THOSE WHO FOLLOW CHIRST Are Not Spared Sorrows and Troubles in the World
“And there arose a great storm of wind, and the waves beat into the ship, so that it was now full. And He was in the hinder part of the ship, asleep on a pillow: and they awake Him, and say unto Him, Master carest thou not that we perish?” Mark 4:37-38 Health, wealth and happiness advocates who promise their followers immunity from earthly sorrows and sufferings do not get their doctrine from the Bible. Here are the chosen disciples of the Lord Jesus in great trouble. The faithful little flock which believed when priests, scribes and Pharisees were all unbelieving is allowed by the Shepherd to be much anxious. The fear of death breaks in upon them; the deep water seems likely to go over their souls. Peter, James, and John, the pillars of the Church about to be planted in the world, are much distressed. Perhaps they had expected that following Christ would have would have lifted them above earthly trials. Perhaps they thought that He who could raise the dead and heal the sick and feed multitudes with a few loaves and cast out devils with a word – He would never allow His servants to be sufferers upon earth. Perhaps they had supposed He would always grant them smooth journeys, fine weather, easy course and freedom from trouble and care. If the disciples thought so they were mistaken. Jesus taught them that a man might be one of his chosen servants and yet go through many an anxiety and endure many a pain. It is good to understand that serving Christ never secures a man from all the ills that flesh is heir to. If you are a believer you must reckon on having your share of sickness and pain, sorrow and tears, losses and crosses, deaths and bereavements, partings and separations, vexations and disappointments, so long as you are in the body. Christ never says that you shall get to heaven without these. He has said that all who come to him shall have all things pertaining to life and Godliness. But He has never said that He will make them prosperous, rich, or healthy, and that death shall never come to their family. As Christ’s ambassador, in His name I can offer eternal life to any man, woman, or child. In His name I do offer pardon, peace, grace and glory to any. But I dare not offer that person worldly prosperity as a part of the gospel. or offer him long life, and increased income, and freedom from pain. I dare not promise the man who takes up the cross and follows Christ that in following Him he shall never meet with a storm. Many do not like these terms. They would prefer having Christ and good health, plenty of money, no deaths in their family, no wearisome cares, and a perpetual morning without clouds. They do not like Christ and the cross, Christ and tribulation, Christ and the conflict, Christ and the howling wind, Christ and the storm. Is this the thought of your heart? Believe me if it is you are very wrong. You have much to learn. How should you know who are true Christians, if following Christ was the way to be free from trouble? How should we discern the wheat from the chaff, if it were not for the winnowing of trial? How should we know whether men served Christ for His own sake or from selfish motives, if his service brought health and wealth with it as a matter of course? The winds of winter soon show us which of the trees are evergreen and which are not. The storms of affliction are useful in the same way. They reveal whose faith is real and whose is nothing but profession and form. ~~copied
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