Of all Shakespeare’s plays, Henry V may rank as the most heroic. In one scene, the English army stands fearfully before the strong French troops. King Henry challenges his men to take heart. Because the battle will be fought on “the feast of Crispian”, their victory will be remembered in its yearly celebration. The king tells his men, “This day is called the feast of Crispian . . . . We in it shall be remembered; we few, we happy few, we band of brothers.”

Often, it is when regiments face the reality of enemy fire that their bonds of service and courage bind them together for life. Christians facing opposition can also have such a bond. Paul wrote, “Now I rejoice in what was suffered for you, and I fill up in my [body] what is still lacking in regard to Christ’s afflictions” (Col. 1:24).

Did Paul believe Christ’s suffering on the cross was insufficient? No, it was enough to pay for all our sin. What Paul meant was that as we complete Christ’s work on earth despite opposition, we share in His sufferings. Jesus suffered for obeying the will of God, and so must we. But like Paul, we can find joy as we draw closer to our Lord and the church family, our band of brothers and sisters.

Author

Dennis Fisher

Topics

Our Daily Bread