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To conclude, let us remember the three references to fellowship in Philippians:
1: 5.
Your fellowship in the gospel.
2: 1.
Fellowship of the Spirit.
3: 10.
Fellowship of His sufferings.
Fellowship in the gospel will give plenty of scope for sharing in things material and
spiritual. Fellowship in the Spirit should help us to be likeminded, the same love, of one
accord, of one mind. Fellowship of His sufferings can only be endured by the power of
His resurrection. But what a wonderful fellowship!
No.19.
Distress.
pp. 49 - 53
"Many are the afflictions of the righteous:
but the Lord delivereth him out of them all" (Psa. 34: 19).
In this present life there are many things that affect all of us, whether we are
Christians or not: we are by nature descended from Adam, and through his fall we are
involved in its consequences. Everyone has to face life as it is. We read in Job 5: 7:
"Yet man is born unto trouble, as the sparks fly upward."
In Matt. 5: 45, when Jesus Christ was teaching the multitudes, He told them to love
their enemies:
". . . . . that ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for He maketh His
sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and the unjust."
While it is true that both the just and unjust are subject to the trials and limitations of
this present life, the invitation of Jesus Christ, extended to men while He was on this
earth, promised relief and rest to those who came to Him. But He did refer to His yoke.
In Matt. 11: 28-30 we read:
"Come unto Me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take
My yoke upon you, and learn of Me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find
rest unto your souls. For My yoke is easy, and My burden is light."
In His earthly ministry Christ did not offer an easy life to those who followed Him.
He said to His disciples:
"If any man will come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and
follow Me" (Matt. 16: 24).