Title: The Suffering of Christ
Christ's suffering
Isaiah 53:4-6
2005. 3. 20, Palm Sunday
Today, the World Church celebrates Palm Sunday. Palm Sunday comes from the fact that many people plucked palm branches and cheered when Jesus entered Jerusalem. Jesus' entry into Jerusalem seems to be a triumphant entry and a glorious entry, which many people gathered to cheer, but in fact, it was an entry for all kinds of suffering and death on the cross. So Palm Sunday is the first day of Holy Week. In that sense, our church is to keep today as Passion Sunday and to think about the sufferings of Christ together and receive grace. What, then, is the suffering of Christ?
The suffering of the Lord
1. It is the suffering that became a man even though he was God.
2. The suffering of becoming poor,
3. It is suffering that makes you thirsty.
4. The suffering of hunger
5. The suffering of being betrayed.
6. It is the suffering of being despised and despised.
7. Suffering for the righteous to bear their sins
8. The suffering of dying before the mother,
9. The affliction of piercing,
10. It is the suffering of bruising.
11. It is suffering from being rejected by God.
First, the suffering in which Jesus, the God, became a human being.
Jesus is one of the Trinity of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit as God who originally created all things in the world. The Bible says, “He, being in the form of God, did not consider equality with God to be robbery, but emptied himself, taking the form of a servant, being made in human form, and being found in human form, humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death, that is, death on a cross. Sim.” (Philippians 2:6-8).
The fact that God came in a human body means that He has humbled us beyond our imagination. It is to atone for our sins by experiencing physical pain just like we do. In the Old Testament, animal sacrifices were a symbol of atonement and were imperfect. A person cannot be atoned for until he has paid for his own sins, and unless he is a perfectly righteous man, he cannot atone for the sins of others. So, only Jesus, who was conceived in a woman's body by the Holy Spirit, without sin and without blemish, can atone for our sins.
Jesus became a human being to set an example of service. Although he was the Son of God, he did not exalt himself or reveal himself, but rather humbled himself (Mark 10:45).
Second, the suffering that is pierced for our transgressions.
Jesus suffered the piercing pain for our sins and transgressions. The Bible says, “He was pierced for our transgressions” (Isaiah 53:5). Before being crucified, Jesus was forced to wear a crown of thorns, and nails were nailed to both hands and feet on the cross. It was so painful that he cried out, “Eli, Eli, Ramadanthani,” that is, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” (Matthew 27:46).
And even after his death, he suffered the suffering of being stabbed in the side by a Roman soldier's spear. Regarding this, the Bible says, “One of the soldiers pierced his side with a spear, and immediately blood and water came out” (John 19:34).
During Lent and Holy Week, which comes once a year, we realize the great and wonderful love of Jesus for us through the image of Jesus who suffered the worst suffering that a human body can endure, and set the direction of our lives completely centered on God. We'll have to change it.
Third, the suffering of being bruised for our iniquities.
All the suffering Jesus suffered was because of our sins. The Bible says, “He was bruised for our iniquities” (Isaiah 53:5). Our sins can only be paid for by death (Hebrews 9:22). People at that time did not understand the meaning of this ransom and mocked and despised Jesus. “Surely he has borne our sorrows and borne our sorrows; but we thought that he was chastised, smitten by God, and afflicted” (Isaiah 53:4).
But it was God who allowed Jesus to suffer on the cross. Otherwise, it would only have been the death of an individual and the death of a loser. Jesus' death was prophesied by the prophet Isaiah more than 600 before Jesus was born (Isaiah 53:10). Jesus walked the path of death by the will of God in this way. That is why his death was a universal atoning death for all mankind, a complete and eternal atonement that no longer required the sacrifice of bloodshed.
Fourth, the sufferings of the discipline He suffered for our peace
Jesus was disciplined by God on our behalf to give us freedom and peace. The Bible says, “He received his discipline, and we have peace” (Isaiah 53:5).
Jesus came humbly to bring peace, but Jewish leaders accused him of being a friend of sinners and a troublemaker.
Jesus came as the reconciler between God and man, breaking down the walls of sin, bringing peace, and preaching the gospel of love to get rid of strife, hatred, and strife between people.
Jesus, who led his followers and crowds into Jerusalem during the last week, did not ride on horseback like a conqueror, but on a donkey as the Prince of Peace. Only Jesus, the King of kings, will rule the world in peace (Isaiah 9:7).
Fifth, suffering from being whipped for our health
No matter how powerful you are, no matter how much you have, it is of no use if you lose your health. However, in this world, many people are suffering from diseases. Because Jesus came in the flesh, He fully knew the suffering of these sick people, and He opened the door of healing for them. That is why the Bible says, “By his wounds we are healed” (Isaiah 53:5).
Before Jesus was crucified, he was beaten 39 times in Pilate's court. The whip had crampons attached to each leather cord, so that whenever a Roman soldier struck Jesus on the back, His flesh was torn apart.
During the three and a half years of his public life, Jesus healed many sick people and died on the cross, bearing all our diseases. And now he is working among us through the Word and the Spirit of healing. Therefore, now anyone who believes in Jesus and prays in the name of the Lord can have their sins forgiven, saved, and healed. Even though we may not understand all these truths, God has put all of life's sufferings on Jesus. “We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way, and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all” (Isaiah 53:6).
Jesus' suffering was to atone for our sins and to give us forgiveness, wealth, freedom, peace, and health. And it was a great event that taught us how to humbly, serve, and serve through the practice of love. Thus, Jesus' suffering was the culmination of obedience and loyalty that fulfilled God's prophecies. I hope that we too, imitating the image of Jesus, bear the burdens of others and practice love to become disciples and witnesses of Jesus who bring healing, wealth, and peace to our neighbors.
It is now a church feast, the season of Lent, and especially this week is Holy Week. Next week is Easter Sunday. Let's follow the footsteps of the Lord's suffering this week, fasting and following the one week of Jesus' last life to the cross. And specifically, I hope that it will be a period of sharing with our neighbors through the march of the suffering of the cross of the Lord.
Jesus' suffering was not for himself, but for our salvation. By pondering the sufferings of Jesus, let us realize the meaning of the atonement and the deep meaning of suffering, and let us become grateful believers by living according to the love of God, the grace of Jesus and the guidance of the Holy Spirit.