Love that Suffers

[Announce text] Welcome, church members and visitors. Today marks the sixth and final Sunday in Lent, and we are journeying together through our six-week series called Signs of Covenant Love. Throughout this series, we will select Scriptures from the Old Testament that demonstrate God’s covenant love for his people to prepare our hearts for Easter Sunday.

If you brought a Bible this morning, please turn to the Book of Isaiah with me. We will be reading from Isaiah 50:4-9a.

[Scripture introduction] As we read, the passage in today’s text is traditionally referred to as the third Servant Song. It portrays the Lord’s servant as one who suffers not for himself but for others.

[Reannounce and read text] With that in mind, let’s turn to Isaiah 50:4-9a and read concerning the Suffering Servant of the Lord.

[Prayer for illumination] Heavenly Father, we ask that your word interpenetrates our souls and give life to our hearts. We pray that you sustain us with your word because of our weariness. Richly provide us hope as you did for your suffering servant. We pray this in Jesus’ name. Amen.

[Introduction] Imagine being so convinced that people must hear from God that you are willing die for it.

That’s what drove William Tyndale—a brilliant scholar in the 1500s—who believed ordinary people should be able to read the Bible in their own language. But in his day, translating Scripture into English was illegal. Church leaders and kings insisted God’s Word stay locked in Latin, out of reach for the common person.

Tyndale refused to accept that. He went into hiding, worked in secret, and began translating the Bible so that even “the boy that driveth the plough” could know the truth of God. Eventually, he was betrayed by a friend, arrested, and condemned.

On the day of his execution, as he was tied to the stake, he cried out one final prayer:

“Lord, open the King of England’s eyes!”

He was strangled and burned—but that prayer was answered. Just a few years later, the King authorized the Bible in English.

Tyndale’s voice was silenced by the world, but God made sure it kept speaking.

What a legacy Tyndale left for the church. He demonstrated that he loved God’s word and people more than his life, willing to suffer the consequence of death just so people could possess a Bible in their original language. That’s selfless love in action.

Sometimes, I reflect on the actions of my love. Is it sacrificial? Is it love beyond self? I will admit that loving someone genuinely is difficult—it requires effort, energy, and time.

The definition of biblical love is to will what is best for another. For many of us, our love is a work in progress. It needs refinement, and it requires stretching.

Here’s a good reflection concerning your depths and breadth of love for others.

[FCF] Are you willing to love others even when it requires personal sacrifice or suffering? This is the crux of the matter. You and I want to love, but only if it is painless and easy.

[Scripture bond] But today’s reading in Isaiah points to the Suffering Servant who suffers at the hands of others and continues to entrust himself to the Lord for the sake of love.

But before I go any further. Can I let you in on the secret? The Suffering Servant is Jesus Christ. He is the one who enters Jerusalem on Palm Sunday and who is greeted with love. Within the week, he will be betrayed by his friend Judah Iscariot for thirty silver coins. Arrested for false allegations and condemned to death on the cross as a transgressor of the Law.

Jesus loved others even when it required personal sacrifice and suffering. The Scriptures of Isaiah demonstrate this truth.

This brings us back to our Scripture passage. How does Jesus show us his love while suffering on our behalf? He begins by sustaining you and me with a word from the Lord.

[Main point 1] Christ’s love sustains the weary and empowers us to endure even in the face of suffering.

[Explanation] At the Last Supper, Christ gives a word of love to his disciples in times of confrontation of who is the greatest (Luke 22:24-30) and Peter’s faith (Luke 22:31-34). He understood their weariness. It’s late at night, something is wrong, and Jesus is offering a Passover meal in a new manner.

Whether we are struggling in life or faith, Jesus desires to give us a word to empower us. At the Last Supper, Jesus’ word that comes from God is about serving others. To serve and sacrificially live for God’s sake.

[Illustration] What would Jesus tell you today? To parents, serve your children with gentleness. To elders, faithful serve your congregation. To all followers of Christ, serve your brothers and sisters in the faith wholeheartedly.

[Application] Christ has given us a sustaining word. “You will eat and drink at my table in my kingdom, and I have prayed for you that your faith may not fail.”

If Christ sustains us through his word, we can be empowered to endure even in the face of suffering.

Then, in the early hours of Friday morning, Jesus demonstrated his love at his trial. Isaiah shares about Christ’s experience.

[Main Point 2] Christ’s love overcomes disgrace and empowers us to stand firm in the face of opposition.

[Explanation] All through the early morning and into Friday, Jesus gave himself entirely to the will of God by loving us sinners. The world attempted to discredit him and blame Jesus. However, he knew why he was suffering. He was suffering because of our sins (Luke 22:63-65).

Rather than rejecting the pain, Jesus sought us through it, and the world’s disgrace would not deter him from his mission (Philippians 2:6-8).

Likewise, we can overcome evil through the love of Christ. He empowers us to love regardless of the pain.

[Illustration] The world’s tools to stop Christianity are coercion and disgrace. (Josh Howard’s story of Indian Christians sacrifice).

[Application] When mockery, ridicule, and shame come, remember Jesus and how he did not let the will of the world overcome the will of his Father. You, too, love based on Christ’s love for you.

Then we see Jesus love us through the cross.

[Main Point 3] Christ’s love trusts God fully, even in the face of suffering and sorrow.

[Explanation] Jesus’ enemies (Pilate, Herod, the Jews) thought they could defeat him through the cross. But Jesus knew his Father was with him even while hanging on the cross.

He loved us perfectly and showed us the Father’s heart every time he spoke. “Forgive them,” he said, “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit.”

Complete trust and assurance were all done in love for us.

We need to have this trust in God. Do you believe God will help you? He will!

[Illustration] Do you see the God of love? He has holes in his hands and feet. Yet, he loved us while suffering and sorrow.

[Application] Reflect on Christ this week. I want the Passion story to live in your head. Palm Sunday, Betrayal Wednesday, Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, and Sorrowful Saturday.

[Proposition] True love for others is willing to endure sacrifice and suffering, just as Christ did for us.

[Conclusion] If Jesus loved us this much, we can love others no matter the cost.

Amen.