I John 2:2 (NIV)
He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world.
For most of us, though we appreciate the story of Jesus’ birth, the scenes and context of His birth are so unfamiliar to us, that it is difficult to fully appreciate and enter into the emotions and experience of it all. How many of us have traveled by foot or donkey everywhere we go, or lived without electricity or washing machines or plumbing? Who of us has been forced to unexpectedly relocate at a time most inconvenient and costly by arbitrary order of an unmerciful government? The same may be true regarding our reflections on Jesus’ death and resurrection. How can we relate? Not many of us have witnessed the brutality of a Roman crucifixion amidst the chaos of an emotionally charged mob of fellow countrymen and religious leaders.
There are some areas of the world where people would identify with part or all of this, like those in some parts of Ukraine and Nigeria right now. But for the majority of those reading this post, these conditions are foreign and unknown to us. If so, how can we ever appreciate the amazing gift Jesus gave us by humbling Himself to become a man and live amongst us and then die for us in such a brutal way?
There is at least one way by which we can identify with Christ’s sufferings. And that is through our own suffering. You see, when Jesus died on the cross, he took upon Himself every sin done to us and every sin done by us. Every hurt, every pain, every sorrow, He became intimately aware of when He bore it on the cross to free you and me from the eternal consequences of that sin. This is what Isaiah says about it, prophesying many years before Jesus came to this earth:
Isaiah 53:4-5 (NIV) Surely he took up our pain and bore our suffering, yet we considered him punished by God, stricken by him, and afflicted. But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed.
Most of the time, when you or I suffer, our first reaction is to lash out at God. We ask, “Why, God? Why did you allow this atrocity to happen?” Sometimes, rarely, we may take a look at our own actions and notice that the suffering is just a consequence of our previous actions. But often, it is not a result of our own actions, but a result of another’s sin or a result of living in a world under the curse from the Fall of Man. Much, if not all, of the suffering in this world is a direct result of someone’s choice. Humanity has been given free will. We are free to choose to do evil or to do good. We will be held accountable to God for our choices. But every choice of every human being affects themself and others, as well.
What we often fail to realize, though, is that all of it affected Jesus. How many of us have stopped in our suffering to actually realize that this very same suffering that I am enduring now, Jesus felt, too, when He bore it on the cross for me? Isaiah 53:12b actually says, “For He bore the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.”
Jesus didn’t just watch humanity’s suffering and do nothing about it. He came and bore our suffering Himself on the cross, taking the punishment that was due us and paying it Himself. Why? Because He loved us, broken and sinful though we are. The punishment He payed for our sins, the punishment that would keep us alienated from God, has been satisfied. He has made a way for us to come close to God, so close that we call Him our Father. That’s what it means in Isaiah 53:5 when it says, “the punishment that brought us peace was on him…”
But don’t miss the next words of great hope: “…and by His wounds we are healed.” For those who are grappling with the weight of the aftermath of suffering in your life, there is hope of healing, both now and in your future. Please don’t ever give up hope! Others may not be able to understand your suffering, but Jesus always does. Come to Jesus with your pain, your suffering. Call out to Him for help. He is willing to bear it with you. And in His presence there is healing for your soul.
“By His Wounds”, by Steven Curtis Chapman, Mac Powell, Brian Littrell, and Mark Hall
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