Encourages perseverance in faith, recognizing Jesus as the Son of God, and understanding salvation through His self-sacrifice, especially during Holy Week.
Welcome, brothers and sisters, to this gathering of hearts and minds under the banner of our Lord Jesus Christ. I am thrilled to be with you all today, as we stand on the precipice of Holy Week, that sacred time when we commemorate the Passion of our Lord, His crucifixion, and His glorious resurrection. It is a time of deep reflection, of profound gratitude, and of renewed commitment to the One who gave His all for us.
As we come together today, I am reminded of the words of Duncan Campbell, who once said, "To me, it has been a source of great comfort and strength in the day of battle, just to remember that the secret of steadfastness, and indeed, of victory, is the recognition that ‘the Lord is at hand.’" Indeed, in our walk with Christ, it is not the speed of our progress but the steadfastness of our faith, the constancy of our love, and the endurance of our hope that truly matter. Perseverance, dear friends, is the key to our spiritual journey.
Today, we will be looking at three main points drawn from the Scriptures. The first is the Perseverance in the Passion, the second is the Proclamation of the True Son of God, and the third is the Pardon through Self-Sacrifice. Let's turn to the Scriptures now.
In the book of Isaiah, we find a vivid depiction of the suffering servant. This servant, who we know to be Jesus, is not a reluctant participant in the unfolding drama of redemption. Instead, He willingly submits to the will of the Father. He does not turn away from the pain or the humiliation. He does not shy away from the disgrace or the spitting. He sets His face like flint, determined to fulfill His mission. This is an incredible display of perseverance.
Imagine the strength it takes to endure such treatment: To be beaten, mocked, and spat upon. To have your beard pulled out. To be publicly humiliated. Yet, Jesus did not waver. He did not falter. He did not give up. He persevered. He endured. He remained steadfast in His mission to redeem humanity. This is a powerful example for us. In our own lives, we face trials and tribulations. We face challenges and obstacles. We face pain and suffering. But we are called to persevere. We are called to endure. We are called to remain steadfast in our faith, just as Jesus did.
The psalmist: He also gives us a glimpse into the emotional turmoil that Jesus must have felt. He speaks of being in distress, of his eye being wasted from grief, of his soul and body being in anguish. He speaks of his life being spent with sorrow, of his years with sighing, of his strength failing because of his iniquity. He speaks of being a reproach, of being an object of dread, of being forgotten like one who is dead. Yet, in the midst of all this, he trusts in the Lord. He declares, "You are my God."
The Gospel of Mark: Here, we find the account of Jesus' last days. We see Him being betrayed by one of His own. We see Him being arrested and put on trial. We see Him being mocked and beaten. We see Him being crucified. Yet, throughout all this, Jesus remains steadfast. He does not waver. He does not falter. He does not give up. He perseveres. He endures. He remains steadfast in His mission to redeem humanity.
A common thread: We see the power of perseverance. We see the strength of endurance. We see the importance of remaining steadfast in our faith. We see the necessity of trusting in the Lord, no matter what trials or tribulations we may face. We see the beauty of the Passion, not just in the suffering, but in the perseverance. We see the glory of the cross, not just in the death, but in the endurance. We see the victory of the resurrection, not just in the life, but in the steadfastness.
As we continue to reflect on the events leading up to the crucifixion, we find ourselves standing before the Sanhedrin, the Jewish high court, where Jesus is brought before the religious leaders ... View this full PRO sermon free with PRO
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