The Suffering of Christ

"He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not... He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth." (Isa. 53:3,7). Are you sure that you are truly identified with Jesus? Think about the passage you just read and then take a look at this: "I am weary of my crying: my throat is dried: mine eyes fail while I wait for my God... They that hate me without a cause are more than the hairs of mine head: they that would destroy me, being mine enemies wrongfully, are mighty... Because for thy sake I have borne reproach; shame hath covered my face. I am become a stranger unto my brethren, and an alien unto my mother's children. For the zeal of thine house hath eaten me up; and the reproaches of them that reproached thee are fallen upon me... They that sit in the gate speak against me; and I was the song of the drunkards" (Psm. 69:3,4,7-9,12). No doubt someone will say, "Well that was just for Jesus. He did it all and all we have to do is believe on him." Yeah? Then why did JESUS say the following? Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept my saying, they will keep yours also" (Jn. 15:20). And why did the apostle Paul say the following? " IF we suffer [for him], we shall also reign with him... Yea, and ALL that will live godly in Christ Jesus SHALL suffer persecution" (II Tim. 2:12; II Tim. 2:12). Anyone can say they are living for the Lord, but the apostle John said something to more clearly define what that means: "He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked" (I Jn. 2:6). There is only one way possible to walk like Jesus walked, and talk like Jesus talked; and that is to be filled with the same Spirit he was filled with, and stay that way (Gal. 3:27; II Cor. 3:17; Gal. 5:16). "For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God" (Rom. 8:9). Amen.