“WITH ME”

J. G. Chalmers

Luke 11: 23; 22: 28; 23: 42, 43

These words of the Lord Jesus in Luke 11: 23 challenge us as to where we stand in relation to Him in the sphere of testimony, for we are either with Him or we are not. There is no neutral position. This is the time of Christ’s rejection and being with Him involves sacrifice, surrender, and suffering here, but it is where His true lovers are to be

found, and it is the only place of safety, as David (precious type of Christ in rejection) says,

“Abide with me, fear not … for with me thou art in safe keeping”, 1 Samuel 22: 23.

The Lord has great regard for those who are with Him thus as He feelingly says here in Luke 22: 28, “Ye are they who have persevered with me in my temptations”. The reproach and the shame is His, the reproach of the Christ. Our part is to be fully with Him in it, bearing His reproach. The Lord’s use of the word ‘persevere’ shows that it is by no means an easy path, it has many tests, but those who persevere with Him in it are a present comfort to the heart of Christ. The time of His rejection will soon be over. Very soon the once—and still—despised Jesus will appear and the whole earth will be filled with His glory. In the very scene where He was so shamefully treated and where He has long been denied His rights, He will be publicly honoured and vindicated—Lord, be it soon! Faithfulness to Him now will be rewarded then, for those who suffer with Him will be glorified with Him (Romans 8: 17). We might, in a measure of faithfulness, suffer for Him now, but to suffer with Him means that we are unreservedly identified with Him in the reproach linked with the testimonial position at the present time. We shall reign with Him, but what true lovers cherish in their souls is not just the reigning but the blessed prospect of simply being with Him, as Mr. Darby says in one of his choice hymns—

‘But glory on high. Lord,

Is not like being nigh,

When all is gone by, at Thy coming again’.

There is no doubt whatever as to where the malefactor stood in relation to Christ, the holy Sufferer. He was with Him. I admire the moral

courage of that lone man as he confessed the Lord in the presence of the greatest concentration of wickedness and hatred that this world has ever known. He asked to be remembered by the Lord in His kingdom, but what an answer he got! “Today shalt thou be with me in paradise”. To apply this, as we are fully with the Lord Jesus sufferingly in the testimony, we do not have to await His appearing for recompense. There is present recompense each time we assemble for, in the power of the same Spirit who has sustained us in the testimony, we can enter by the opened heavenly door and experience the unspeakable joy of being with Christ in that scene of which He is the glorious centre. As Mr. Raven says, ‘It is the height of grace to be Christ’s companion in the place of supreme bliss’ (N.S. Vol. 9. p.19). May the Holy Spirit be pleased to use these remarks to encourage each one of us to be fully with the Lord Jesus in the testimony in the little time that remains.

Word in meeting for ministry, Cullen
27 December 1977