because the world looks on and says.
Are you really following the one that you say you are following? Are you really following a rejected Christ?
Or are you trying to do what the Corinthians did, reign as kings before the time Paul says, I would to God, ye did reign. Oh yes, we want to reign with you, but it's not time to do that yet. It's time to follow the Master in the pathway of rejection. And so if we want to know the power of his resurrection, because if we could put it this way, Philippians 3, as we all know, is Christ as our object. And it's the, shall we say, the energy of the Christian life. It's Christ in glory.
As opposed to the second chapter, which is more Christ as our pattern, the graciousness of the Christian life? More Christ in manhood perhaps?
But if we want to have the power of his resurrection, there needs to be the fellowship of his sufferings.
I don't need to go looking for it. He'll put me through all of that if I will simply allow him. But if I say Lord, I can't do that, I don't want to do that, then I believe we'll find that to that extent, there won't be the power of His resurrection. Turn back now to 2nd Corinthians 11 That we had before. Notice how it starts out there. Paul says the care of all the churches.
Care. Care of someone else? Do we get so taken up with our own problems and difficulties that we let someone else look after their own?
I relate the man by the name of Scrooge and Charles Dickens book, The Christmas Carol, who basically said I look after my own affairs and I expect everyone else to look after theirs. That's the way the world generally is. Oh, we're thankful for the efforts and the effect of Christianity in some of these countries that provides for others, but it's not our natural hearts, is it? But here Paul says the care of all the assemblies.
Oh, he says. Who is offended? How does it read?
Who is weak? And I am not weak. What does he mean? Oh, he means if there are those that are weak, does Paul look down his nose at them and say, well, what's wrong with you, Get up and get going. Oh no. He says, I feel with them who was offended and I burn not. Did they have any business getting offended? No. Do we have any business getting offended? No. We should be able to rise above it. But does Paul say, come on, you guys quit getting offended? No.
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Who is offended and I burn not all how much He walked in the steps of the Master in feeling with those who are going through troubles and difficulties even of their own making, and how many times the Lord Jesus looked with compassion on those.
Who had trials and difficulties that they had brought upon themselves.
Well, let's turn over now to Second Timothy.
Two Timothy, chapter 2.
This is beautiful here because, as we know, Second Timothy was probably the last epistle that Paul wrote.
And he was in prison, probably for the second time, probably in a real prison, not his own hired house as we get at the end of the book of the Acts.
And already he was beginning to see the break up of the work that he had labored so hard to establish. And so in chapter one he has to say, All they which are in Asia be turned away from me. But notice what he says in chapter 2 here verse 11. It is a faithful saying, For if we be dead with him, we shall also live with Him. If we suffer, we shall also reign with Him.
You'll notice, I think, that the.
Darby translation translates that word suffer in verse 12 as endure, and the sense of the word is enduring the suffering over a long period of time. We shall also reign with him if we deny him, or if we deny simply if we.
You know if we deny, he also will deny us if we believe not or if we are unfaithful. Yet he abideth faithful. He cannot deny himself.
In both cases, the suffering is connected with the glory.
But I do suggest this, that the suffering for Christ perhaps is more connected with coming glory. The suffering with Christ is connected with the reigning with Him and enjoying His heart for all eternity. And I suggest, although I can't prove it, but I just suggest the thought that perhaps that's something of the thought in the white stone that is spoken of in Revelation chapter 2.
Because they are at something secret that is not outward. There is reward that will be public. Have thou authority over 10 cities, a crown to be warned. And we wouldn't take away from that. But then there's the white stone that is given, and there's a name written on it that no man knoweth, but he that receiveth it. We don't need to turn to that scripture, we know that.
But what does that bring before us? May I suggest that that Whitestone? I just suggest the thought. If anyone argues with this, I can't prove it.
But I suggest the thought that the Whitestone is perhaps connected with suffering with Christ, because in Suffering with Christ I share his thoughts, his feelings, what he went through in walking through that pathway.
Everyone here that is married knows what that is like. Every husband here, I am sure would very gladly suffer physical pain for his wife if called upon to do so, and probably each husband here if it became a question.
Would give up his life in order that his wife might live.
I still remember working in the emergency room of my local hospital quite a few years ago now and having a man's body brought in dead. He was a man about my age now, and he had been changing a tire by the side of the Expressway and all of a sudden he heard a very loud and insistent blast on an air horn of a semi behind him. And he turned around just in time to see that that semi had lost a wheel and that it was hurtling straight for them as they were trying to get the spare out of the trunk.
Coming, I suppose, probably at 70 miles an hour, and that man's last act was to give his wife a tremendous shove and send her rolling head over heels into a grassy ditch just before that wheel hit him and killed him instantly. He gave his life so that his wife could live, and I am sure that the husbands here would gladly do that, and probably the wives for their husbands, too.
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But what is the greatest privilege of married life? To be able to share someone's heart, isn't it?
To be able to feel with them in the same things that they are feeling. To be able to understand.
Sometimes it takes a lifetime to learn that, doesn't it? Sometimes there are facets of things that don't come through right away.
But it's a joy and a privilege to learn that, and how much more with that Blessed One who walked through this world.
Because we see something of what his pathway was. And that's why I believe Philippians 2 is given to us. It's right to read it during the remembrance of the Lord, but it's there as an example for us. And so here it says.
If we suffer.
We shall also reign with him. Oh, what a privilege that is.
Right at the end when things were being given up, does Paul say, well, Timothy, you're just going to have to let go a little bit? Obviously, what I've been preaching and teaching isn't, isn't holding. They're giving it up. They don't want to follow a rejected Christ. They don't want to follow the one who calls them for a heavenly calling.
No, he says, Timothy, you be strong at the grace which is in Christ Jesus.
And I say that to each one of our hearts today. Turn back now for one last verse to Romans chapter 8.
Romans chapter 8. Beautiful verse.
And verse 16, Romans 8 and verse 16.
The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit that we are the children of God, and if children, then heirs, heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ.
If so be that we suffer with Him, that we may be also glorified together. For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in US.
I understand that when it says here if we suffer with him, we may be glorified together. The thought.
Is suffering with and glorified with that is it's doing it together with the Lord Jesus.
Isn't that a wonderful privilege?
Are we willing to take that place? Are we willing to learn more of that Blessed One?
The hymn expresses it well.
Opatation spotless one our hearts in meekness trained to bear thy yoke, and learn of thee, that we may rest obtain. But I suggest, even if we could say it going beyond that expression, why do we do it?
Oh, does it bring joy to our hearts? Of course it does. But let's get right out of ourselves and think of the joy that it brings to His heart. Because what does God want to see displayed down here? He wants to see.
His beloved son in each one of us.
And now I just want to read one verse in closing in the 17th of John.
John 17.
And verse.
22.
And the glory. Now this is the Lord Jesus in his prayer just before he went to the cross.
And the glory which thou gavest me.
I have given them that they may be one, even as we are one.
I don't want to try and explain this verse totally.
But I will remember meditating on it a little after this chapter was taken up at a general meeting some years ago.
Because one brother brought out from this verse how wonderful it was to look on to coming glory.
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And how wonderful it was that that glory was all of ours. It was all ours.
Then another broke up. Another brother spoke up and said.
Why do we have to make it future? It's ours now.
He didn't elaborate.
I thought a little bit about it, meditate a little upon it.
And I believe the future is definitely embodied in this verse.
But I believe there is a sense in which it is displayed now.
And that is?
In the Lord Jesus Christ, the one who was heir to everything.
The one who was the Creator and the One.
By whom this whole universe subsists.
Came down into this world and in a voluntary humility walk through this world.
And displayed. What a glory.
Tell you a story to illustrate this, and again, pardon me if you've heard me tell it before, but it bears repeating. I've never forgotten it.
I got it directly from brother our late brother Eric Smith, so I'm sure it's accurate.
And he told how he owned a piece of property down there in Bolivia.
He had bought it, intending to build on it at some point, but then the Lord directed otherwise, and so he simply held on to it for many years, and in time property values rose.
And more than that, there were minerals discovered on that property which he knew nothing about when he bought it, and as a result, the value went a long ways up.
This, of course, is going back many, many years and he thought, I'm going to sell that property.
And then I'll have a bit of a nest egg, as we call it. I'll have a bit of money. I won't have to be a burden to anybody.
This is the Lord's way of giving me a bit of money to live on when?
I get older, isn't that wonderful?
Well, he was contemplating that and I think about to sell the proper deal, though I'm not aware that he had actually.
Put it up for sale or done anything. When he was visited by a committee of people from the government, perhaps 4/5 of them, who came to his home and they had papers in their hands and everything. And they said, Mr. Smith, do you own that piece of property, that they described it and so on. And he said, yes, I do. And they said, well, it's being expropriated by the government of Bolivia. We are taking that property.
And because it's the government taking it, we hope you can understand that we aren't intending to pay any remuneration for it. When the government needs a piece of property, we, we take it. And so if you'll just sign these papers here and put things down and just sign that you're, you know, that you're the owner and so on, and everything will be done and set and sealed. And we'll just sit at your table and finalize these details and so on, if you don't mind.
I hesitate to think of how I would have reacted under those circumstances.
Well. He calmly sat down and began to sign the papers.
But just as he was in the act of doing it, there was a tremendous earthquake.
Not a small one either. Not just a little shake, but a tremendous earthquake. And all those men, of course, knowing exactly what was happening, leaked up and ran out of the house as fast as they could.
And the earthquake lasted for five or 10 minutes, and the whole house shook and swayed back and forth, and Eric Smith calmly remained in his seat at the table.
After things had subsided a little bit, the men came in. They were kind of shaking.
They looked at him. They said my.
How can you sit here so calmly in the middle of that earthquake? You could have had the house come down around your ears. It was a well made house. It wasn't just something of.
Mud Hut or something like that. It was a concrete hull.
Oh, brother, Smith said calmly. Those who knew him can just imagine those eyes. Kindly, sympathetic and yet with a piercing look to them when they needed to.
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Men, he said. I was just sitting here rather enjoying how my father could shake you up for what you're doing.
And he didn't say that to be funny.
We laugh, and I don't blame you. I do too. No, that had an impact more than if he'd turned a machine gun on them.
An impact. The glory which thou gave us, me I have given them.
Oh, there was a moral glory there that was worth more than $75,000 that the property was worth at that time.
God has called us to display that. He has called us to display the moral glory of His Son, and I don't know how to say it any different in a voluntary humbling of ourselves and walking through this world suffering with Christ.
That they may be one even as we are one.
You put that together, it's almost beyond expression, isn't it? And yet God has called us.
To be one with his beloved son in testimony in this world.
Blessed God, our Father.
We thank Thee for our Lord Jesus Christ, that one who came into this world.
And we thank thee that like the disciples of all.
We are privileged to suffer shame for His name. O our God, we trust that we may not shrink from this.
But that we may gladly, joyfully take that which is our portion in this world.
As following a rejected Christian.
But or God we pray to that we may have that appreciation of suffering with Christ.
Of entering into his heart and all that he went through and all that he experienced.
We pray that we may be worthy.
In some small way in that day.
To have that stone of white given to us.
But O our God, we know that it is all Thy grace we bless thee for.
Where is God that worketh in you both to will and to do of His good pleasure? We commend thy word to thee then for thy blessing upon it, and ask it in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.