Encouragement

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SUFFERING BESIDE THE CROSS OF JESUS

My fellow countrymen of the nativity of Mount Zion, the city of the Living God, the Heavenly Jerusalem, and partakers of the sufferings of Christ for righteousness and perfection, I want you to be encouraged with me, using the life of the crucified thief who believed Christ as an example.

Just like that thief, we were condemned to death. There was no hope for us. As we headed for perdition, we saw that Christ, though faultless, was beaten with us, having the same condemnation. We believed Him on our own cross, like His, beside Him. We asked Him to remember us in His kingdom. And that is His own purpose and delight – to remember us. He promised us life perfected in the hope of salvation.

We began to do His will, still on that cross. How? We rebuked our fellow criminal (from whom the cross of Christ has separated us) who’s also condemned to death according to law. He was blaspheming Christ, but we spoke for Christ that He is just! Yes, like this thief, having done all the will of God(“Jesus answered and said to them, ‘ This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He sent’ ” John 6:29) we would begin to imagine and ponder on why the Saviour would not let us down the cross miraculously and deliver us from physical torture. We would feel He should compensate us. And so, we keep gazing, from Calvary, that old Jerusalem ( which is Sodom and Egypt spiritually). Maybe we are going to get a chance . . .

Like this man, who believed and confessed the resurrection of the Christ and His glorification (“ ‘ Then he said to Jesus, ‘Lord, remember me when you come into Your kingdom’ ” Luke 23:42) even before all the other disciples, our faith in the son of God is no immunity to suffering. Though crucified(with Him), we are no more dying nor suffering as a person condemned to death for his past deeds, but as being conformed to His death, the fellowship of His sufferings and the power of His resurrection which is exceedingly great toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power (Philippians 3:10 and Ephesians1:19). We are undergoing the trial of faith, knowing that the testing of our faith produces patience which have its perfect work in us, that we may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing (James 1:3-4). We are undergoing the pain of circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of the sins of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ, buried with Him in baptism, in which you also were raised with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead (Colossians 2:11-12).

So, he never let us down the cross. If we get down from the cross, we return to the crowd and die apart from Him. Suffering (on our own cross) beside the cross of Jesus, we die to sin and are made alive in the spirit, being set free from the beggarly elements of the world. He knows our salvation lies in dying (quickly) with Him, if possible, without the breaking of the bones of our legs which happened to our fellow saint who tarried much longer than it took Christ to die, thereby having an extra suffering (of the breaking of his bones).

We may be suffering beside His cross. He may not ‘deliver’ us. He only gives grace for He understands our weaknesses, being a High Priest that was made to be like His brethren. So, we should not think He is not beside us. Job, in his own days said: “Even though He slay me, … I know that my Redeemer liveth. Blessed be the name of the Lord.” It seems He is not there, as if dead, but He’s there! He told suffering Church of Smyrna that He is alive! But they were passing (and will still pass) through harsh situations as if not belonging to the Living Redeemer.

“. . . These things says the First and the Last, who was dead and came to life: I know your works, tribulation, and poverty (but you are rich) . . .” (Revelation 2:8-9). “For God is not unjust to forget your work and labor of love which you have shown toward His name, . . . to the saints… That you do not become sluggish, but imitate those who through faith and patience inherit the promises. For when God . . ., because He could swear by no one greater, He swore by Himself . . . to show . . . the heirs of promise the immutability of His counsel . . . by an oath. This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast, … (Hebrew 6:10-19) . “And inasmuch as He was not made priest without an oath . . . by so much more Jesus has become a surely of a better covenant”(Hebrews 7:21-22), saying, “Surely blessing I will bless you, and multiplying I will multiply you”(Hebrews 6:14). (omissions mine).

In conclusion, my fellow runner in this marathon race, from a city to another; from the Mount Sinai that can be touched to the Mount Zion that cannot be touched; from the old Jerusalem to the New Heavenly Jerusalem; from the blood of Abel to the blood of sprinkling that speaks better things; from the avengers of blood to the only Redeemer; from the angels of darkness to an excited gathering of thousands of angels of light; from the yokes of law to the Mediator of the New Covenant; from the prince of this wicked world to the Prince of Peace and the God the Judge of all, having all these promises, let us run with endurance the race that is set before us. And also if anyone competes, he is not crowned unless he competes according to the rules. Shalom!

©2007
Akindele
[email protected]

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