Too often our focus is on the physical sufferings of Christ, while little thought is ever given to what else the Lord Jesus suffered. There are three points that come to mind in regards to the sufferings of Christ. What are these points?
(1.) Christ's Mental Sufferings! The Lord Jesus suffered in his sinless soul on earth by the sin and degradation He seen and experienced from men on a daily bases.
(2.) Christ's Physical Sufferings! The Lord Jesus suffered in His body through the brutalities inflicted upon Him by men through the beatings, scourging, and crucifixion.
(3.) Christ's Spiritual Sufferings! The Lord Jesus suffered the full wrath and punishment of His Father for our sin during the three dark hours on the Cross during His crucifixion.
It is the third point that interests me at the moment. To date, I cannot ever remember reading or hearing a sermon on this aspect of Christ's sufferings for our sin during these dark hours on the Cross. Such sufferings are as mysterious as the scene at Calvary was shrouded in darkness. Does not this part of Christ's suffering deserve our attention as well?
Consider this dichotomy. (1) Christ endured Man's wrath; (2) Christ endured His Father's wrath. The first, shows man's attitude towards God's sacrificial love; while the second, shows God's attitude in response to man's sacrilegious hatred. It wasn't the "nails" that kept the Lord Jesus Christ on the Cross. The only thing that kept Him there was His Unconditional Love for us! As sinners, we deserve the full wrath of God for our rebellion against Him. Instead, God came in the flesh and became our substitute, and took upon Himself the punishment for our sin that we so rightly deserve. Praise God He loved us so!
No comments:
Post a Comment