Christ's Sufferings and Ours

Ephesians 6.23-24

Anytime we see the love of the God the Father mentioned our thoughts ought to go to the cross, to John 3.16. The verses prior to it put it in the proper context.
John 3:14-16 Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the desert, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life. “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
The Cross.

Romans 5:8 But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

1 John 3:16 This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters.

Must Jesus bear the cross alone,
And all the world go free?
No, there’s a cross for everyone,
And there’s a cross for me.

How happy are the saints above,
Who once went sorr’wing here!
But now they taste unmingled love,
And joy without a tear.

The consecrated cross I’ll bear
Till death shall set me free;
And then go home my crown to wear,
For there’s a crown for me.

Upon the crystal pavement down
At Jesus’ pierced feet,
Joyful I’ll cast my golden crown
And His dear Name repeat.

O precious cross! O glorious crown!
O resurrection day!
When Christ the Lord from heav’n comes down
And bears my soul away.

We are in the season of thinking about Christ's Sufferings, particularly His death on the cross. Actually we are to think about them regularly, each time we take the LORD's Supper. We ought to thank God daily for His Great Love.

The grace of God and the peace we have with Him should bring thoughts of His sufferings as well.


1. From His Conception to His Death He Was Not Without Suffering.
Temporal Blessings- The Son of Man had no place to lay His head.
Bethlehem in the manger Luke 2.7

Egypt to escape death by Herod at the age of 2.

Nazareth- rejected wanted to kill Him
Luke 4:28-30 All the people in the synagogue were furious when they heard this. They got up, drove him out of the town, and took him to the brow of the hill on which the town was built, in order to throw him down the cliff. But he walked right through the crowd and went on his way.

His own family thought He was out of His mind.
Mark 3:20-21 Then Jesus entered a house, and again a crowd gathered, so that he and his disciples were not even able to eat. When his family heard about this, they went to take charge of him, for they said, “He is out of his mind.”

Complaints against Him
He blessed and there was ingratitude and arguing
Ten Lepers, Healing on the Sabbath

He performed miracles and there was blasphemy
Mark 3.20-30

He taught and was rebuked


2. Holy Week
Seeing the temple mess. The merchandizing. The robbery.

He was betrayed. He knows what it is like to have people walk out of Your life, turn against You, sell you out.

The Shadow of the cross. Jesus knew what was awaiting Him.

Everything was pointing to the cross.


3. The Garden

Sweating drops of blood
Luke 22:44 And being in anguish, he prayed more earnestly, and his sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground.
Luke, doctor, physical condition called Hematidrosis (also called hematohidrosis) is a very rare condition in which a human sweats blood. It may occur when a person is suffering extreme levels of stress, for example, facing his or her own death.

4. His "Trial"
Mockery
Physical abuse
Mental Abuse
Scourging

5. The Cross
Nails
Crucifixion
Desertion
Death

We are called to enter into the sufferings of Christ
Philippians 2.10-12

2 Corinthians 1:5 For just as we share abundantly in the sufferings of Christ, so also our comfort abounds through Christ.

Colossians 1:24 Now I rejoice in what I am suffering for you, and I fill up in my flesh what is still lacking in regard to Christ’s afflictions, for the sake of his body, which is the church.

Romans 8:17 Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory.

1 Peter 4:12-13 Dear friends, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal that has come on you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice inasmuch as you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed.

Romans 8:18 I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us.

We are to participate in these sufferings.

Must Jesus bear the cross alone,
And all the world go free?
No, there’s a cross for everyone,
And there’s a cross for me.

Crosses we carry:
Ridicule for our faith.
Rejection from those who do not believe.
Criticism for doing good.
Brothers and sisters today around the world suffering for this faith.


All this for you and for me. Oh how He loves us!