The Son of man must suffer many things,
and be rejected of the elders and chief
priests and scribes, and be slain, and
be raised the third day.
Luke 9:22
From the above passage we see that Jesus experienced "many" hardships during His 3 1/2 years of public ministry which began with His baptism by John, followed by being tempted in the desert for forty days...
and be rejected of the elders and chief
priests and scribes, and be slain, and
be raised the third day.
Luke 9:22
From the above passage we see that Jesus experienced "many" hardships during His 3 1/2 years of public ministry which began with His baptism by John, followed by being tempted in the desert for forty days...
Then, throughout the remainder of His days on earth leading up to His crucifixion and His triumphant victory over death and the grave, the Lord had to endure hunger, thirst, long journeys on foot, exhaustion, rejection, and plots against His life. Jesus was even accused of being a worker of "Beelzebub," who was the chief of devils, namely Satan. How the religious rulers hated Him and continually trashed His name.
And we too may very well find ourselves being lied about, bullied, passed over for rewards and promotions, or mocked and rejected because of our walk with Christ, and because of our testimony that we belong to Him. Yet just as the Lord refused to be deterred from completing His mission, which was to die for our sins, we should likewise refuse to shrink back from serving the Savior and proclaiming His wonderful name.
Yet, Christ experienced many injustices at the hands of both the political and religious establishments of His day. We may experience the same. But as this verse from the gospel of Luke proclaims, although Jesus was slain on a Roman cross, He arose in three days. For the Lord had the power to lay down His life, and to pick it up again. However, may I say that we, too, through the empowering of the Holy Spirit who now lives in every "born again" believer, has the same power inside us. In other words, just as Jesus triumphed over hardship and suffering, we can do the same.
Of course this is not to say that we won't have to face pain and difficulties, because we will. But the victory comes in knowing that our suffering is only for a short time when compared to the length of eternity. Thankfully, there's a "third day" for us, as well. And this is because we've already been raised with Christ.
Therefore, let us continue to endure whatever problems and difficulties may come our way. It will all be worth it in the end.
D.B.
And we too may very well find ourselves being lied about, bullied, passed over for rewards and promotions, or mocked and rejected because of our walk with Christ, and because of our testimony that we belong to Him. Yet just as the Lord refused to be deterred from completing His mission, which was to die for our sins, we should likewise refuse to shrink back from serving the Savior and proclaiming His wonderful name.
Yet, Christ experienced many injustices at the hands of both the political and religious establishments of His day. We may experience the same. But as this verse from the gospel of Luke proclaims, although Jesus was slain on a Roman cross, He arose in three days. For the Lord had the power to lay down His life, and to pick it up again. However, may I say that we, too, through the empowering of the Holy Spirit who now lives in every "born again" believer, has the same power inside us. In other words, just as Jesus triumphed over hardship and suffering, we can do the same.
Of course this is not to say that we won't have to face pain and difficulties, because we will. But the victory comes in knowing that our suffering is only for a short time when compared to the length of eternity. Thankfully, there's a "third day" for us, as well. And this is because we've already been raised with Christ.
Therefore, let us continue to endure whatever problems and difficulties may come our way. It will all be worth it in the end.
D.B.
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