People flocked to Jesus by the droves just to hear Him speak, and why wouldn’t they, He is the Savior of the world. Jesus had and has complete and total authority over mankind and even nature. He not only speaks to sickness [1], but He speaks to the waves [2], and they must obey. There can be nothing but obedience to His commands. He makes the blind see [3] and the lame to walk [4]. He turned water into wine [5] and even raised the dead [6]. A woman came to Him just to touch the hem of his tunic [7] and receive from Him.

Even today, if we are to live a blessed life, obedience is a requirement [8]. That obedience is for our benefit anyway. The people of yesteryear called the disciples blessed because they had obeyed the call of Christ. Even today we are heirs to the promise [9], and blessed [10]. Anyone who has accepted the call of Jesus experiences persecution [11]. Because of our acceptance of Christ, and like the disciples, there is a huge chasm growing with each day and with each Beatitude between the disciples and the world. That decision separates us from the world and we fall into the same chasm. Just like all believers before us, our life changes.

Christ set us apart for His kingdom when we accepted His calling. This is our sanctification [12]. It is tough giving up old friends, old life styles, and the things of the world. However, we will be comforted when we mourn. Christ will also bless us.

Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted [Matthew 5:4 KJV].

What Christ meant by those who mourn is doing without the world and its ways. Doing without what the world calls peace and prosperity. We must refuse the world’s standard because Christ is now our standard. Surrendering to Christ releases us from our previous existence. The more we obey Christ and develop our faith, the closer we get to Him. Like the disciples of 2000 years ago we must choose to obey the call and follow the One who died for us, but we are to give up the ways of the world. God purchased us on the Cross with His Blood [13]. Therefore, when we mourn, we widen the chasm between the world and ourselves. (That’s a good thing.)

Only those who believe will obey, and only those who obey, believe. When we meet those two criteria, faith becomes possible. It is a process. We call it growth.
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[1] Matthew 9:35; Matthew 8:1-17, 28-34, and many more
[2] Mark 4:35-41
[3] John 9:1-12; Mark 8:22-25
[4] Mark 2:9-12
[5] John 2:1-11
[6] Luke 7:11-17; Luke 8:52-56; John 11, 12:10; Matthew 27:50-53
[7] Matthew 9:20-22
[8] Acts 5:29
[9] Romans 8:17; Galatians 3:29
[10] Acts 3:25
[11] 2 Timothy 3:12
[12] Hebrews 10:10; 1 Corinthians 6:11 and others
[13] 1 Corinthians 6:20