Today I want to focus on how Jesus suffered and how He faced that suffering andwhat we can learn from His example. Peter 2:19-24 tells us: For to this you were called, because Christalso suffered for us, leaving us an example, that you should follow His steps: "Who committed no sin, Nor was deceitfound in His mouth"; who, when He was reviled, did not revile in return;when He suffered, He did not threaten, but committed Himself to Him who judgesrighteously;
Thisshould teach us that Jesus has given us an example and that we should follow inHis steps concerning His suffering. When He was reviled, He reviled not again.He did not open His mouth. He was led as a lamb to the slaughter. How can wedeal with suffering? I think first we must understand that suffering is a factof life. There is no way to avoid suffering in this world. It's all a part ofthe original sin curse. The curse that came upon Adam and all the fallencreatures, you and I. And we are going to face in this world tribulation andsuffering. It doesn't matter whether we're a believer or not a believer.Suffering is a fact of life. It's going to be there.
Buthow can we face it? How can we deal with it? It comes in so many differentforms: physically, mentally, emotionally, with all the abuse today that goes onin our families, in our world, it's there. So, how do we deal with it? What canwe learn from Jesus. How did Jesus endure His suffering? Here you see them accusingHim. They're mocking Him. They're striking Him, blindfolded Him, and justtotally knocking Him around and speaking blasphemous things against Him, itsays. And then they say, "If You're the Christ, tell us." But He saidto them, "If I tell you, you won't believe." And He said, "Also,if I ask you, you'll by no means answer Me or let Me go."
Andthen Jesus makes this statement here: “Hereafter the Son of Man will sit onthe right hand of the power of God.". This statement reveals how Jesusfaced His suffering. Hebrews 12:1-3 tells us that “we are to look untoJesus, the author, the finisher of our faith. Who for the joy that was setbefore Him, He endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at theright hand of the throne of God. Consider Him who endured such hostility fromsinners against Himself, lest you become weary and discouraged in your souls.”
Inthe midst of our suffering we look to Jesus, as He's going through thissuffering, going through this rejection, going through this physical pain atthis point, what does He do? He looks to the time He'll receive the glory ofthe Father's throne. He'll be seated next to Him. And for the joy of sittingnext to the Father and seeing the fruit of His suffering in the salvation ofmillions and millions and millions of redeemed souls, He endures the suffering.He faces it. He goes through it. He accepts it.
Nowmy friend, that's how we do it. We look forward. The Bible says in Romans 8:18,“For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to becompared to the glory which shall be revealed in us.” Peter later wouldwrite about it in 1 Peter 5:9-11: “Resist him (the devil), steadfast in thefaith, knowing that the same sufferings are experienced by your brotherhood inthe world. But may the God of all grace, who called us to His eternal glory byChrist Jesus, after you have suffered a while, perfect, establish, strengthen,and settle you. To Him be the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen.”
Yes,it is after our suffering, that we are prepared for the glory of God. We lookpast the suffering to the time there will be no more suffering. Oh, what a hopewe have because of Jesus Christ. And we'll be seated with Him in heavenlyplaces. I trust these thoughts will encourage you as you think about our Saviorand the example He set for us.
Godbless!
