The ‘Rescue Mission’ for the whole humanity will not be understood unless we try to understand the sufferings of God. The Gospel of John introduces us to this mysterious concept of God as Tri-personal, and that is Trinity. “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.” John 1:1-5.
The Son of God was not a created being, but the Creator and has lived throughout all eternity, “in the bosom of the Father” 1 Jn 1:18; and this shows the relationship Jesus Christ enjoyed with God the Father, a relationship of absolute intimacy and perfect love. In order to complete the great ‘Rescue Mission’ at the end of His life on this planet earth He was cut off from God the Father. This could result in great suffering of inner agony because this is the relationship Jesus Christ desperately wanted with His Father!
If a friend or a mild acquaintance turns against us, criticizes, condemns and says things like they do not want to see us again, it is painful. If a spouse does this, or if a parent would do this to their son or daughter it is psychologically damaging and it is very painful. Can we for a minute imagine the pain and sufferings of Christ when His beloved Father abandoned Christ in order to fulfill this ‘Rescue Mission’ for humanity? This pain was the result of loosing the infinite love of His Father He had from eternity, and these sufferings would have been eternally unbearable, even though it was temporary. The intensity of His pain can be understood a little bit when Jesus cried on the Cross, His cry of dereliction, “My God, my God, why have You forsaken Me”? This is a very deep relational statement and this cry has a ruthless authenticity and it is very hard for any one of us to fully comprehend. Jesus Christ did not die renouncing God, who is His Father, neither did He surrender his Faith in God, but expressed His anguished prayer in the form of a cry of affirmation of separation from His Father in the moment of His total abandonment from His Father.
On the Cross Jesus Christ experienced the worst suffering physical, emotional, mental and Spiritual; suffering of rejection, abandonment and intense pain which is overwhelming for us to understand it perfectly. He knows what is despair, rejection, loneliness, poverty, bereavement, betrayal, torture, beatings, and imprisonment and total abandonment. He suffered in love for the humanity, and He alone can identify with the humanity who were abandoned and forsaken. God indeed took our misery and suffering so seriously that He was willing to take it on Himself.
“Christ, the god-man suffers too, with patience. Evil and death can no longer be entirely imputed to him since he suffers and dies. The night on Golgotha is so important in the history of man only because, in its shadows, the divinity ostensibly abandoned its traditional privilege, and lived through to the end, despair included, the agony of death. Thus is explained the “Lama sabachthani” and the frightful doubt of Christ in agony” – Albert Camus
The Rescue Mission is done and now we have the hope that our suffering is not at all in vain. “They say of some temporal suffering, “ No future bliss can make up for it,” not knowing that Heaven, once attained, will work backwards and turn even that agony into a glory.”- C.S Lewis. Is there an end for suffering? The answer to that is yes, because Jesus Christ has conquered death and suffering and every one who mourns will be joyful because of the hope we have in Jesus Christ. The doctrine of resurrection can instill within a believer a powerful hope, which promises a life which we most longed for.
There is ultimate end to evil and suffering and it will be so vanquished and all that has happened will serve to make our future life, peaceful, joyful, eternal and more glorious. What a great ‘Rescue Mission’ accomplished in Christ Jesus because of God’s great love for the lost humanity by the wonder working power of His Spirit?
If we try to understand the sufferings of Christ for the redemption of the human kind, then we can have deeper consolation, confidence and security in Christ to face the brutal realities of this earth. We begin to understand slowly that God is indeed Emmanuel that is God is with us and at all times in the worst of sufferings. Then we can understand better what Romans 8: 31-39 is talking about; God’s everlasting love for mankind!
“What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things? Who shall bring a charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. Who is who condemns? It is Christ, who died, and further more is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us.
Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written “For Your sake we are killed all day long; we are counted as sheep for the slaughter. Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord;” Rom:8:31-39.
O Lord, my God I am so humbled by Your ‘Rescue Mission’ for humanity; the more I try to comprehend the more I need Your abundant grace to comprehend. Thank You for Your salvation plan for mankind and for me. Thank you for accepting me as your heir and beloved child. Thank You again for Jesus Christ and for Your Spirit which brings me to that conviction and realization. You are a wonderful Father and Your love is so amazing, and please help me to love You more; Amen.
Book References:
1. Payer To Move Your Mountains, “Powerful Prayers for The Spirit-Filled Life.” (Thomas Nelson Publishers, Nashville, Tennessee, 2000)
2. Practical Psychology for Pastors, William R. Miller, Kathleen A. Jackson (The University of Mexico), second Edition, Prentice –Hall Inc, 1995,1985, Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458.
3. Jay E.Adams, ‘The Christian Counselor’s Manual, ‘The Practice of Nouthetic Counseling’ (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1973)
4. John G. Kruis, ‘Quick Scripture Reference for Counseling; (Grand rapids: Baker Books, Third edition, p. 169-170)
5. David G. Benner & Peter C. Hill, ‘Baker Encyclopaedia of Psychology & Counseling’ Second Edition, (Grand Rapids: Baker Books, 1985, 1999)
6. Dr. Larry Crabb, “Effective Biblical Counseling” How Caring Christians can Become Capable Counselors, (Hammersmith: Marshall Pickering, 1985), p. 100-104)
7.The Matthew Henry Study Bible, ‘King James version’ The best of Matthew Henry’s Notes in a Handy One Volume Reference Bible, World Bible Publishers, Inc; 1994, Iowa Falls, U.S.A.
8. David Seeking A Heart Like His, ‘Beth Moore’ Life Way Christian resources, Nashville,Tennessee, 2010, pgs: 206-210.
9. Jay E. Adams, ‘Critical Stages of Biblical Counseling’ Finishing Well, Breaking Through, Getting Started, (New Jersey: Zondervan, 2002)
10. Jay E. Adams, ‘How to Help People Change’ The Four-step Biblical Process, (Grand rapids: Zondervan, 1986)
11. John F. MacArthur, JR. Wayne A. Mack & The Master’s College Faculty, ‘Introduction To Biblical Counseling’, “A Basic Guide To The Principles And Practice Of Counseling”(Nashville: Thomas Nelson Publishers,1994)
12. Jay E. Adams, ‘Lectures on Counseling’ (Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1978, p.192-203)
13. The Holy Bible, New King James version, Women of Destiny Bible, “Women Mentoring women Through the Scriptures” A Spirit Filled Life Bible, Thomas Nelson Publishers, Nashville, Tennessee, Copyright 1982.
14. Deuteronomy becoming Holy People, Stephen D. Eyre, p:32-26; IVP connect, An imprint of Intervarsity Press, Downers Grove, Illinois, 1998, 2004.
15. Metzeger, Bruce M. (ed); Michael D. Coogan (ed) (1993). The Oxford Companion to the Bible. Oxford, UK: Oxford University Press. ISBN 0-19-504645-5.
16. Mitchell, Stephen, 1987. The Book of Job. San Francisco: North Point Press. Cited in R. T. Pennock, 1999, Tower of Babel, Cambridge, MA: MIT Press.
17. Stormie Omartin, “The power of a praying wife”, Harvest House Publishers, Eugene 97402; copyright @1997; pgs81-85.
18. Timothy keller, ‘The Reason for God” Belief in an age of Skepticism, Published by Penguin Group, USA, New York 10014, Copyright,@ 2008; Pgs 22-56.
Website References:
1. Christ's Holy Sufferings, by Martin Luther
homepage.mac.com/shanerosenthal/reformationink/mlsufferings.htm
Christ's Holy Sufferings. by Martin Luther (1483-1546). The following sermon is taken from volume II of, The Sermons of Martin Luther, published by Baker Book ...
2. 2 Corinthians 1:5 For just as the sufferings of Christ flow over into ...
bible.cc/2_corinthians/1-5.htm
For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us - As we are called to experience the same sufferings which Christ endured; as we are called to suffer in his cause, ...
3.Passion (Christianity) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Passion_(Christianity)
The Latin word passio is used with reference to Christ's mortal suffering in the Vulgate. The term first appears in 2nd century Christian texts precisely to describe ...
1.
4.The sufferings of Christ
www.tecmalta.org/tft164.htm
The sufferings of Christ. The following are some texts which speak of various aspects of Christ's sufferings. "He shall see the travail of his soul, and shall be ...
5.The Passion And Suffering Of Christ
www.whatistruth.info/rugged.html
As we study about Christ's physical suffering, hold your mind on the thought of how awful sin is. What a price had to be paid! How much God loves us, and how ...
6. The Suffering of Christ
www.champs-of-truth.com/books/suffer.htm
In consequence of limited ideas of the sufferings of Christ, many place a low estimate upon the great work of the atonement. The glorious plan of man's salvation ...
7. Persecution News of Churches Persecuted & Christian Sufferings
www.persecution.org/
4 days ago – Ethiopian Christians Imprisoned in Saudi Arabia • Success Stories • Immediate ... 2012-03-17 The Suffering Church in Cuba • 2012-03-17 How ...
8. Rejoice To Participate in the Sufferings of Christ | Northwestern U.B.F
northwesternubf.org/.../rejoice-to-participate-in-the-suff... - United States
2 Feb 2009 – 1 Peter 4:1-19, Key Verse: 4:13. “But rejoice that you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is ...
9. CATHOLIC ENCYCLOPEDIA: The Passion of Christ
www.newadvent.org › Catholic Encyclopedia › P
Hence, no doubt, arose that prolific growth of heretical Gnostic or Docetic sects, which denied the reality of the man Jesus Christ or of His sufferings. Hence also ...
10. Suffering is the Christian's Path to Glory - Abide in Christ
www.abideinchrist.com/selah/jul27.html
Suffering is the Christian's Path to Glory. Our hope as Christians is our future glory. We will have a new body patterned after the glorified body of Jesus Christ ...
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