Unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ
Fellowship with the martyrs and confessors
I. Like faith.
II. Like conflicts.
III. Like honour. (J. Lyth, D. D.)
The Christian’s life is
I. A life of faith. This faith is--
1. The gift of God--“is given you.”
2. A particular gift bestowed on a particular people, distinguishing them from all others. The Christian knows and enjoys what no one else does.
II. A life of suffering.
1. Christ’s life was full of it, and so, therefore, is the believer’s.
2. Some sufferings he shares with the humanity to which he belongs,
3. Some trials are peculiar to the Christian arising from
(1) sin;
(2) the inherent difficulty of the Christian life;
(3) profession before the world;
(4) self-denial;
(5) consistency in business, etc.;
(6) the opposition of the enemies of the gospel.
III. The life of suffering proves the life of faith. Others are rebellious, or stoically resigned; the Christian bows out of love to Christ, and is supported by Christ in response to faith. (J. W. Reeve, M. A.)
The gifts of God
I. What they are. The power to believe--to suffer.
II. Their inestimable value.
1. Faith brings peace, joy, righteousness.
2. Patient suffering brings deliverance, conquest, glory. (J. Lyth, D. D.)
Unto you it is given to believe
I. Faith is the gift of God. He supplies the ground, the means, the power.
II. It is given to you. You can accept the ground, use the means, exercise the power.
III. How far have you improved it? You cannot reach the higher standpoint before the lower; every one has a measure of ability; therefore repent, believe. (J. Lyth, D. D.)
Unto you it is given to suffer
God gives you--
I. The opportunity.
II. The power.
III. The honour.
IV. The reward of suffering for Christ. (J. Lyth, D. D.)
Suffering for Christ
It is said that men learned to despise pain before Christ. This is true. But where, save in Christian literature and history, do you find suffering converted into joy, esteemed as an honour, and borne as a badge of royalty. As a king grants charters and honours, so Christ as our Sovereign gives His disciples the privilege of faith and alliance to Him. And he still further honours them by permitting them to suffer on His behalf. Let us see what kind of sufferings are included in this charter.
I. All inflicted directly for our adhesion to the name and worship of Christ. Physical persecution, social, domestic.
II. All arising from the effectual preaching of truth, whether by ministers or private disciples. We are not to count the suffering which comes from our own headstrong rashness in speech or administration, but that which comes from a calm inflexible advocacy of the truth as it is in Jesus. For this it is an honour to suffer.
III. All which arises from the application of Christian truth to human disposition and conduct, to the manners of society, to the selfishness and injustice of men. Labourers in this harvest field will have their bosom full of sheaves, and their head crowned with thorns. Let a man have a conscience, and he will perforce find himself a warrior. What affinity is there between generosity and greed.
IV. All suffering not of the nature of obloquy. All self-denials, watchings, labours, cares, weariness, incident to a life devoted to the cause of God. Those whose parish is the dungeon, the hospital, the purlieus of vice.
V. All consequent upon a strife with self and circumstances for the purpose of augmenting Christian dispositions. Our internal conflicts are often greater than our external. What suffering is involved in our strife with the world, the flesh, and the devil; in our endeavour to be patient under sickness and misfortune, resigned in the midst of sorrows and bereavement.
VI. All arising from the service we perform on behalf of others. Mothers with their children in hearing and up-bringing, friends, philanthropists. Conclusion: I remark in view of this exposition--
1. We are not to seek suffering on purpose. Suffering without moral impulse is of no account.
2. It is a shame for a man to entertain an ideal of Christian life which is ease and freedom from inconvenience.
3. All true education consists in preparation for and endurance of suffering Let parents see to this.
4. We may form a proper judgment of those who are called to labour for God Those prepared to regard suffering as an honour, and to count the victory as worth any price. (H. W. Beecher.)
The value of suffering
To this refiner’s fire may doubtless be ascribed in part the lustre and purity of their faith as compared with other Churches. (Bishop Lightfoot.)
Persecutions only raked away the ashes, so that the spiritual flame was steady and brilliant. (Professor Eadie.)
The grace and honour of suffering
The men whom a general, at the critical moment of a great battle, specially appoints to hold the key of his position, or whom, in the assault of a besieged city, he sends on a “forlorn hope,” are, by his choice of them for peril and probable suffering, marked out as in his judgment “the bravest of the brave.” Their comrades, even while rejoicing in their hearts, it may be, that the selection has left themselves out, feel that those on whom the choice has fallen are honoured. Similarly, is there not “grace” shown in the choice made by the “Captain of salvation,” when in His providence He calls this soldier of the cross, and that, to suffer or die under the standard? In the old persecuting times in our country, men who “bore in their bodies the marks of the Lord Jesus,” in limbs crushed by the iron boot or torn by the rack--looking back in after days upon the patience which the Saviour had given them amid their anguish, and the increase of spiritual wisdom and energy which had come through the trial to themselves, and to some extent also to others, could not but esteem the suffering for Christ as a “gift of grace.” When under sentence of death, good Bishop Ridley wrote thus to his relatives: “I warn you all, my beloved kinsfolk, that ye be not amazed or astonished at the kind of my departure or dissolution; for I assure you I think it the most honour that ever I was called unto in all my life. And therefore I thank God heartily for it, that it hath pleased Him to call me, of His great mercy, unto this high honour, to suffer death willingly for His sake and in His cause; unto the which honour He called the holy prophets, and His dearly beloved apostles, and His blessed chosen martyrs.” And when the end came, and Latimer and he were burned at the same stake--whilst the persecutors could see only the flame which consumed the flesh, the faith of the martyrs could discern for themselves a chariot of fire waiting to bear them home to their Lord, and for their country a fire of pious zeal lighted up, which all the arts of the wicked one should never be able to put out. There was great “grace” there. (R. Johnstone, LL. B.)
The service of suffering
Dr. Tronchin, talking one day with the son of Caesar Malan about his father, who was lying on his deathbed, said, “How often have I not heard even his friends say, when I spoke with admiration of the work of your father, ‘Malan serves God with fire, courage, and perseverance, because the service which God requires of him is an active service, and consists in an activity which responds to his tastes and talents.’ But wait before judging him definitely until God calls him to a passive service of suffering.” God is doing this under our eyes at this hour, and under our eyes also His servant is found faithful. (J. F. B. Tinling, B. A.)
The honor of suffering for Christ
One of the witnesses for the truth when imprisoned for conscience’ sake in the days of Queen Mary, is said to have thus written to a friend: “A prisoner for Christ! What is this for a poor worm! Such honour have not all the saints. Both the degrees which I took at the University have not set me so high as the honour of becoming a prisoner of the Lord.”
The mystery of suffering
“Unaccountable this!” said the Wax, as from the flame it dropped melting upon the Paper beneath. “Do not grieve,” said the Paper; “I am sure it is all right.” “I was never in such agony!” exclaimed the Wax, still dropping. “It is not without a good design, and will end well,” replied the Paper. The Wax was unable to reply at once, owing to a strong pressure; and when it again looked up it bore a beautiful impression, the counterpart of the seal which had been applied to it. “Ah! I comprehend now,” said the Wax, no longer in suffering. “I was softened in order to receive this lovely durable impress. Yes; I see now it was all right, because it has given to me the beautiful likeness which I could not otherwise have obtained.” (Mrs. Prosser.).