Jesus Suffering

Jesus Died For Our Eternal Life

1 Peter 3:18 NASB95

For Christ also died for sins once for all, the just for the unjust, so that He might bring us to God, having been put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the spirit;

Jesus suffered and died to bring salvation to mankind. He died a cruel death on a roman cross. Not only this but, He was tortured by beatings prior to his crucifixion. Jesus was no stranger to suffering. His life was full of suffering

Isaiah 53:3–4 (NASB95)

He was despised and forsaken of men, A man of sorrows and acquainted with grief; And like one from whom men hide their face He was despised, and we did not esteem Him. Surely our griefs He Himself bore, And our sorrows He carried; Yet we ourselves esteemed Him stricken, Smitten of God, and afflicted.

Jesus came to save a people that hated him. Everywhere He went he was met with opposition. When He came to the end of his life his friends deserted Him. Even on the cross for a moment the Father forsook His Son. We must ask, “Why?”

It is because He is the only one who could suffer and die for us. He was the Son of God. He was perfect in His life, without sin. He was the just!

We are the unjust. It is our sin that was the source of His suffering. He was willing to come into this world knowing of the suffering He would endure, but also knowing the salvation He would bring.

Jesus knew that His life would be the ransom that would pay our sin debt and bring us to God. We now have access to the throne of God through the sacrifice and suffering of Christ. This would not be possible if Christ was not willing to suffer for us.

Though we may not be able to die for anyone’s sins we may be called to suffer for someone else. It is the soldier who is separated from his family under poor conditions in a foreign country to protect our freedom. It is the mom who works three jobs so that her kids can have decent clothes and food on the table. It is the firefighter that runs into a burning building to save the life of others. It is our police officers that risk their lives daily to provide safe communities. It is the care giver that is caring for a terminal spouse or parent. The list goes on and on! You get the picture. There will be a time in your life when you are called to suffer for someone else.

Just as Jesus suffered for us to bring us to God, when we suffer for the sake of someone else always look to the reason for the suffering. It is in the reason that you will find endurance. It may not take the suffering away, but it will make the suffering more palatable.

Jesus Suffering Conquered Sin and Death

1 Peter 3:19–20 (NASB95)

in which also He went and made proclamation to the spirits now in prison, who once were disobedient, when the patience of God kept waiting in the days of Noah, during the construction of the ark, in which a few, that is, eight persons, were brought safely through the water.

When Jesus died on the cross for the sins of humanity, He went and proclaimed victory to those spirits who were enemies of God. These were the spirits of the fallen angels in Genesis 6:1-7

Genesis 6:1–7 NASB95

Now it came about, when men began to multiply on the face of the land, and daughters were born to them, that the sons of God saw that the daughters of men were beautiful; and they took wives for themselves, whomever they chose. Then the Lord said, “My Spirit shall not strive with man forever, because he also is flesh; nevertheless his days shall be one hundred and twenty years.” The Nephilim were on the earth in those days, and also afterward, when the sons of God came in to the daughters of men, and they bore children to them. Those were the mighty men who were of old, men of renown. Then the Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great on the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. The Lord was sorry that He had made man on the earth, and He was grieved in His heart. The Lord said, “I will blot out man whom I have created from the face of the land, from man to animals to creeping things and to birds of the sky; for I am sorry that I have made them.”

Satan and his demons have always tried to destroy God’s creation. It started when Satan wanted to be God. He convinced a third of the angels that God created, hence them being called “sons of God”, that He could overthrow God and become like God. Isaiah 14:12-15

Isaiah 14:12–15 (NASB95)

“How you have fallen from heaven, O star of the morning, son of the dawn! You have been cut down to the earth, You who have weakened the nations! “But you said in your heart, ‘I will ascend to heaven; I will raise my throne above the stars of God, And I will sit on the mount of assembly In the recesses of the north. ‘I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High.’ “Nevertheless you will be thrust down to Sheol, To the recesses of the pit.

Revelation 12:3–4 (NASB95)

Then another sign appeared in heaven: and behold, a great red dragon having seven heads and ten horns, and on his heads were seven diadems.And his tail swept away a third of the stars of heaven and threw them to the earth. And the dragon stood before the woman who was about to give birth, so that when she gave birth he might devour her child.

When the angels fell Satan commanded them to posses man and procreate with woman. As a result the women gave birth to children like the Nephilim. These were the giants of the day that would stand in opposition to God’s people. This is when God flooded the earth and spared Noah.

Then Satan thought he had won when Christ died on the cross only to find out that he had been defeated. The fulfillment of Genesis 3:15

Genesis 3:15 (NASB95)

And I will put enmity Between you and the woman, And between your seed and her seed; He shall bruise you on the head, And you shall bruise him on the heel.”

had just been fulfilled.

Jesus went to those demons and proclaimed His victory over sin and death.

What we learn from this is that when we are called to suffer for righteousness, there is a spiritual victory that is going to be won! God uses the suffering of His people to bring about victory in His kingdom!

Jesus Suffering Brings Victory

1 Peter 3:21–22 (NASB95)

Corresponding to that, baptism now saves you—not the removal of dirt from the flesh, but an appeal to God for a good conscience—through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, who is at the right hand of God, having gone into heaven, after angels and authorities and powers had been subjected to Him.

Just as the flood cleansed the earth of evil, baptism cleanses our heart from evil. This is not the physical act of baptism, but when the Holy Spirit comes to reside in the heart of the one who places their faith in Jesus Christ as their Saviour.

Understanding the suffering that Jesus endured for you will help you understand the atrocity of your sin. There is no logical reason why God’s Son should ever have been subjected to the suffering He endured. The only reason we can comprehend is the amount of love He must have for you to endure the suffering He suffered.

When we understand the atrocity of our sin and Jesus love for us in spite of our sin, we have no choice but to make Him Lord of our lives. When we do this victory is won. Share the gospel!