Christ. And this I shall show you briefly in a few particulars.
God is provoked more than Nehemiah. So Isaiah 8:18, compared with
Heb. 2:13. "Behold I, and the children whom the Lord has given me, are for signs and wonders in Israel." This the apostle applies to Christ, Heb. 2:13.
[4.] The Lord Jesus Christ shares with you in all your TEMPTATIONS. Heb. 2:17-18, and 4:15-16.
Christ was tempted, and he was afflicted as well as you, that he might be able so support you who are tempted. As a poor man who has been troubled with pain and grief, he will share with others who are troubled with pain or grief. Ah, friends! the Lord Jesus Christ has lost none of his affections by going to heaven; he is still full of compassion, though free from personal passion. When he was on earth, oh! how did he sympathize with his poor servants in all their temptations. "Satan," says Christ to Peter, "has desired to winnow you—but I have prayed for you who your faith fail not," Luke 22:32. Luther, in his preaching, addressed every man's temptation, and being once asked how he could do so? answered, Because I have experienced manifold temptations and experiences myself. Oh! the manifold temptations that the Lord Jesus has undergone, makes him sensible, as I may say, and willing to share with us in our temptations.
2. As Christ shares with weak saints, so weak saints share with Christ. And this I shall show you briefly in a few particulars.
[1.] Weak saints share with Christ in his DIVINE NATURE.
2 Peter 1:4, "Whereby are given to us exceeding great and precious promises; that by these we might be partakers of the divine nature." Not of the substance of the Godhead—for that is incommunicable; but by the divine nature we are to understand those divine qualities, called elsewhere, "the image of God," "the life of God," that whereby we are made like to God in wisdom and holiness, wherein the image
of God, after which man was at first created, consists, Eph. 4:24, Col. 3:10. [To be made partakers of the divine nature notes two things: (1.) fellowship with God in his holiness; (2.) a fellowship with God in his blessedness.]
Saints do partake of this divine nature, that is, of those divine qualities before spoken of—they resemble God, not only as a picture does a man, in outward lineaments—but as a child does his father, in countenance and disposition. And well may grace be called "the divine nature," for as God brings light out of darkness, comfort out of sorrow, riches out of poverty, and glory out of shame; so does grace bring day out of night, and sweet out of bitter, and plenty out of poverty, and glory out of shame. Grace turns pennies into gold, pebbles into pearls, sickness into health, weakness into strength, and needs into abundance. "Having nothing—and yet possessing all things," 2 Cor. 6:10, etc.
[2.] Weak saints share with Christ in his SPIRIT and GRACE.
In Psalm 45:7, Christ is "anointed with the oil of gladness above his fellows." They have the anointings of the Spirit, as well as he—though not so richly as he. They have their measure, though not that measure and proportion of the Spirit as the Lord Jesus has. So in John 1:16, "Of his fullness have all we received, grace for grace." There is in Christ not only a fullness of abundance—but also a fullness of redundance. There is an overflowing fullness in Christ, as a fountain overflows, and yet still remains full. "Grace for grace," or, "grace upon grace." Abundance of grace, and the increases of graces, one by another.
"Grace for grace," that is—as the paper from the press receives letter for letter; or as the wax from the seal receives print for print; or as the mirror from the image receives face for face—so does the weakest saint receive from Jesus Christ.
"Grace for grace," that is, for every grace that is in Christ, there is the same grace in us, in some measure. There is not the weakest saint who breathes—but has in him some wisdom that answers to the wisdom of Christ, and some love that answers to the love of Christ, and some humility, meekness, and faith, that answers to the humility, meekness, and faith of the Lord Jesus—in truth and reality —though not in degree or quantity, etc.
[3.] Weak saints share with Christ, in the manifestations and discoveries of his FATHER.
The Lord Jesus, who lies in the bosom of the Father, has the clearest and the fullest manifestations of the Father that can be, and he comes and opens the love and heart of the Father, he unbosoms God to the weakest saints, as in John 15:15, "Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knows not what his Lord does: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you." So in John 17:6-8.
[4.] Weak saints share with Christ in his honorable TITLES.
In the title of sons, 1 John 3:1, "Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed upon us—that we should be called the sons of God!" And in that of heirs, Romans 8:17. Yes, they are priests, and prophets, and kings, as well as he, as you may see by comparing Rev. 8:5-6, with 1 Peter 2:9, etc. [The wife shares with her husband in all his titles of honor; so does a Christian with his Christ.]
[5.] Weak saints share with Christ in his CONQUESTS.
In 1 Cor. 15:55-57, Romans 8:37, Christ has triumphed over sword, famine, death, and devils, etc., and so have they through him also. Over all these we are more than conquerors, we are over and above conquerors. Oh what a blessed thing is this! that weak saints should share with Christ in his conquests. The poor weak soldier shares with his general in all his noble and honorable conquests; so does a poor weak Christian share with his Christ in all his noble and honorable
conquests. [See 1 Sam. 18:17-29; Col. 2:14, 15; Eph. 2:13-16; Heb. 2:14,15; Romans 8:37.]
[6.] Lastly, They share with Christ in his HONOR and GLORY.
And what would they have more? John 12:26, "If any man serves me, let him follow me; and where I am, there shall also my servant be: if any man serves me—him will my Father honor." 1 Peter 5:1, Eph. 2:6, "And has raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus." Believers are already risen in Christ their head, and they do at this instant sit in heavenly places in Christ Jesus. Christ, as a public person, does represent all believing souls, and they are set down in heavenly places in Christ Jesus. In Romans 8:17, "If we suffer with him, we shall also reign with him." And in John 14:2-3, "I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there you may be also." So in Rev. 3:21, "To him who overcomes will I grant to sit with me on my throne, even as I overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne." [Christ is the believer's precursor, to prepare for them the best mansions, etc.]
Now, what would you have more, weak souls? Christ shares with you, and you share with Christ. You are apt to be discouraged because you do not share with Christ in such measures of grace, comfort, and holiness—as such and such strong saints do. Oh! but remember in how many weighty things Christ and you are sharers—and be dejected if you can! Ah, Christians! what though you do not share in the honors, profits, pleasures, and advantages of the world; yet this should be your joy and crown—that Christ and your souls are sharers in those things which are most eminent and excellent, most precious and glorious. The serious remembrance thereof, should bear up your heads, hopes, and hearts—above all the troubles, temptations, and afflictions that come upon you in this world, etc.