Posted on 12/15/2022 12:11:07 PM PST by metmom
Jesus loved Lazarus, and he also dearly loved Lazarus’ two sisters, Mary and Martha. Their home was an oasis for the Son. We know Lazarus and his family loved Jesus, but the scriptures are most emphatic in pointing out Christ’s love for them. “Lord, behold, he whom you love is sick” (John 11:3, NKJV).
“When Jesus heard that, he said, ‘This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God may be glorified through it.’” (John 11:4).
Jesus knew that his Father intended for this miracle to give him glory and give them confidence and faith, but what an experience of deep suffering it turned out to be for Jesus. The disciples doubted him; Mary and Martha doubted him, and so did the weeping friends of Lazarus. Did Mary know how deeply she hurt him when she accused him of being preoccupied and disinterested in their problem? “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died” (John 11:21).
Did Martha know how it hurt her Master when she questioned his resurrection power? He had plainly told her, “Your brother shall rise again,” but his word was not enough. She answered, in essence, “Oh, yes, on resurrection day he will arise, but that doesn’t help today” (see John 11:24).
How painful it must have been for Christ to have his dearest friends doubt that he had all the power they needed. “Don’t you know who I am yet?” is what the Lord seemed to be asking when he said, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me, though he may die, he shall live” (John 11:25).
I don’t think we know how deep his pain was at that moment. His own disciples couldn’t grasp the concept of who he was. It was hurtful enough that his own nation of people knew him not, but could those he dearly loved not recognize his power? If we, his dearest friends, will not trust his power and faithfulness, who will? We call him friend and Lord, but we do not live our lives as though he has the power needed to keep us victorious and joyful in all our pain and difficulties.
What truly satisfies the heart of our Lord is the child of his who rests completely in his love and tender care.
The Return ping
When He gazes down and sees what His children have done and continue doing
WHEN DOES CHRIST SUFFER MOST?
When he took our sins upon himself and was separated from God.
“My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”
Matthew 27:46 and Mark 15:34.
Why Does Jesus Cry “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me”?
Ultimately, it comes down to an exchange or substitution. We were given the covenant ideas and language to be able to understand in some way the need for God to demand justice for the offense of human sin. We despised the goodness of God when Eve took of the forbidden fruit and because of the first offense, we have all lived under its curse. It is an imperfection in the good thing that God created us to be.
The language of sacrifice allows us to begin to comprehend our need and the remedy for that imperfection: a sacrifice of blood. However, the question does present itself, how effective is a sacrifice that has to be renewed continuously? Is there some way to pay the price forever? God had this very thing in mind from the beginning. The early sacrifices were in place to help us to understand what Jesus would do when he came to walk among us.
You see, sacrifices had to be perfect animals. Humans are not perfect from birth. He would be able to satisfy the demand for a perfect sacrifice because he was perfect from before conception. Only Jesus could pay our price, only Jesus could suffer in our place.
When Jesus hangs on the cross, despised, suffering, and dying, he has upon himself the entirety of all sin. God cannot look upon sin, so he turns his back and withdraws his favor. The burden is now fully upon his Son and the reality of God’s wrath for sin reveals itself in full. Here is where Jesus cries out “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” In this moment there is the despair of death, but in the words of the Psalm that he references, there is also hope for deliverance. Jesus still has trust in the God of the Universe. He has submitted to God’s will to that very last moment. There is a terrible beauty in this death in that it shows us that God loves us by taking our place on the cross and dying in our stead.
What is staggering is that in just the few hours He hung on the cross, that was enough to bear the penalty of all the sin of the whole world from beginning to end.
And we are repulsed by the depravity and sin we see around us, but Jesus EXPERIENCED it in all its fullness, both as the perpetrator and the victim of the sins we commit against each other.
What is staggering is that in just the few hours He hung on the cross, that was enough to bear the penalty of all the sin of the whole world from beginning to end.
And we are repulsed by the depravity and sin we see around us, but Jesus EXPERIENCED it in all its fullness, both as the perpetrator and the victim of the sins we commit against each other.
.
Great post. Thank you and Merry Christmas.
Well said.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.