Tag: Suffering

Contemplating the Cross: Gethsemane

~ Bob Hayton ~ 2 Comments

For the next few days, I’ll be posting excerpts from Nancy Guthrie’s Jesus, Keep Me Near the Cross: Experiencing the Passion and Power of Easter (Crossway). Join me as I aim to contemplate the cross this passion week.

Today’s meditation is by R. Kent Hughes, from chapter 5 “Gethsemane” (pg. 31-36 of Jesus, Keep Me Near the Cross, edited by Nancy Guthrie).

The Lord deliberately chose Gethsemane. John’s specific mention of it as a “garden” in John 18:1 suggests that the apostle has in mind a deliberate comparison with the original garden of Eden. The symbolism is this:

  • The first Adam began life in a garden. Christ, the second Adam, came at the end of his life to a garden.
  • In Eden Adam sinned. In Gethsemane the Savior overcame sin.
  • In Eden Adam fell. In Gethsemane Jesus conquered.
  • In Eden Adam hid himself. In Gethsemane our Lord boldly presented himself.
  • In Eden the sword was drawn. In Gethsemane it was sheathed.

This symbolism is not accidental or incidental to Jesus’ death. It was an assurance for future generations of readers that Christ was in control….

The surroundings of Christ’s final hour clearly displayed his sovereign control. The intensity of his agony and his sovereign resolve to bear it, his control over his captors, his protection of his own, his grace to the wounded, all proved he is an omniscient, all-powerful God. Christ was in control when life was falling in, when things looked the worst….

Gethsemane was not a tragedy, and neither are our Gethsemanes. This does not do away with the wounds of affliction in this life, but it is encouraging to see that behind human tragedy stands the benevolent and wise purpose of the Lord of human history. Life may be dark at times, tragedy may come, and at times the whole world may seem to be falling apart. The wheel may appear ready to crush us. But this is not the end. “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose” (Rom. 8:28), even in Gethsemane.

How wonderful it is to see Christ undoing the wrongs that befell us in Eden. How glorious our Savior truly is. May we follow him through dark times in our lives, confident that He is always in control.

Contemplating the Cross: They Spit in His Face

~ Bob Hayton

For the next few days, I’ll be posting excerpts from Nancy Guthrie’s Jesus, Keep Me Near the Cross: Experiencing the Passion and Power of Easter (Crossway). Join me as I aim to contemplate the cross this passion week.

Today’s meditation is by Charles Spurgeon, from chapter 7 “Then Did They Spit in His Face” (pg. 44-48 of Jesus, Keep Me Near the Cross, edited by Nancy Guthrie).

If we want proof of the depravity of the heart of man, I will not point you to the stews of Sodom and Gomorrah, nor will I take you to the places where blood is shed in streams by wretches like to Herod and men of that sort. No, the clearest proof that man is utterly fallen, and that the natural heart is enmity against God, is seen in the fact that they did spit in Christ’s face, did falsely accuse him, and condemn him, and lead him out as a malefactor, and hang him up as a felon that he might die upon the cross….

…But could I feel as I ought to feel in sympathy with the terrible shame of Christ, and then could I interpret those feelings by any language known to moral man, surely you would bow your heads and blush, and you would feel rising within your spirits a burning indignation against the sin that dared to put the Christ of God to such shame as this….

If ever anybody should despise us for Christ’s sake, let us not count it hard, but let us be willing to bear scorn and contempt for him. Let us say to ourselves, “Then did they spit in his face. What then, if they also spit in mine? If they do, I will ‘hail reproach, and welcome shame,’ since it comes upon me for his dear sake.” See, that wretch is about to spit in Christ’s face! Put your cheek forward, that you may catch that spittle upon your face, that it fall not upon him again, for as he was put to such terrible shame, every one who has been redeemed with his precious blood ought to count it an honor to be a partaker of the shame, if by any means we may screen him from being further despised and rejected of men.

May we feel the affront that sin is to Christ’s glory. And may we joyfully desire, like Paul, to share in Christ’s sufferings.

Quotes to Note 8: How Christians Should Meditate on Christ’s Sufferings

~ Bob Hayton ~ 3 Comments

As preparation for Easter, I’ve been reading Jesus, Keep Me Near the Cross: Experiencing the Passion and Power of Easter, edited by Nancy Guthrie (Crossway). The book provides 25 excerpts from past and present leaders in the Church. Each of the excerpts provides a short chapter, from 4 to 8 pages or so. Guthrie masterfully weaves the chapters together into a glorious extended meditation on the Cross of Christ.

The excerpt from the 19th Century Evangelical Anglican J.C. Ryle is entitled “The Sufferings of Christ”. Ryle points out that we must not “be content with a vague general belief that Christ’s sufferings on the cross were vicarious”. He then illustrates how Christians should think on and value Christ’s sufferings. I couldn’t help but share this quote with you and encourage you to pick up the book if you can, it’s quite inexpensive, and it will be a great tool for meditating on Christ’s work as we approach Easter.

…We may follow him all through, from the bar of Pilate to the minute of his death, and see him at every step as our mighty substitute, our representative, our head, our surety, our proxy–the divine friend who undertook to stand in our place and, by the priceless merit of his sufferings, to purchase our redemption. Was he flogged? It was done so that “by his wounds we are healed” (Isa. 53:5). Was he condemned though innocent? It was done so that we might be acquitted, though guilty. Did he wear a crown of thorns? It was done so that we might wear the crown of glory. Was he stripped of his clothes? It was done so that we might be clothed in everlasting righteousness. Was he mocked an dreviled? It was done so that we might be honored and blessed. Was he reckoned a criminal, and counted among those who have done wrong? It was done so that we might be rekoned innocent, and declared free from all sin. Was he declared unable to save himself? It was so that he might be able to save others to the uttermost. Did he die at last, and that the most painful and disgraceful death? It was done so that we might live forevermore, and be exalted to the hightest glory. [Jesus, Keep Me Near the Cross, ed. Nancy Guthrie (Crossway, 2009) pg. 58-59]

Intolerance, the Dali Lama, and the Bible

~ fundyreformed ~ 4 Comments

ks–this is cross posted at Kingdom Surge, my missions blog.

No one is more known for peace and tolerance than the Dali Lama. At least that’s what the world at large thinks of him. A Tibetan Buddhist, he crusades for world peace and harmony.

Sunday at our church, one of the leaders of an Indian church planting organization (directed and funded by Indians primarily, he did not ask for or even tell us how to give money) told a fascinating story about the Dali Lama.

A 17 year old girl from Australia felt that God had laid it on her heart to give a Bible to the Dali Lama. Not to witness to him or anything dramatic, but just to place a Bible in his hands. She came to India and visited this mission and went on a short term trip with them near where the Lama lives. She found a way to stay in that region longer than the others she was with and found a 15 minute audience with the Dali Lama.

She gave the Bible to him, encouraging him to read it as it will help him rule his people better and make wise decisions. The Dali Lama examined the book for a while and when he noticed it was a Bible he became furious. He said he would never allow that book into his kingdom. He felt it was responsible for many of the world’s problems. He then tossed it into one of the incense burning bins near his elaborate seat (almost like a throne).

But he did more than just insult the Holy Bible and the Christian God. He had this Australian girl thrown in prison without notifying the Australian embassy. Members of the Indian Christian mission mentioned above, regularly visited the prisons in that area seeking to provide help to any who needed it. They found the girl and heard this story as her explanation for why she was in prision. It was almost like a dungeon cell, and she was in poor physical shape, too.

They contacted the Embassy for her and she was soon released. Although she never can return to India and see the Lama again, her testimony has had an impact. The Indian leader said they have had more Tibetans come to know Christ Jesus in the past 2 years then ever before in their 30 years of ministry.

Praise God for those who follow His leading and hold forth His word.

“…in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you appear as lights in the world, holding fast the word of life….” (Phil. 2:15b-16a NASB)

Jesus, The Devil and Suffering

~ fundyreformed ~ 3 Comments

Christians, like everyone else suffer pain and sorrow in this world. Many blame such suffering on the devil, from a praiseworthy desire not to blame God. Other Christians do blame God and doubt his provision and love for them. How could God let this happen to me? She was such a good person, it just doesn’t seem fair!

Worldly-wise secularists take a more intelligent position, they think. God isn’t there; or if He is, He isn’t concerned enough or able to interact in such a way to help prevent us from suffering. They grin and bear suffering, and encourage those friends and family who are suffering. And really, most Christians do this as well. But they won’t say God can’t intervene, rather they will credit God for helping them through the suffering.

With the recent tragedy of the I-35W bridge collapse in Minneapolis, my pastor John Piper gave an explanation of the Reformed view of suffering. God controls all things and has a purpose in everything that happens. He wasn’t surprised by the bridge collapse, and He is at work helping the grieving and suffering, as well as working out many other hidden designs in and through this single tragic event. Most Christians generally agree, although they might hesitate to affirm that God plans and causes such tragedies to happen.

On the opposite spectrum, Greg Boyd, also a Minneapolis area pastor, spoke out against Piper’s view. Boyd, representing the open theist position, claimed that God was surprised by the event as well, and in no way planned or caused it to happen. As I said above, in some respects Boyd’s position is noble. He doesn’t want anyone to blame God for the evil suffering caused by the bridge collapse. But as Denny Burk has shown, in his response to Boyd’s post, Boyd’s position doesn’t stack up with Scripture. Most of evangelicalism would also agree that God certainly knew of the event before it happened (the traditional view of God’s omniscience). [For several Reformed responses to open theism click here.]

But even for those of us who affirm God’s exhaustive foreknowledge and omniscience, we still struggle with how God can let evil happen to Christians. Isn’t the devil to blame too?

I bring up all of this as background to an excellent new article by John Piper which is available online. He discussed the roles of Jesus and the Devil in suffering with his daughter, and shared his conversation with us. The verse in question is Revelation 2:10 “Do not fear what you are about to suffer. Behold, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and for ten days you will have tribulation. Be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life.”

I encourage you to check out the article and ponder this issue now, before suffering comes your way. “When Satan Hurts Christ’s People: Reflections on Why Christians Suffer Losses” by John Piper.

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