Well, once again, may the Lord
help us to continue our meditation in the Epistle of Paul to the
Ephesians, and chapter three, and we just read again, it seems
just one verse, and that's verse 13. That's the third chapter
in the Epistle of Paul to the Ephesians, and just reading one
verse 13. Wherefore, I desire that ye faint
not That's my tribulations for you, which is your glory. Well, the apostle was obviously
concerned that the Ephesians might fear because of the difficulties
and the trials and the tribulation that the apostle had been called
to walk in. And so he desires that they would
not faint at those tribulations which he had been called to face
and to endure, which is your glory. Because all those things
that the apostle did, of course, were for the furtherance of the
gospel. And although he had much opposition,
he still was blessed to declare the unsearchable riches of Christ. And we read that first few verses
in the first chapter, the second of Corinthians, because it gives
us a little picture and a detail of what the Apostle is really
referring to. And he says in the fourth verse,
who comforted us in all our tribulation. We may be able to comfort them
which are in any trouble by the comfort wherewith we ourselves
are comforted of God. as the sufferings of Christ abound
in us, so our consolation also aboundeth by Christ. And whether
we be afflicted, it is for your consolation and salvation which
is effectual in the enduring of the same sufferings which
we also suffer, or whether we be comforted, it is for your
consolation and salvation." So the Apostle is just really very
clearly stating that as he had been called to endure tribulation
and suffering so that the Church of God should not therefore fear
that they might be faced with similar situations and perhaps
therefore turn back and not be prepared to take up the cross
of the Saviour. Well the Apostle is encouraging
in so many ways when he wrote the epistles to the Church of
God and of course we know that he gave that long list in the
this same 2nd Epistle of Corinthians and the 11th chapter where he
states some of the things that the Lord caused him to pass through. But they were all for the benefit
of the Gospel. And what a mercy that is. And
we should always recognise that these things should draw us to
the Saviour. You may say, well why do you
think that? And why is that so? We read in the Hebrews and in
the twelfth chapter, in the third verse, we're told to consider
him. Why? That he endured such contradiction
of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your
minds. The apostle here, you see, is
speaking about that, that ye be not faint. And therefore,
we have this encouragement to know that the Lord Jesus Christ
suffered so greatly, continuously, as he lived upon this earth.
And all those tribulations that the Saviour faced and endured
were, of course, for our good, so that he might fulfil the great
and glorious work that his Father had given him to do. And so Paul
says, wherefore I desire He wanted them to know so they would not
faint at his tribulations. There are many encouraging words
in the Bible when we might think perhaps to be weak and ready
to faint because of the opposition. You know, way back in Moses'
day when he was on the earth, he had opposition, didn't he?
And the children of Israel had opposition. But God was with
them. And he spoke in the record that
he gave in Deuteronomy, especially in those first few chapters in
Deuteronomy, how encouraging they were to Israel. And he says,
here, O Israel, ye approach this day unto battle against your
enemies. Let not your heart faint. You
see, there were physical battles. My friends, the Church of God
today sometimes do have physical battles. we do have spiritual
battles and therefore here is the word let not our hearts faint
fear not and do not tremble neither be terrified because of them
for and this is the great wonderful secret for the lord your god
is he that goeth with you to fight for you against your enemies
to save you well it was true in the life of israel it was
true the life of the Apostle Paul and it is true in the life
of his children today. So may we therefore be encouraged
and of course Isaiah speaks of that in the 40th chapter about
even the youth shall faint and be weary etc. And it's quite
clear that there is an opposition which perhaps makes us faint
and makes us weary and perhaps makes us tremble but by the grace
of God the Church of God have had their confidence in the Lord,
just like the Apostle Paul did. And so how good it is to just
recollect the Apostle wrote these things for the encouragement
and the strengthening of the Church of God to not think that
somehow we shall have a different path, somehow we shall manage
to escape these situations. The Word of God doesn't encourage
us in that path at all. But it does encourage us to believe
that God will be with us and that God will bring us safely
through this little life and bring us at last safe home to
glory. And surely that should be the
great and wonderful blessing. And so when the Apostle wrote
again in this second epistle which we read together that first
chapter and then to the Philippians when he wrote to the Philippians
it occurs that all the epistles that he wrote he says but I would
you should understand brethren that the things which happened
unto me have fallen out rather unto the furtherance of the gospel
well that's good news isn't it and we need to look beyond the
things which appear to be black and difficult, beyond those things,
to the glorious life of the Saviour, and to that inheritance which
is laid up for the living Church of God. And then the Apostle
says, when he wrote to the Colossians, he said, but now rejoice in my
sufferings for you. Strange, isn't it? Such a word
should be spoken. But it's good to recollect these
things, the strengthening of our faith, and fill up that which
is behind of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh, for his
body's sake, which is the church.' Well, what a mercy it is if we
have the confidence that our God is with us. so that we're
able to say, with the Apostle, when he said those wonderful
words, when he was weighing up everything, and he said, for
our light affliction. Our light affliction. And if
we really consider what Paul went through, we might think,
well, Paul, you had heavy affliction. But he chose to describe it as
light affliction. And I believe when we weigh it
in the balance of eternity, They are light afflictions because
the Apostle says this, for our light affliction, which is but
for a moment, worketh for us a far more and exceeding and
eternal weight of glory. So there's no real comparison,
is there? And so we can understand here the Apostle wants to encourage
the Ephesians in the path encourage them to be blessed with that
faith and not to faint when they recall and hear of all the oppositions
that the Apostle had to endure and to pass through. And he says,
which is your glory. You see the Apostle gloried in
the Saviour. And what a mercy when we can
glory in the Saviour and glory in what the Lord Jesus Christ
has done for us. and therefore to understand the
words that the Saviour spoke himself. It is through much tribulation
that we shall enter the kingdom and be of good joy, for I have
overcome the world. And so may we bless God for just
a simple few words like this to encourage us. Wherefore, I
desire that ye faint not at my tribulations for you, which is,
your glory. Let's now continue with hymn
number 872. 872. Gold in the furnace tried,
ne'er loses aught but dross. So is the Christian purified
and bettered by the cross. Afflictions make us see what
else would scape our sight. How very foul and dim are we,
and God how pure and bright. 872.