Why Did Jesus Have To Suffer?

As we begin once more to center our hearts and minds around the cross this morning let us turn to Isa. 53:10-12....God through the prophet Isaiah prophecies concerning the coming Messiah and there is a verse in thee that has always been quit perplexing to me.

Isaiah 53:10–12 NASB95

But the Lord was pleased To crush Him, putting Him to grief; If He would render Himself as a guilt offering, He will see His offspring, He will prolong His days, And the good pleasure of the Lord will prosper in His hand. As a result of the anguish of His soul, He will see it and be satisfied; By His knowledge the Righteous One, My Servant, will justify the many, As He will bear their iniquities. Therefore, I will allot Him a portion with the great, And He will divide the booty with the strong; Because He poured out Himself to death, And was numbered with the transgressors; Yet He Himself bore the sin of many, And interceded for the transgressors.

Why was God pleased to crush Him? Isa. makes it clear to us that the Suffering Servant certainly suffered a lot. Excruciating suffering and it goes a lot farther than just a few hours on the cross.

I don’t think we wrestle so much with why he did what he did but why he had to suffer so much.

The gospel message is that Jesus died and shed his blood for our sins...

1 Corinthians 15:3 NASB95

For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures,

Hebrews 9:22 NASB95

And according to the Law, one may almost say, all things are cleansed with blood, and without shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.

Ephesians 1:7 NASB95

In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace

But why did he suffer so much. I think in order for us to understand why he suffered so much we have to first realize that his suffering spans much more time than just at the cross. REALLY HE HAD 33 YEARS OF BEING IN THE FLESH.

Despised & Forsaken

rejection by his own hometown - Lk. 4:28-30 “And all the people in the synagogue were filled with rage as they heard these things; and they got up and drove Him out of the city, and led Him to the brow of the hill on which their city had been built, in order to throw Him down the cliff. But passing through their midst, He went His way.”

blasphemous accusations - Lk. 11:14-15 “And He was casting out a demon, and it was mute; when the demon had gone out, the mute man spoke; and the crowds were amazed. But some of them said, “He casts out demons by Beelzebul, the ruler of the demons.””

scoffing Pharisees - Lk. 16:14 “Now the Pharisees, who were lovers of money, were listening to all these things and were scoffing at Him.”

deceitful questions - Lk. 20:20 “So they watched Him, and sent spies who pretended to be righteous, in order that they might catch Him in some statement, so that they could deliver Him to the rule and the authority of the governor.”

disciples leaving him - Jn. 6:60-61 “Therefore many of His disciples, when they heard this said, “This is a difficult statement; who can listen to it?” But Jesus, conscious that His disciples grumbled at this, said to them, “Does this cause you to stumble?” John 6:66 “As a result of this many of His disciples withdrew and were not walking with Him anymore.”

ridicule by his family - Jn. 7:3-5 “Therefore His brothers said to Him, “Leave here and go into Judea, so that Your disciples also may see Your works which You are doing. “For no one does anything in secret when he himself seeks to be known publicly. If You do these things, show Yourself to the world.” For not even His brothers were believing in Him.”

betrayal of Judas in the garden - Mk. 14:43-46 “Immediately while He was still speaking, Judas, one of the twelve, came up accompanied by a crowd with swords and clubs, who were from the chief priests and the scribes and the elders. Now he who was betraying Him had given them a signal, saying, “Whomever I kiss, He is the one; seize Him and lead Him away under guard.” After coming, Judas immediately went to Him, saying, “Rabbi!” and kissed Him. They laid hands on Him and seized Him.”

forsaken by all of his disciples - Mk. 14:50 “And they all left Him and fled.”

Mocked - Mt. 27:29 “And after twisting together a crown of thorns, they put it on His head, and a reed in His right hand; and they knelt down before Him and mocked Him, saying, “Hail, King of the Jews!””

the two thieves even mocked him on the cross - Lk. 23:39 “One of the criminals who were hanged there was hurling abuse at Him, saying, “Are You not the Christ? Save Yourself and us!””

Acquainted With Grief

anticipation of his death -

praying in the garden - Lk. 22:44 “And being in agony He was praying very fervently; and His sweat became like drops of blood, falling down upon the ground.”

Lazarus - John 11:35 “Jesus wept.”

Lost Jerusalem Lk. 19:41 “When He approached Jerusalem, He saw the city and wept over it,”

If it hurts you, it causes him pain…if it causes you pain, he cares

Smitten Of God And Afflicted

Jesus was struck with a blow - Jn. 18:22 “When He had said this, one of the officers standing nearby struck Jesus, saying, “Is that the way You answer the high priest?””

bound - Jn. 18:24 “So Annas sent Him bound to Caiaphas the high priest.”

scourged - Mk. 15:15 “Wishing to satisfy the crowd, Pilate released Barabbas for them, and after having Jesus scourged, he handed Him over to be crucified.”

spit on, beat, & struck Mk. 14:65 “Some began to spit at Him, and to blindfold Him, and to beat Him with their fists, and to say to Him, “Prophesy!” And the officers received Him with slaps in the face.”

carrying the cross - Jn. 19:17 “They took Jesus, therefore, and He went out, bearing His own cross, to the place called the Place of a Skull, which is called in Hebrew, Golgotha.”

crown of thorns - Mt. 27:29 “And after twisting together a crown of thorns, they put it on His head, and a reed in His right hand; and they knelt down before Him and mocked Him, saying, “Hail, King of the Jews!””

Oppression And Judgment

falsely accused - Mt. 26:59-61 “Now the chief priests and the whole Council kept trying to obtain false testimony against Jesus, so that they might put Him to death. They did not find any, even though many false witnesses came forward. But later on two came forward, and said, “This man stated, ‘I am able to destroy the temple of God and to rebuild it in three days.’ ””

false charges - Lk. 23:2 “And they began to accuse Him, saying, “We found this man misleading our nation and forbidding to pay taxes to Caesar, and saying that He Himself is Christ, a King.”” Lk. 23:10 “And the chief priests and the scribes were standing there, accusing Him vehemently.”

Before Annas

Before Caiaphas

Before the Jewish council

Before Pilate

Herod held him in contempt - Lk. 23:11

Led To Slaughter Like A Lamb

led down the road toward Golgotha bearing his own cross

crucified

hanging on the cross for 6 hrs.

-- As prophesied, Jesus was stricken, smitten, afflicted, wounded, bruised, chastised, endured stripes, oppressed, led to the slaughter, cut off from the land of the living - cf. Isa 53:4-8

[Again we ask "Why?" Why did it please the Lord to bruise Him, to put Jesus to grief (Isa 53:10)? Why could His death for our sins have not been more merciful? Why did Jesus suffer...?]

THE REASONS THAT HE SUFFERED

TO BRING US TO GOD...

Thus Peter explained in his epistle - 1Pe 3:18 “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;”

God seeks to reconcile us back to Him for we turned to our own way - Isa 53:6; 2 Co 5:18-21 “Now all these things are from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation, namely, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and He has committed to us the word of reconciliation. Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were making an appeal through us; we beg you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.”

Motivated by love, God sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins - 1Jn 4:9-10 “By this the love of God was manifested in us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world so that we might live through Him. In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins.”

The suffering reveals the terribleness of sin

The universality of sin - Ro 3:23 “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,”

The consequence of sin - Ro 6:23 “For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

The suffering reveals the greatness of God's love

The love of the Father - Jn 3:16 ““For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.” Ro 5:8 “But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.”

The love of the Son - Jn 15:13 ““Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends.” 1 Jn 3:16 “We know love by this, that He laid down His life for us; and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.”

Yes, He was wounded for our transgressions, bruised for our iniquities

TO BE OUR HIGH PRIEST...

A good high priest must be compassionate - He 5:1-2 “For every high priest taken from among men is appointed on behalf of men in things pertaining to God, in order to offer both gifts and sacrifices for sins; he can deal gently with the ignorant and misguided, since he himself also is beset with weakness;”

His suffering prepared Jesus to be the perfect high priest - He 2:10 “For it was fitting for Him, for whom are all things, and through whom are all things, in bringing many sons to glory, to perfect the author of their salvation through sufferings.”

To aid those who are tempted - He 2:17-18 “Therefore, He had to be made like His brethren in all things, so that He might become a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people. For since He Himself was tempted in that which He has suffered, He is able to come to the aid of those who are tempted.”

To sympathize with our weaknesses - He 4:14-16 “Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin. Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.”

To appreciate the challenge of obedience in the flesh - He 5:7-9 “In the days of His flesh, He offered up both prayers and supplications with loud crying and tears to the One able to save Him from death, and He was heard because of His piety. Although He was a Son, He learned obedience from the things which He suffered. And having been made perfect, He became to all those who obey Him the source of eternal salvation,”

Thus He lives ever ready to intercede for us - He 7:25 “Therefore He is able also to save forever those who draw near to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them.”

To provide mercy and grace in time of need - Ro 8:34 “who is the one who condemns? Christ Jesus is He who died, yes, rather who was raised, who is at the right hand of God, who also intercedes for us.”

To provide strength to conquer in time of trial - Ro 8:35-39 “Who will separate us from the love of Christ? Will tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? Just as it is written, “For Your sake we are being put to death all day long; We were considered as sheep to be slaughtered.” But in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

-- His suffering makes Jesus the perfect high priest and intercessor on our behalf

TO BE OUR EXAMPLE...

Of suffering for the sake of righteousness - 1Pe 2:20-24 “For what credit is there if, when you sin and are harshly treated, you endure it with patience? But if when you do what is right and suffer for it you patiently endure it, this finds favor with God. For you have been called for this purpose, since Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example for you to follow in His steps, who committed no sin, nor was any deceit found in His mouth; and while being reviled, He did not revile in return; while suffering, He uttered no threats, but kept entrusting Himself to Him who judges righteously; and He Himself bore our sins in His body on the cross, so that we might die to sin and live to righteousness; for by His wounds you were healed.”

When we are mistreated for doing good.

How we should trust in God to judge rightly.

Of persevering in our battle against sin - 1Pe 4:1-4 “Therefore, since Christ has suffered in the flesh, arm yourselves also with the same purpose, because he who has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin, so as to live the rest of the time in the flesh no longer for the lusts of men, but for the will of God. For the time already past is sufficient for you to have carried out the desire of the Gentiles, having pursued a course of sensuality, lusts, drunkenness, carousing, drinking parties and abominable idolatries. In all this, they are surprised that you do not run with them into the same excesses of dissipation, and they malign you;”

As we seek to live for the will of God, not the lusts of the flesh

As we endure the ridicule of those in the world

Of loving one another, and loving our enemies - Jn 13:34-35 ““A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another. “By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.”” Ep 5:1-2 “Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children; and walk in love, just as Christ also loved you and gave Himself up for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God as a fragrant aroma.” Mt 5:44-45 ““But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven; for He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.”

Loving one another as He loved us

Blessing those who curse us, doing good to those who hate us, praying for those who persecute us

-- His suffering illustrates how far we must go for the sake of love and righteousness

CONCLUSION

Perhaps we can now appreciate more fully why our Savior suffered...

To pay the terrible price of sin.

To be our perfect Advocate (1Jn 2:1) in our struggle against sin.

To motivate us to reach a higher plane in striving for love and righteousness

May contemplation on the suffering of Jesus ever serve as the inspiration for those...

Who have yet to obey the gospel - cf. Ac 2:36-38; 22:16

Who have obeyed the gospel, but have fallen back into sin - Ac 8:22; 1Jn 1:9

Who desire to live for Christ in an unfriendly world - 1Pe 4:12-16

IF WE CAN HELP YOU TO COME TO JESUS THIS MORNING PLEASE COME WHILE WE STAND AND SING