Word of Salvation – Vol. 25 No. 39 – July 1979

 

Christ Suffered

 

Sermon by Rev. W. Wiersma on Lord's Day 15

Scripture Reading: Mark 8:27 - 9:9

Psalter Hymnal: 117, 187, 381, 398, 488

 

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

The apostle Peter and the other disciples were obviously surprised when they heard the Lord Jesus talking about His suffering.

And surely we should share some of that surprise and amazement.

That's why we read the passage from Mark's Gospel. Here a clear reference to Christ's suffering is, as it were, sandwiched between two statements about the greatness of Jesus.

In answer to Jesus' question, “Who do you say I am?”, Peter confessed: You are the Christ! You are the Messiah, the great Saviour King promised by God. And a little later Peter, James and John were on the mount of transfiguration with Jesus where they were given a glimpse of the glory of Christ. There they heard the voice of God proclaim:

This is my Son whom I love, listen to Him.

There could be no clearer teaching and no clearer demonstration of the greatness and majesty of Jesus the Christ.

No clearer teaching that He is the Son of the living God in human flesh. Surely everyone should fall down and worship Him who is Lord of lords and King of kings,

Surely the whole creation should recognise the One by Whom and for Whom the world was made.

Surely He will proceed to Jerusalem and take His seat on the royal throne and bring the world to its knees.

But instead of ruling in glory and power, Jesus spoke of suffering and death at the hands of the leaders of Israel.

Instead of bringing the world to its knees by a mighty display of authority and military might, Jesus spoke of things which to the disciples must have suggested weakness and defeat.

And if we did not know the outcome of His suffering, if we had only the Old Testament, we too would find this talk of suffering most surprising and difficult to understand.

We sometimes still idealise the life of Christ on earth. From the way we live and react to the gospel it is obvious that we tend to overlook the reality and intensity of our Lord's suffering,

We take note of His exalted teaching; we remember His miracles and sometimes probably wish that Jesus was still around to do the same for us as He did for the people of His own day.

And all the while we forget that the greatest and most important thing that Jesus has ever done for anybody is to suffer, is that He denied Himself, and took up His cross for us men and for our salvation.

Lord's Day 15 clearly reminds us of the great lengths to which the Christ went to become one with us.

We are told what was necessary for Christ to do in order to make us right with God.

L.D.15 clearly teaches us that our reconciliation with God is completely dependent on Christ's suffering.

Without that suffering all His teaching and miracles would only have been of passing value.

Think for instance of what effect the miracles had on the life and eternal destiny of the people of Chorazin and Bethsaida. We read about that in Matt.11:20-24 (Read these verses).

The miracles pointed to the identity and greatness of Jesus, but those people did not see it and consequently did not repent. And rather than suggesting that they could not help it, poor souls, Jesus warned them. He spoke so directly to them in order that seeing Him, the suffering King, they might still repent in sackcloth and ashes as the Ninevites did after Jonah proclaimed judgement.

The miracles are signs but Jesus Christ alone is the Saviour. And in order to save the world Christ became part of it.

In order to free the world from all its corruption the Saviour Christ became involved in its corruption. No, of course we do not mean to say that Jesus became corrupt Himself. But he did get involved in the sense that He did not just stand on the sidelines and criticise.

Jesus the Christ did not run away from the evil consequences of man's sinfulness and hatreds, He did not avoid getting hurt by the evil of the world. To help the world He involved Himself with the world. Under Pontius Pilate who was an official of a government which was supposed to protect the innocent and punish the wicked, Jesus allowed Himself to be condemned by the corruption of the world.

Jesus accepted the evil consequence of man's badness and selfishness.

That's what we should appreciate.

And that should surprise us, who live in a world which is always telling people to stand up and fight for their rights.

If Jesus had listened to the world, He might have argued that it went all wrong. That what was happening to Him was not fair. Surely He was in the right and the world was in the wrong. Surely He should refuse to accept such unfair treatment. Surely He the Christ should not be expected to suffer at the hands of the wicked.

Is that not the way the world would argue?

Let men clean up their own mess!

Surely Jesus would have every right to call on His heavenly armies to get Him out of the cesspool of this world and command them to destroy the destroyers.

But no... Jesus suffered.

This was the way God wanted it.

This was the only way in which God could save the world from its self-destroying sin and hate.

This was the way that God chose to restore the world to Himself.

And Jesus suffered - for He came to do the will of the Father.

Jesus suffered as the prophets had already foretold.

Time and again there is reference in the New Testament to the predictions of the sufferings of the Christ. Again and again it is pointed out also that this was the Father's will.

In Isaiah 53:10 we read, what is perhaps the clearest and strongest statement in the Old Testament:

"The Lord was pleased to crush Him

putting Him to grief.

If He would render Himself as a guilt offering

He will see His offspring,

He will prolong His days

and the good pleasure of the Lord

will prosper in His hand.

As a result of the anguish of His soul,

He will see it and be satisfied.

By His knowledge, the Righteous One, My Servant

will justify many

as He will bear

the iniquities

of many."

The New Testament confirms this.

When Jesus prayed in the Garden,

He was clearly told it was the Father's will

He should accept the bitter cup of agony.

Peter told the crowds on Pentecost Day that Christ was handed over by the predetermined plan and foreknowledge of God.

And later he told people, The things which God

Announced beforehand by the mouth of the prophets

that His Christ should suffer

He (God) has fulfilled.

That is the amazing truth ―

- That Christ the RIGHTEOUS ONE suffered.

- That He accepted and endured the crushing wrath of God against the sin of the whole world.

- That Jesus suffered the consequence of all the evils that are in men's hearts. His passion, His suffering, is the only atoning sacrifice.

Christ the Lord of Glory carried the sins, the guilt and the damned consequences of those sins of the world.

WHY ? ? ?

The Catechism, summarising the teaching of Scripture, gives a twofold answer

a. in order that He might redeem our body and soul from everlasting damnation;

b. in order to obtain for us the grace of God righteousness and eternal life.

Note that the answer refers to the body as well as the soul. Remember that, for it will help you to remember that there is a future aspect to the salvation which Jesus has won for us. Remember that there is a resurrection of the body, so that you may live in hope.

Remember above all that the Good Shepherd gave His life for the wayward sheep.

For us men and for our salvation.

So great is the Love of God towards us.

So great the desire of God that men should not die but live.

So great the obedience of Jesus to His Father.

So great His concern for us the damned.

So great the cost of our liberation.

So rich and complete the salvation God brings about and supplies.

We are particularly referring to what the Catechism says about Jesus, (by His suffering) obtaining for us the grace of God, righteousness and eternal life.

Yes by His suffering

and by nothing else.

God's grace has been obtained for us. We do not have to win it for ourselves

We do not have to work for it.

It has been won for us by Jesus and

He invites us to receive it freely from Him. Believing in Jesus

we may believe His word:

Your sins are forgiven.

I have carried them

I have suffered for them.

Believing in Jesus

we may confidently accept His word

You are justified.

You have received God's righteousness.

What the law could not do

God, through Christ's suffering, has done for you.

Believing in Jesus

Who suffered in our place

we may know that we have eternal life:

we have come to know God

in His Goodness Grace and Love.

All this has very practical consequences.

The redemption of our body and soul from eternal damnation

from the eternal consequence of sin.

We are freed from the effects of evil. Was that not the clear message of Christ's ministry. Did He not give us a glimpse of the glory of Himself and of His Kingdom. Did he not promise thereby that He will free us from all evil from sickness, pain, distress, depression, sorrow and tears, corruption and death. No. We do not yet see or enjoy all the full effects of Christ's redeeming work. We do not yet fully know the power of His resurrection. As yet we still battle with sin, temptation, sorrow and sickness. But Christ has bought us with His precious blood!

Because He suffered,

- because He was willing to get involved in our sin and misery

- He has delivered us from their power and damning influence!

The day will come when that will become fully apparent.

So the Church prays

O Lord haste the Day

when our faith shall be sight

the clouds be rolled back as a scroll

the trump shall resound

and the Lord shall descend

Even so it is well with our soul!

In that faith and hope we may live. Looking at

thinking about

and praising JESUS

and GOD

for the love so clearly shown

in the excruciating humiliation of Christ Who came for us men and our salvation.

Amen.