From Suffering to Glory

Dearly beloved of God, Jesus Christ was made like his brethren in all things. He did not take the nature of angels, he took the seed of Abraham; he partook of flesh and blood. His genealogy can be traced back to Adam; indeed, he was the second Adam. He was the son of man.

In that he suffered when he was tempted, he is able to help us when we are tempted. He was tempted in all things in the same manner as we are, yet he did not sin. Beloved, he is touched with the feeling of our infirmities; he is able to sympathize with us in our weaknesses because he himself has been there, also.

Oh beloved, he suffered far greater than any of us have. He knew temptation. He endured extreme mental pressures; tribulation. His soul was afflicted. He suffered distress; he suffered greater calamities than we do. He suffered persecution from the devil and his minions; religious and political. He suffered dangerous perils; he even suffered death. He has been there, dearly beloved; he understands what we suffer. Nothing can separate us from his love for us.

He walked through the valley of the shadow of death, so that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is the devil; and release those who were held in bondage their entire lifetime by the fear of death.

He can save to the uttermost, and he will release us from death just as he was delivered from it.

He was mutilated more than any man, despised, and rejected of men. He was a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief.

“Surely he [Jesus] has borne our griefs [sicknesses], and carried our sorrows [pains]: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.”

He was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement of our peace was laid upon him and with his stripes we were healed; the LORD has laid the iniquity of us all on him.

He was taken by oppression. He was imprisoned, tortured, and endured the indignity of two unlawful trials. He died a violent death. The innocent one suffered for the guilty.

He poured out his soul unto death for us; he bare the sin of many, and was cut out off from the land of the living. He made intercession for the transgressors by his sacrifice; his work did not end with death and corruption in the grave.

He arose and ascended into the heavens and God seated him at His right hand in power and glory. Just look at what he accomplished for us because of his obedience to the Father!

Dearly beloved, He identified with us in his suffering so that we could identify with him in his accomplishments. He became as we were so we could be as he is!

God called us by the gospel concerning Jesus Christ to the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. We will acquire it as surely as he did, dearly beloved.

God made him Lord of all in heaven and earth, and by the grace of God we are members of his body. We are filled to the full in Christ; it is all in all of us. We are complete in him who is the head of all principality and power.

Thus far we have only experienced the birth, but the glory of the inheritance is coming for us as it did for him.

As the son of man, he identified with us so that we could identify with him as sons of God. He will transform our humiliated bodies to be like his glorious body when he comes; we will not only be with him, we will be like him!

Do not cast away your confidence; he is coming, and the suffering we endure today is not worth comparing to the glory we will receive when he comes. The light affliction we endure today is momentary, but it produces for us an eternal, exceedingly heavy weight of glory.

When Christ our life appears, then we will appear with him in glory! Rejoice forevermore!!

Until then, we can boldly approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace for timely help. We have boldness and access to the Father with confidence through the believing in Christ.

“This is the confidence that we have toward Him: if we ask anything according to his will, he listens to us: and if we know that He listens to us (whatever we request), then we know that we have the requests that we have requested from Him.”

Endure suffering by walking in God’s power, dearly beloved, until we are received up in glory. The Lord is near and he will supply timely help for us until then. Rejoice forevermore!