Sermon: Those Best Prepared to Suffer with Him
#1730A
Mark Schindler
Given 14-Oct-23; 36 minutes
description: As we return from the Feast of Tabernacles, it is easy to fall into the siren pulls of the world, the incessant broadcasts of Satan our Adversary, and our human nature programmed to hate God's holy and spiritual law. We must remember that our citizenship is registered in heaven as current ambassadors of God's kingdom (Philippians 3:20; II Corinthians 5:20-6:13). Our high calling will be completed through Jesus Christ—unless we carelessly set our minds on worldly things, which will lead to destruction. Through the gift of God's Holy Spirit (the very mind of Christ), we have access to God's Throne Room, where our High Priest makes intercession for us continually. If God is for us, we have nothing to fear, even though we are shellacked with abundant faith-testing trials. Everything will work out for good (Romans 8:28) if we have been called according to His will and purpose. Consequently, we must learn to seek God's will and purpose for us, avoiding the temptation of Hezekiah who feared death more than trusting God to decide his expiration date. Jesus and Peter, James, and John (who had witnessed both Jesus Christ's glorification at the transfiguration and the humiliating crucifixion), though confronted with fear, chose to follow Almighty God unconditionally, not fearing death, finishing their spiritual races victoriously. We cannot emulate the virgins or the apostles in Gethsemane who slept during Christ's fervent prayer. We need to stay awake and alert, staying the course, trusting our Heavenly Father and Savior to bring us to the finish line.
transcript:
In the Worldwide Church of God there are several things I distinctly remember regarding the post-Feast of Tabernacle's time each year.
1) Sharing Feast experiences and messages when reunited in our local areas at services following traveling to various cities and various Feast sites.
2) Having brethren over for meals viewing pictures and exchanging stories of past Feasts, while already looking forward to the holy days that lay ahead but very far down the road, as we saw them, in the spring.
3) There was the blessing of the little children that typically took place in the local areas on the Sabbath following the Feast because unlike today, each church had an ordained minister or ministers physically present to serve them where they lived.
4) Amidst the single-minded euphoria that came from having spent eight days sharing a tiny foretaste of the millennial rest while separated from the toil and trouble of living in a world that is full of enmity against God, usually came the "will you still be here next year?" sermon.
All these things were part and parcel of God's very purposeful plan for His people. As we continue to learn to walk in faith behind Jesus Christ while facing the trials and tribulations of living in this very satanic and divisive world, God has given us a recharge to our batteries and unity. But this unified spirit can only continue if we added what we learned through His revealed holy days to enhance our vision of God's glory and what eventually lies ahead for all men. This should have greatly enhanced our vision of God's purpose according to His will for each of us to walk in unity toward what is right around the corner for His elect at Christ's return and our participation with Him in unity to clean up the mess.
But along with this wonderful blessing, we must continue to take stock of the difficulties we face to stay on track in a world that hates God, His way of life, and in turn, those who have been set apart by Him to live as He lives. This seems to be compounded by the fact that, unlike Worldwide, so many of us are scattered either in small groups or even alone. But brethren, we must keep in mind, we are never alone and our unity must always be maintained through our ever-increasing relationship with Jesus Christ, who will continue to hold on to us if we continue to hold on to Him.
Our major enemy is still at work. And despite a reinvigorated spirit of unity and purpose that God's holy days are meant to give His people, we can still go off the rails. We are still living in this world, but for our good, where the daily grind of life can wear us down if we do not remember why God has given us the ability and opportunity to see His revealed plan in the first place.
Therefore, we are going to begin this "will you be here next year?" message of sure hope and unity that is in Jesus Christ in a very good place to continue our journey and faith behind Jesus Christ so we will be exactly where God wants us next year at this time. Just as an aside, this topic for this sermon was determined long before. You probably noted that the Forerunner article last Wednesday was John Ritenbaugh's 2020 Personal, "Be There Next Year," because this has always been a vital message from God to His people following the Feast. So please turn with me now to John the first chapter. I go here quite often because it is the most vital piece of our walk in faith.
John 1:14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.
John 1:16-18 And of His fullness we have all received, and grace for grace. For the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. No one has seen God at any time. The only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, He has declared Him.
Please turn with me over to Philippians 2.
Philippians 2:5-9 Let this mind be in you which also was in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. And being found in the appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross. Therefore God had also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name.
Philippians 2:12-13 Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God who works in you both to will and do and to do for His good pleasure.
Philippians 3:13-15 [again, Paul writes] Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. Therefore let us, as many as are mature, have this mind; and if in anything you think otherwise, God will reveal even this to you.
Philippians 3:20-21 For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body that it may be conformed to His glorious body, according to the working by which He is able even to subdue all things to Himself.
Brethren, we need to keep this embedded in our minds throughout this year. Our high calling is guaranteed to be completed through Jesus Christ. Our citizenship is in heaven and nothing that is going to happen throughout this upcoming year is going to stop Christ from finishing what He has started for [?] the glory of His Father. That is, unless we let the rough patches or even the good things we encounter in this world pull us off course like those that we read about that we skipped in verses 17 through 19 of chapter 3. We will pick those up right now just to remind us. This is Paul speaking of those that fell apart.
Philippians 3:17-19 Brethren, join in following my example, and note those who walk, as you have us for a pattern. For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ: whose end is destruction, whose god is their belly, whose glory is their shame—who set their mind on earthly things.
Paul's example was one of following the glorified Christ, regardless of what the world threw at him. But those who let the world and all that is in it, good or bad, creep in and become their bailiwick, it will be their destruction. However, this is not what Christ wants nor will He allow, if we continue in the way He has clearly laid out for His elect within His holy days and the meat in due season that we receive to keep us fed, to learn, and then live His Word.
Many of you certainly have had what you may have considered a bad physical Feast of Tabernacles because of illness. Some may have even been unable to attend the Feast or been forced to leave because of illness. This in itself may compound the difficulties faced in moving forward if we do not keep our focus on Jesus Christ to carefully consider what He was trying to teach us even in those things. We must always keep in mind God's inspired Word from the apostle Paul, that all things work for good to God's elect even when things go sideways physically.
Let us look at this first within its context in Romans 8, because rather than letting physical difficulties, even during the Feast, become part of our problem moving forward, they should become among those things that make us stronger and more assured in affirming our relationship with Jesus Christ and the real unity within the physically scattered body.
Romans 8:18-31 [Paul writes] For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. For the earnest expectation of the creation eagerly waits for the revealing of the sons of God. For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it in hope; because the creation itself also will be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God.
For we know that the whole creation groans and labors with birth pangs together until now. Not only that, but we also who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, eagerly waiting for the adoption, the redemption of our body. For we were saved in this hope, but hope that is seen is not hope; for why does one still hope for what he sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, we eagerly wait for it with perseverance. Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.
Now He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God. And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified. What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?
Brethren, do not let even a seemingly bad physical experience this year be used by Satan to pull you off course, but carefully consider what Jesus Christ was trying to teach us so we can all continue to hold on to Him in unity. Everything we have gone through, are going through, and will go through is for our good. If we continue to persevere within our calling, to love our Great God zealously, attempting to love Him as He loves us, and persevering and seeking His will and His purpose in our dedication in the direction and the correction that He gives us within all the circumstances that He is using for the perfecting of His saints.
All things work for good to those who love God and are the called according to His purpose. Within this incredible plan that we are having revealed to us through His holy days with a bit more understanding every time we participate in His holy days, we will persevere.
Sometimes our active participation in His holy days will not be quite as what we imagine. But if we continue to seek His will and not our own, Christ will still produce the good that He knows we will have from continuing to seek God's will first, within any situation we may find quite different from what we expected. This can indeed be a stumbling block, but to those who love God and are called according to His purpose, everything will work to good.
Let us take a look at that verse again, Romans 8:28 but this time I am going to read it to you from the Amplified Bible, which puts it this way.
Romans 8:28 (AMP) And we know [with great confidence] that God [who is deeply concerned about us] causes all things to work together [as a plan] for good for those who love God, to those who are called according to His plan and purpose.
We have spent a good deal of this "will you still be here next year?" sermon considering the difficulties many of you went through this year during the Feast, whether you were among those who had to deal with illnesses at the Feast site itself or could not even attend because of legitimate circumstances. All this will be either a source of growth or a distraction, depending how convicted you are about Romans 8:28 and are willing to push ahead, trusting God, and do His will.
In a minute, we are going to be turning to Matthew 26. But before going there, I would like you to consider again, as we did at the Feast, King Hezekiah, who trusted so much in the Lord God that II Kings 18:5 records, there was none like him of all the kings before or after him. This certainly would include the likes of David before him and Josiah after him. Perhaps it was because of all the vile circumstances that he overcame in his formative years under his father Ahaz.
Regardless, II Kings 18:5 is still in God's Word, pointing out a very special king, highly regarded by God because Hezekiah had trusted Him enough to do what needed to be done to refocus the nation of Judah on worshipping the true God. However, as we also noted in that message, through the latter part of his life he certainly wavered in his trust even though he repented in the end, as we see in II Chronicles 32.
II Chronicles 32:32-33 Now the rest of the acts of Hezekiah, and his goodness, indeed they are written in the vision of Isaiah the prophet, the son of Amoz, and in the book of the kings of Judah and Israel. So Hezekiah rested with his fathers, and they buried him in the upper tombs of the sons of David; and all Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem honored him at his death.
But I think we can see a key that might be vital for us to consider as we continue forward in these times where we are finding ourselves faced with trials, suffering, and even death. We are going to read Isaiah's account of King Hezekiah's sickness, along with Hezekiah's own record of his recorded prayer. Much of Hezekiah's recorded prayer seems to be right. But there is a vital element that is missing that we will get to in a bit.
Isaiah 38:1-5 [Isaiah writes] In those days Hezekiah was sick and near death. And Isaiah the prophet, the son of Amoz, went to him and said to him, "Thus says the Lord: 'Set your house in order, for you shall die and not live.'" Then Hezekiah turned his face toward the wall, and prayed to the Lord, and said, "Remember now, O Lord, I pray, how I have walked before You in truth and with a loyal heart, and have done what is good in Your sight." And Hezekiah wept bitterly. And the word of the Lord came to Isaiah, saying, "Go tell Hezekiah, 'Thus says the Lord, the God of David your father: "I have heard your prayer, I have seen your tears; surely I will add to your days fifteen years."
Certainly, this was God in His mercy.
Isaiah 38:9-22 This is the writing of Hezekiah king of Judah, when he had been sick and had recovered from his sickness [Hezekiah said]: "I said, in the prime of my life I shall go to the gates of Sheol; I am deprived of the remainder of my years." I said, "I shall not see Yah, the Lord in the land of the living; I shall observe man no more among the inhabitants of the world.
My life span is gone, taken from me like a shepherd's tent; I have cut off my life like a weaver. He cuts me off from the loom; from day until night You make an end of me. I have considered until morning—like a lion, so He breaks all my bones; from day until night You make an end of me. Like a crane or a swallow, so I chattered; I mourned like a dove; my eyes fall from looking upward. Oh Lord, I am oppressed; undertake for me! What shall I say?
He has both spoken to me, and He Himself has done it. I shall walk carefully in all my years in the bitterness of my soul. O Lord, by these things men live; and in all these things is the life of my spirit; so You will restore me and make me live. Indeed it was for my own peace that I had great bitterness; but You have lovingly delivered my soul from the pit of corruption, for You have cast all my sins behind Your back.
For Sheol cannot thank You, death cannot praise You; those who go down into the pit cannot hope for Your truth. The living, and the living man, he shall praise You, as I do this day; the father shall make known Your truth to the children. The Lord was ready to save me; therefore we will sing my songs with string instruments all the days of our life, in the house of the Lord."
Now Isaiah had said, "Let them take a lump of figs, and apply it as a poultice on the boil, and he shall recover." And Hezekiah had said, "What is the sign that I shall go up to the house of the Lord?"
Note that Hezekiah asked for a sign as proof of what God was doing rather than trusting Him. This was a bit of a chink in his armor.
Now, I would like to cite a short section from Herbert Lockyer's, All the Men of the Bible, regarding Hezekiah's illness that you may find good food for thought. Breaking into the middle of Lockyer's commentary on this, Lockyer wrote:
But the question arises, why did Hezekiah desire the removal of his illness and the continuation of his life? What object did he have in mind? Was the king anxious to live in order to promote the glory of God? Or was he actuated by some personal motive? It is apparent that Hezekiah was afraid of death and loved life itself. Death was not the same to Hezekiah as it was to Paul, who had a desire to depart, seeing death as far better than life. At the time of his sickness, Hezekiah had no son and this fact possibly added to his desire to live. Three years after his recovery, Manasseh was born, who became a curse upon the earth and an abomination in the sight of the Lord.
Here, then, was one of the results of Hezekiah's prayer. It might have been better for the Judah if Hezekiah had died without such an error. Many prayers we offer are mistakes. God graciously grants our requests but brings leanness toward the soul. Perhaps Hezekiah's sin began in his unwillingness to go when God sent for him.
Brethren, perhaps this was a test by God to see if Hezekiah's trust was unequivocally in Him, regardless of what God determined was good for Him. Perhaps as with Abraham, when he was ready to sacrifice Isaac, God would have offered a way out and said to Hezekiah, "Now I know you would withhold nothing from Me, even your own life when I requested it." Or maybe God was ready to put the king who trusted him more than any other, in His place of safety, in the grave with the righteous during the day of evil, considering what Isaiah 57:1-2 tells us. I do not know, but Hezekiah's prayer and Lockyer's cited comment should be kept in mind as we now turn to Matthew 26.
Matthew 26:31-46 Then Jesus said to them [the apostles], "All of you will be made to stumble because of Me this night, for it is written: 'I will strike the Shepherd, and the sheep of the flock will be scattered.' But after I have been raised, I will go before you to Galilee." Peter answered and said to Him, "Even if all are made to stumble because of You, I will never be made to stumble."
Jesus said to him, "Assuredly, I say to you that this night, before the rooster crows, you will deny Me three times." Peter said to Him, "Even if I have to die with You, I will not deny You." And so said all the disciples. Then Jesus came with them to a place called Gethsemane, and said to the disciples, "Sit here while I go and pray over there." And He took with Him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and He began to be sorrowful and deeply distressed.
Then He said to them, "My soul is exceedingly sorrowful, even to death. Stay here and watch with Me." He went a little further and fell on His face, and prayed, saying, "O My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as You will." Then He came to the disciples and found them sleeping, and said to Peter, "What! Could you not watch with Me one hour? Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak."
Again, a second time, He went away and prayed, saying, "O My Father, if this cup cannot pass away from Me unless I drink it, Your will be done." And He came and found them asleep again, for their eyes were heavy. So He left them, went away again, and prayed the third time, saying the same words. Then He came to His disciples and said to them, "Are you still sleeping and resting? Behold, the hour is at hand, and the Son of Man is being betrayed into the hands of sinners. Rise, let us go be going. See, My betrayer is at hand."
Now regarding verse 37 that said, "And He took with Him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and He began to be sorrowful and deeply distressed." I would like to read you three short comments from Barnes' Notes, Adam Clarke, and Matthew Henry on this verse.
Barnes' Notes notes has this comment: "And He took with Him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee," that is, James and John. On two other occasions, He had favored these disciples in a particular manner, suffering them to go with Him to witness His power and glory; namely, at the healing of the ruler's daughter, Luke 8:51 and at the transfiguration on the mount in Matthew 17:1."
Adam Clarke's comment on this verse said, "And He took with Him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee," that is, James and John, the same persons who had beheld His transfiguration on the mountain that they might contemplate His agony in light of that glory, which they had had there seen, and so be kept from being stumbled by the view of His present humiliation."
Matthew Henry's commentary on the same verse said, "He took these three with Him because they had been the witnesses of His glory in His transfiguration, and that would prepare them to be the witnesses of His agony. Note, those who are best prepared to suffer with Christ are those that have, by faith, beheld His glory."
Brethren, there are three points that I would like us to consider here as we make it our aim to stay focused on God's plan and purpose that He has graciously revealed to us through His holy days.
Number one, please consider Hezekiah's prayer as opposed to Jesus Christ's. Although Hezekiah brought a number of very legitimate reasons before God to extend his life, not once—not once!—did Hezekiah put his impending death totally and completely in God's hands. But three times—three times!—Jesus Christ, in the face of the most heinous death in history, prayed to His Father, "Not My will, but Your will be done."
Number two, Christ brought with Him three who had been witnesses to His revealed glory that they should also witness His suffering and join with Him, alert and in prayer, as they were about to face their own suffering in His name. Remember what it said in Matthew Henry's commentary that, "those that are best prepared to suffer with Christ are those that have by faith beheld His glory."
How many times have you beheld His glory and especially within God's holy days? How many times have you seen God weave His words together through the messages He prepares through men that are only tools in His hands? And how many of you may remember just three short years ago during the middle of the COVID lockdown, His glory in keeping everyone at that Feast site healthy, who chose to do what He has commanded and faithfully keep the Feast together? When many fell with sicknesses and deaths throughout the following year, did we forget His glory or did we remember and seek to examine ourselves, which we should always do. But also recognize, as Richard pointed out this year during the Feast, as we endure many trials of suffering, this world is going to continue to crumble under the curses and we are likely to get caught up in them, which brings us to the third point.
Number three, we cannot be like the virgins who slept or the apostles who beheld His glory who also slept, but must be alert and ready to make sure that what we are doing is in line with God's will, no matter what it may require of us.
You know, in David's [Grabbe] sermon, he made an interesting point about it is God's will that when He calls us, we marry within the body. And I was thinking as he was giving that about John and Mariela. John Reiss for many many years had opportunities to marry outside the Body. And suddenly God provided John for Mariela and Mariela for John, way across the country. God will provide if we look to His will.
Brethren, those who are best prepared to suffer with Christ and continue on this journey will be those who continually remember His glory. His glory was in that He always looked to do what was in accord with His Father's will. And so must we, alert and awake.
We are going to finish up this "will you be there next year?" sermon with the words from two of those who beheld Christ's glory and His suffering firsthand and learned to be alert always to the Father's will. First, we are going to look at what Peter had to say.
I Peter 4:12-19 Beloved, do not think it strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing has happened to you; but rejoice to the extent that you partake of Christ's sufferings, that when 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 people's matters. Yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in this matter. For the time has come for judgment to begin at the house of God; and if it begins with us first, what will be the end of those who do not obey the gospel of God? Now "If the righteous one is scarcely saved, where will the ungodly and the sinner appear?" Therefore let those who suffer according to the will of God commit their souls to Him in doing good, as to a faithful Creator.
I John 2:15-17 Do not love the world or the things in the world. For if anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, the pride of life—is not of the Father, but is of the world. And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever.
Brethren, we who have been given the privilege to behold His glory in so many ways are therefore best prepared to suffer with Him, if we stay awake and alert to seeking His will, the will of the Father—always. If we do this, Jesus Christ will ensure that nothing pulls us off course. We will stay the course assured, as the apostle Paul wrote, that the "sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us."
And we know that all things—all things—"work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose." "If God is for us, who can be against us?"
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