"But you are those who have continued with Me in My trials." Luke 22:28
A
simple glance at this verse will suggest only the past trials of Jesus,
but it goes beyond those things that He suffered as a man in the days
of His ministry. The sufferings of Christ are continuing in His body,
the church. We are those who are continuing with Christ in His trials
today as the world scorns Him and derides His followers. Jesus said to
Saul of Tarsus, why are you persecuting Me. In other words, whatever the
church suffers, it is Christ's suffering too. This is regardless of the
time when this happens.
There seems to be a
call for us as the followers of Jesus Christ to continue with Him in His
trials and not to defect from Him when trouble arises because of His
cause. One of the churches in Revelation was commended for its resolute
stand for Christ and His cause in spite of what they were going through
on account of His name. That was a church that continued with Him in His
trials.
As the days pass by, the hatred
towards Christ and the gospel will increase, and those who support His
cause will come under severe persecution, but as people who are
continuing with Him in His trials, we must endure every hardship that
comes to us for His name sake knowing that as we suffer with Him, we
shall also reign with Him.
Toni
