Suffering For His Sake

Beloved, do not think it strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened to you; but rejoice to the extent that you partake of Christs sufferings, that His glory is revealed you may also be glad with exceeding joy.  If you are reproached for the name of Christ, blessed are you, for the spirit of glory and of God rests upon you.  On their part He is blasphemed, but on your part He is glorified.  But let none of you suffer as a murderer, a thief, an evildoer, or as a busybody in other peoples matters.  Yet if anyone suffers as a christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in this matter.
1 Peter 4: 12-16 NKJV

It's one of the most common complaints I hear from believers.  Many a christian is tempted, forsaken and ridiculed by those who do not know Jesus.  I would suggest that this is common in our  interactions within a fallen world.  For where there are ungodly people, there will be ridicule for those who put their trust in Christ Jesus.  If this were not the case, then the apostle Paul would not have given us the warning found in 1 Peter 4.  Paul considers these persecutions as a "Fiery trial" in which we who trust in Jesus will partake.  We do well to remember in our hearts just how much Christ suffered in our place on His journey to the cross.  This He did for us.  I recall the very first time I saw the Mel Gibson film The Passion Of The Christ, and how shocked and hurt I was at the scenes depicting the scourging and crucifiction of Jesus.  Through this film, it was brought home to me.  I'd like to think that this was a major point of Mr. Gibson producing this film, to bring home the suffering of Christ.  Often as christians we treat the scourging and crucifiction of Jesus far too lightly.  This was His suffering which He endured, this was His shed blood!  As I watched this story unfold on the movie screen, my heart broke for Jesus!  For the first time, I bore witness to the punishment Christ endured on our behalf.  Make no mistake, Jesus did not deserve this torture.  For even the Roman official Pilate deemd Christ as "Innocent blood" as Jesus was brought before him by those who persecuted Him.  However, as Pilate sought to free the innocent Christ, the shouts for the crucifiction of Jesus grew louder!

Blessed are the poor in spirit, For theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are those who mouurn, For they shall be comforted.
Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be filled.
Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy.
Blessed are the poor in heart, for they shall see God. Blessed are the peacemakers, For they shall be called sons of God.
Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, For theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
 Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake.  Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
Matthew 5: 3-12 NKJV

It can be exceedingly difficult for we as christians to be joyful while those around us ridicule and persecute us for our beliefs.   Yet, this is exactly what Jesus called us to do in His sermon on the mount in Matthew 5.  Make no mistake about it, at this point in His life Jesus knew what His ultimate destiny was!  He knew His fate, yet he walked each day closer to that cross.  Why would Jesus endure such punishment at the hands of sinful men?   For one simple reason, you and I!  For without the selfless sacrafice of Jesus there can be no remision of sins, and no salvation.  This was the ultimate selfless act.  What the world sees as our empty worship and adoration of a prophet long ago dead, we see as happily rejoicing in the love Jesus bestowed on us while we were yet sinners.

Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God.  He who does not love does not know God, for God is love.  In this the love of God was manifested toward us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him.  In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins.  Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.
1 John 4: 7-11 NKJV

We love Him because he first loved us.

~Scott~