The Sufferings of Christ
The sufferings of Christ are a sweet thing on earth, and we can rejoice in our sufferings for the sake of others.
Rees Howells preaches about the importance of embracing sufferings for the Church, emphasizing that we must first finish our own sufferings before we can fully partake in Christ's sufferings. He highlights that the afflictions of Christ are intertwined with the afflictions of the kingdom, and as Isaiah mentioned, Christ is afflicted with us in our trials. Howells expresses his belief that God allows us to experience sufferings because Christ himself suffered alongside us. He distinguishes between self-affliction and affliction for the sake of others, noting that the sufferings of Christ are the most precious experience on earth.
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There are sufferings still left for the Church, to be fulfilled in us, but you cannot come to Christ's sufferings until you have finished with your own. The afflictions of Christ are the afflictions of the kingdom and he is afflicted with us in them. As Isaiah said, "in all their afflictions he was afflicted and the angel of his presence saved them." In my intercessions I never once thought that he would allow me to suffer anything that he did not suffer with me.
There is a great difference between self-affliction and the affliction for the sake of others. The sufferings of Christ are the sweetest thing on earth.
The apostle Paul told the Colossians that he rejoiced in his sufferings for their sake, and his word to the Philippian church was "that I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death." This is intercession.
Sermon Outline
- The Sufferings of Christ
- The Difference Between Self-Affliction and Affliction for Others
- The Sweetness of Christ's Sufferings
- The Church's Sufferings
- Christ's Sufferings
Key Quotes
“The afflictions of Christ are the afflictions of the kingdom and he is afflicted with us in them.” — Rees Howells
“The sufferings of Christ are the sweetest thing on earth.” — Rees Howells
“That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death.” — Rees Howells
Application Points
- We must finish with our own sufferings before we can come to Christ's sufferings.
- We can rejoice in our sufferings for the sake of others, just like the apostle Paul.
- The sufferings of Christ are the afflictions of the kingdom, and he is afflicted with us in them.