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Matt. 26:36-42
We invite you to join us for worship each Sunday morning at 9:30. You can also download our service at Baptist-Christian at iTunes. One might think the sufferings of Christ is a weird topic for the first message of a new year. For us at BCC this New Year’s Day is also communion Sunday. The focus is more on why Jesus suffered. Matt. 5:10-12 records Jesus’ teaching that when a true Christian lives life from a truly spiritual perspective persecution is guaranteed. We will look at three viewpoints of Christ’s suffering to remind us this year (and always) that the Christian life is not as easy as some current teaching wants us to believe! Jesus suffered
- BECAUSE OF HIS HOLY CHARACTER! In 2 Peter 2:7, 8 we read that Lot’s soul was distressed by the filthy lives of the lawless lives of the men of Sodom. It is impossible to humanly comprehend how much more The Holy, Sinless Son of God was grieved in His heart when John tells us “He came to His own and they did not receive/accept Him (as Messiah.)” After 40 days of fasting and prayer, Satan came to Jesus and attacked His holy character trying to make Jesus sin with earthly satisfaction, then with calling God’s bluff, then finally with temporal power and possession. Throughout His earthly life Jesus was tempted to put the temporal (physical) before the spiritual. Jesus couldn’t sin because He didn’t have a sin nature, but He had free choice as He tells us in John 4:34; 5:30; 6:38; 8:28, 29. He was constantly being tempted to take His Father out of first place in His heart. Jesus also suffered
- BECAUSE OF HIS COMPASSION! Heb. 1:3 tells us Jesus was an exact representation of His Father. Many times we read that “Jesus had compassion on the people.” In every case when compassion is used in reference to Christ it means “distress or suffering because of the ills of another.” We might say, “because someone else hurt, Jesus hurt.” Jesus understood so deeply that people suffer because of sin’s relentless attack to completely destroy them. He also understood how people suffered because they continually rejected eternal spiritual satisfaction for the temporary deception of temporal attractions. So many times we cause our own suffering for those very same reasons. Jesus also suffered
- BECAUSE OF HIS CONTEMPLATON! Jesus is the only human being ever to contemplate living the life He freely offered His Father. From eternity past to Calvary He contemplated being the Lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world. Jesus rehearsed His death, burial and resurrection often with His disciples who just “didn’t get it – then.” The ordinance of the Lord’s Supper we share is a vivid reminder of the cup poured out on Him that caused Him to live His entire earthly life “in the valley of the shadow of death.” It’s humanly impossible to comprehend the sufferings of our Savior. It was perhaps, more than any part of His suffering, the worst suffering when His Father turned His face away from His Son as Jesus became sin for all the world. Because He suffered in every way we are tempted, He understands from personal experience all that you could suffer. He is waiting to help you relieve your suffering with His own compassion.
If we can help you with your spiritual questions call us at (574) 643-9419.
