“All they that see me laugh me to scorn: they shoot out the lip, they shake the head.”
— Psalm 22:7
“Mockery was a great ingredient in our Lord’s woe. Judas mocked him in the garden; the chief priests and scribes laughed him to scorn; Herod set him at nought; the servants and the soldiers jeered at him, and brutally insulted him; Pilate and his guards ridiculed his royalty; and on the tree all sorts of horrid jests and hideous taunts were hurled at him. Ridicule is always hard to bear, but when we are in intense pain it is so heartless, so cruel, that it cuts us to the quick. Imagine the Saviour crucified, racked with anguish far beyond all mortal guess, and then picture that motley multitude, all wagging their heads or thrusting out the lip in bitterest contempt of one poor suffering victim! Surely there must have been something more in the crucified One than they could see, or else such a great and mingled crowd would not unanimously have honoured him with such contempt. Was it not evil confessing, in the very moment of its greatest apparent triumph, that after all it could do no more than mock at that victorious goodness which was then reigning on the cross? O Jesus, “despised and rejected of men,” how couldst thou die for men who treated thee so ill? Herein is love amazing, love divine, yea, love beyond degree. We, too, have despised thee in the days of our unregeneracy, and even since our new birth we have set the world on high in our hearts, and yet thou bleedest to heal our wounds, and diest to give us life. O that we could set thee on a glorious high throne in all men’s hearts! We would ring out thy praises over land and sea till men should as universally adore as once they did unanimously reject.
“Thy creatures wrong thee, O thou sovereign Good!
Thou art not loved, because not understood:
This grieves me most, that vain pursuits beguile
Ungrateful men, regardless of thy smile.”
Spurgeon, C. H. 1995. Morning and evening : Daily readings . Logos Research Systems,Inc.: Oak Harbor, WA
So many today are like:
Matthew 13:21
Yet hath he not root in himself, but dureth for a while: for when tribulation or persecution ariseth because of the word, by and by he is offended.
Mark 4:17
And have no root in themselves, and so endure but for a time: afterward, when affliction or persecution ariseth for the word's sake, immediately they are offended.
But Jesus said:
John 15:20
Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept my saying, they will keep yours also.
John 16:33
These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.
Paul said:
2 Tim. 3:12
Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.
Acts 14:22
Confirming the souls of the disciples, and exhorting them to continue in the faith, and that we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God.
Now Brothers and Sisters in the Lord; these all apply to those who make a stand for Christ. Just as He was different from the world, so are we who follow Him.
2 Cor. 5:14-21
For the love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead: [15] And that he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again. [16] Wherefore henceforth know we no man after the flesh: yea, though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet now henceforth know we him no more. [17] Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. [18] And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation; [19] To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation. [20] Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God. [21] For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.
Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, ALL things are become new. And ALL things are of God....
Now just as Jesus had to decide rather to save Himself or to save others, we as well must decide. If we save our lives we will lose them and if we lose them for His sake we will find them.
Luke 23:35
And the people stood beholding. And the rulers also with them derided him, saying, He saved others; let him save himself, if he be Christ, the chosen of God.
Luke 23:39
And one of the malefactors which were hanged railed on him, saying, If thou be Christ, save thyself and us.
Each one of us must decide, if we choose Him then the world and even many of our so called fellow Christians will reject us. Why? We will be different from the world.
If we choose the life of most of the so called church, then we will be friends with the world and enemies of God.
Matthew 7:13-14
Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: [14] Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.
You see it does cost us to follow Christ, it means denying self, taking up your cross daily and following Him.
Remember when you were a child and would follow behind your dad in the snow, in the sand, or in the mud? Each step he would take would leave a foot print behind, and then we would try to step in his foot print. The same is true of our Lord, He has left His foot prints for us to follow, His example while He was here on earth and His Word.
Following in His foot prints is what makes us the light of the world and the salt of the earth. The world does not like light, nor do those who profess to belong to Christ but are friends with the world. Thus, when we follow in His steps they begin to tell us we are legalistic and religious fanatics. We are attacked and ridiculed and what do we do?
( “Surely there must have been something more in the crucified One than they could see, or else such a great and mingled crowd would not unanimously have honoured him with such contempt. Was it not evil confessing, in the very moment of its greatest apparent triumph, that after all it could do no more than mock at that victorious goodness which was then reigning on the cross? O Jesus, “despised and rejected of men,” how couldst thou die for men who treated thee so ill?”)
We receive it as honor that we can partake of such for our Lord’s sake.
Romans 8:16-18
The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: [17] And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.
[18] For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.
(“We, too, have despised thee in the days of our unregeneracy, and even since our new birth we have set the world on high in our hearts, and yet thou bleedest to heal our wounds, and diest to give us life. O that we could set thee on a glorious high throne in all men’s hearts! We would ring out thy praises over land and sea till men should as universally adore as once they did unanimously reject.
“Thy creatures wrong thee, O thou sovereign Good!
Thou art not loved, because not understood:
This grieves me most, that vain pursuits beguile
Ungrateful men, regardless of thy smile.”)
You see, as we continue to follow in His steps, no matter what men may do or say, to or about us, is what causes men to see Christ on His glorious throne and this is the Light of the world and the salt of the earth.
Whose steps will you choose to follow?
Romans 8:31
What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?
In His Love
pastorfrin