Matthew 20:23 – Understanding Suffering: Sharing in Christ’s Trials…

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Matthew 20:23

(23) And he saith unto them, Ye shall drink indeed of my cup, and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with: but to sit on my right hand, and on my left, is not mine to give, but it shall be given to them for whom it is prepared of my Father.

1 John 2:6

(6) He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked.
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If we, as the elect of God, believe in “Christ crucified” and all that it entails (I Corinthians 1:23), then we must recognize the need for suffering and trial—to drink of the cup that God has prepared for each of us just as He did for our Savior. The apostle Peter encourages us that, if we partake in Christ’s sufferings, it will be well worth the effort at His return (I Peter 4:12-13).

We should also realize that in comparison to what was required of Christ, our cup of burden will pale in magnitude; we will only be drinking from the cup He had to empty (Matthew 11:30; Romans 12:1). While these two verses should not be taken to mean that our burdens will be undemanding, we should always keep our personal sufferings in perspective by remaining aware and appreciative of the staggering effort required for our Creator and Savior to make the sacrifices he made.

— Martin G. Collins

To learn more, see:
The Miracles of Jesus Christ: Healing Malchus’ Ear (Part Two)