CHRIST SUFFERED FOR YOU
Many things can be send about how Jesus spent his dash, his love, his compassion; today we’ll focus on how CHRIST SUFFERED FOR YOU.
Turn your bibles to:
(1 Pet 2:21 NIV) To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps.
To what were they called. Well the context: Peter is giving direction for disciples that were slaves on how to conduct themselves. As a slave how am I to be righteous before God. Especially if I have a harsh master. Submit and be willing to suffer. He gave them a way to be commended before God. Before my suffering had no purpose, now it does. I can bring glory to God by imitating Jesus Christ.
(1 Pet 4:1 NIV) Therefore, since Christ suffered in his body, arm yourselves also with the same attitude, because he who has suffered in his body is done with sin.
We don’t like suffering. Giving the choice to be comfortable or suffer, most would choose to be comfortable. We want comfortable cars, comfortable homes, cush jobs, the easy life, we even want to die comfortably (in our sleep) is how many want to go. Many speak of comfort when choosing a church (well I just didn’t feel comfortable there). Jesus didn’t come to build a comfortable church. The church he would build would be built by a suffering Savior.
Jesus would suffer in every part of his life. He suffered physically (beaten and tortured), emotionally (Peters denial), mentally (constant attacks by the Pharisees), spiritually (taking on the sins of the world). He suffered in relationships (betrayals), he suffered with his parents (they didn’t understand Him), he suffered lonliness (no one could relate to Him; perfection). He suffered while communicating (few understood Him), His purpose caused him suffering (constantly giving and giving and giving with no one giving back; tired, exhausted from serving, feeling empty) yet filled up by God. As we can see:
Pt 1: SUFFERING WAS PART OF THE PLAN
From the beginning: Jesus suffered for you. For all of us.
Heb 5:8 Although he was a son, he learned obedience from what he suffered.
At the beginning of his ministry when he was led into the desert for forty days and during his ministry as he taught his disciples. The message: I’m going to suffer.
(Mark 8:31 NIV) He then began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders, chief priests and teachers of the law, and that he must be killed and after three days rise again.
(Luke 17:25 NIV) But first he must suffer many things and be rejected by this generation.
Suffering and rejection was part of the plan.
Why was he willing to go through all this? Why willing to suffer so much? Love. Parents are willing to go through much for their children because they love them. Willing to die if necessary.
In our ministry in D.C. His name was Angel. They were a young couple with a newborn baby boy. Before the boy was born though the Father had a dream that the boy would be terribly ill at birth and so he prayed God let the illness fall on me. The boy was born healthy and they named him Angelito. Shortly afterward the Father took ill with a rare form of cancer found only in children. The Father at first was hard, not interested in God. His wife was reached out to; she studied the bible, repented and was baptized and began to share Christ with her husband as he lay dying in the hospital. Weeks went by and slowly but surely he began to soften. One of the brothers began studying with him and by the time I was called in this man 150 pounds had shriveled up to 90. I remember counting the cost and as we talked about confession, repentance and baptism he came to the conviction that that was what he wanted to do. One problem the cancer had eaten away so much of his body that the doctors were afraid he might die in the baptistery so they suggested that we baptize half of his body (his upper half was where the cancer had attacked most). The nurses and doctors didn’t like my response and it created quite a stir. In accordance with the scriptures he needs to be immersed completely, I told them. I told Angel you must tell them what you want; they need to hear it from you. He told them I want to be immersed completely. They found a trough, wheeled him to the area and Angel was baptized into Jesus Christ. He died a week later. Looking down on his son from heaven theres a father that suffered so that his son could be saved. What a story his mom has for the boy as he grows up about the love of his dad.
Jesus can relate to that because he loved us so much that he was willing to suffer for all personally. He chose suffering to be part of the plan!
Pt 2: WE ARE CALLED TO SUFFER FOR HIM
Phil 1:27 Whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ. Then, whether I come and see you or only hear about you in my absence, I will know that you stand firm in one spirit, contending as one man for the faith of the gospel Phil 1:28 without being frightened in any way by those who oppose you. This is a sign to them that they will be destroyed, but that you will be saved--and that by God. Phil 1:29 For it has been granted to you on behalf of Christ not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for him,
Phil 1:30 since you are going through the same struggle you saw I had, and now hear that I still have.
Paul spoke as an authority on the topic of suffering. He’s writing this while in jail, a prisoner of the Lord Jesus Christ. Paul had seen his own share of suffering; it too was part of the plan from the beginning. God told Ananias in:
Acts 9:15 But the Lord said to Ananias, "Go! This man is my chosen instrument to carry my name before the Gentiles and their kings and before the people of Israel. Acts 9:16 I will show him how much he must suffer for my name."
And Paul did suffer! Defending his ministry and forced to produce his credentials as an apostle Paul states a few things (he considers it madness) but he does it anyway to protect his brothers and sisters from false teachers.
2 Cor 11:22 Are they Hebrews? So am I. Are they Israelites? So am I. Are they Abraham’s descendants? So am I. 2 Cor 11:23 Are they servants of Christ? (I am out of my mind to talk like this.) I am more. I have worked much harder, been in prison more frequently, been flogged more severely, and been exposed to death again and again. 2 Cor 11:24 Five times I received from the Jews the forty lashes minus one. 2 Cor 11:25 Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was stoned, three times I was shipwrecked, I spent a night and a day in the open sea, 2 Cor 11:26 I have been constantly on the move. I have been in danger from rivers, in danger from bandits, in danger from my own countrymen, in danger from Gentiles; in danger in the city, in danger in the country, in danger at sea; and in danger from false brothers. 2 Cor 11:27 I have labored and toiled and have often gone without sleep; I have known hunger and thirst and have often gone without food; I have been cold and naked.
Paul knew what it was like to have to suffer and now writing from prison instructs the saints on how to conduct themselves.
For it has been granted to you on behalf of Christ not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for him.
Suffering comes to everyone on earth, but not all suffer for Christ. Most of what people suffer has no godly point to it at all. They suffer for worldly things. Suffering because of sin (alcohol, drugs, smoking, immorality). Suffering because of a job, a relationship, a career, to get a home. Such things take away from one’s life and provides nothing good for the person eternally.
As disciples of Jesus our suffering has a purpose. 2 Cor 4:17 For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. 2 Cor 4:18 So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.
If you are a disciple of Jesus today your suffering is achieving something for you.
The NLT says: For our present troubles are quite small and won’t last very long. Yet they produce for us an immeasurably great glory that will last forever! So we don’t look at the troubles we can see right now; rather, we look forward t what we have not yet seen. For the troubles we see will soon be over, but the joys to come will last forever.
Our sufferings are doing some for you. Our sufferings are increasing our glory in heaven. The second we leave earth we’ll forget it all. Like the martyr Browning writes about in Christmas Eve.
“I was born sickly, poor and mean,
A slave; no misery could screen
The holders of the pearl of price
From Caesar’s envy; therefore twice
I fought with beasts and three times saw
My children suffer by his law;
At last my own release was earned;
I was some time in being burned
But at the close a Hand came through
The fire above my head, and drew
My soul to Christ, whom now I see.
Sergius, a brother, writes for me
This testimony on the wall
For me, I have forgot it all.
Earth’s suffering was forgotten in the glory of heaven. We are called to suffer for him. Peter’s says:
1 Pet 4:12 Dear friends, do not be surprised at the painful trial you are suffering, as though something strange were happening to you.
1 Pet 4:13 But rejoice that you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed.
1 Pet 4:14 If you are insulted because of the name of Christ, you are blessed, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you.
1 Pet 4:15 If you suffer, it should not be as a murderer or thief or any other kind of criminal, or even as a meddler.
1 Pet 4:16 However, if you suffer as a Christian, do not be ashamed, but praise God that you bear that name.
1 Pet 4:17 For it is time for judgment to begin with the family of God; and if it begins with us, what will the outcome be for those who do not obey the gospel of God? 1 Pet 4:18 And, "If it is hard for the righteous to be saved, what will become of the ungodly and the sinner?" 1 Pet 4:19 So then, those who suffer according to God’s will should commit themselves to their faithful Creator and continue to do good.
How do we handle our suffering?
We handle our suffering with rejoicing.
We handle our suffering by considering ourselves blessed by God.
We handle our suffering by praising God.
We handle our suffering by committing ourselves to God and continue to do good. Commitment is paramount.
God challenges those that would reduce Christianity to just showing up on Sunday. Many have:
No commitment to the meetings of the body.
No commitment to reaching the lost.
No commitment to being discipled.
No commitment to confession of sin and repentance.
No commitment to openness.
But some would say: No commitment doesn’t fit me; doesn’t describe me.
O.k. how about:
Minimum commitment to the meetings of the body.
Minimum commitment to reaching the lost.
Minimum commitment to being discipled.
Minimum commitment to confession of sin and repentance.
Minimum commitment to openness.
The message is clear for the future generation. You expect the maximum from me, but minimum from yourselves. I’m expected to sacrifice but where’s your sacrifice. Where’s my role model in all of this?
Just getting people baptized was not Jesus focus. As if that’s all there is and my job is done. Jesus said when asked what is the greatest commandment?
Mat 22:37 Jesus replied: "’Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’
This is what we teach to teach and model. Teach them to love me with everything they have and they will do the rest.
Everything including suffer for me!
All of us are in the middle of our own dash. How are you spending it? What will they say at the end of your life? Will they talk about how you loved to cook, travel, play golf or fish.
These things aren’t wrong in and of themselves but if that’s all people have to say at your funeral. For a disciple of Jesus that’s shameful! How about he suffered for Christ, How about she gave her heart to the poor. How about he suffered for the name.
May Christ help us to suffer for Him and for His glory. Amen!
