For I will shew him how great things he must suffer for My Name’s sake. Acts 9:16
We had an interesting chat with a young Christian, new in the faith, and were delighted with his attitude toward his new life. He is thoroughly enjoying his Bible and the fellowship of the Christians, and is rapidly learning spiritual truths. He is glad to leave behind the destructive habits of his former days. For him, being a Christian is a bright prospect and he is looking forward to a happy life in the Lord. I wonder how he would feel about it if he had received the kind of message that Ananias was to take to a new convert called Saul of Tarsus. A message of great suffering to come would not be my idea of a glorious prospect. But that was to be Saul’s outlook, and he would gladly embrace it for his Lord.
Ananias must have wondered at the significance of this message. Here is a man who has caused tremendous suffering among the Christians, and he is to be told that is is to suffer great things. Was there a ‘serves him right’ attitude in Ananias’ heart? I doubt it, although I could understand if there were. This man knows the terror of persecution, and he wouldn’t wish it on anyone. And now he is to tell Saul that his prospect is to be one of great suffering. That part of his message would be difficult Ambien to deliver. But he would deliver it; he was a faithful brother. That faithfulness meant delivering the bad news along with the good. Because there is a bad news side of salvation, and we need to be faithful in not hiding it from sinners and from the newly saved.
1 Timothy 3:12 tells us that all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution. Suffering persecution is actually the norm for a believer, if that believer is living for the Lord. It is not something that we should dread, although it is not something we should revel in. As the world persecuted our Saviour, so it will persecute us, and enduring persecution is just part of the package. Persecution actually comes with its own set of rewards. There are crowns for those who lose their lives for the testimony of Christ, and the Lord has promised His own commendation to all who are faithful in trials and perils. Ananias had no idea how Saul would take the news about the great things that he was to suffer. And we have no idea how new Christians today will take the news of persecution. But if they, like Saul, appreciate their salvation, they will accept the challenge, just like Saul did.
The news about having to suffer great things for our Lord is not so bad, when we consider what He has suffered for us, and when we consider the rewards He has to offer. -Jim MacIntosh