The Suffering Christ | Part 1

 INTRODUCTION

Welcome to the Good Friday Service at City Harvest AG Church, Bangalore. Jesus Christ came into this world, lived, and died for the redemption of the sins of human beings. He rose again on the third day and is sitting on the right-hand side of God the Father. Christ died once and that one complete sacrifice was enough to take the sins of His people. Today we are going to see the suffering Jesus went through to take our sins.

The gospels do not give great details of crucifixion because it was very common in those days. With the very word crucifixion, they could understand the pain and agony of the person who was being crucified. If you put the pieces of the crucifixion from the 4 gospels, it gives a terrible picture of Jesus’ suffering.

This morning we are going to see the betrayal, arrest, and trial of Jesus. We will have a look at the second part of this message in the evening where I speak about the crucifixion and death of Jesus Christ.

BETRAYAL AND ARREST OF JESUS

Matthew 26:1-4

The Plot Against Jesus
1 When Jesus had finished saying all these things, he said to his disciples, 2 “As you know, the Passover is two days away—and the Son of Man will be handed over to be crucified.” 3 Then the chief priests and the elders of the people assembled in the palace of the high priest, whose name was Caiaphas, 4 and they schemed to arrest Jesus secretly and kill him.

The Jewish leaders had become very hostile toward Jesus and His supposed authority, so they counseled to kill Him. These leaders included the chief priests, elders, high priest, Pharisees, and the Sadducees. It was the religious crowd that had Jesus crucified, not a terrorist organization or some wicked group of Satanists. The religious leaders of that day, akin to pastors and bishops, were responsible for this act.

There is a significant distinction between religion and relationship. Being religious differs greatly from being saved. Many individuals practice Christianity as a religion, fulfilling all the requirements and yet they crucify Jesus again today. They lack a personal relationship with Him.

It becomes a mere ritualistic or organized act on every Good Friday, devoid of any genuine connection with the Lord. Jesus died only once and does not require crucifixion again. Those who engage in organized religious practices mourn His crucifixion today.

Painful Hypocrisy: Religion Without True Relationship

Organized religion does not lead people to heaven; instead, it can send them to hell because it focuses on religion rather than having a genuine relationship with Christ. Individuals who engage in organized religion may undergo confirmation, sprinkling, baptism, communion, singing songs, teaching classes, reciting ritualistic prayers, lighting candles, participating in community work, and performing various acts of goodness.

However, if they never place their trust in Jesus Christ as their personal savior, they ultimately face damnation. Trusting in religion to save them is futile. Merely being part of a church cannot save people; only the Lord Jesus Christ has the power to save them.

Jesus referred to the religious Jews as hypocrites, and in a similar vein, religious Christians can also be labeled as hypocrites because they engage in outward actions without having a genuine relationship with the Lord.

The Agony of Spiritual Deception

The Pharisees, who plotted to kill Jesus, were individuals who held strong religious convictions. “Pharisee” is not inherently a negative term. Our negative perception of them is primarily shaped by their actions towards Jesus. However, the word itself carries the literal meaning of “separate.” Are we not also called to be separate? The Pharisees initially sought to maintain a distinction from Jews who did not follow God’s law and live in accordance with it.

Their intentions started off with goodness, but over time, they devolved into a group of self-righteous hypocrites. Nevertheless, there were exceptions among them, such as Nicodemus (John 9) and Joseph of Arimathea (John 19), who were Pharisees genuinely searching for true spiritual fulfillment. Another notable Pharisee can be found in Mark 12. However, for the most part, they displayed an outward appearance of righteousness while being spiritually lifeless— lost in religion.

The last person a hypocrite desires to be around is someone who can see through them, much like Jesus could. Jesus had the ability to discern not only what was outwardly visible but also what lay within a person’s heart. A clear example of this can be seen in His words on Thursday, just prior to their decision to arrest and put Him on trial, as recorded in Matthew 23:13-33. In this passage, Jesus pronounces eight woes upon the hypocrites.

Matthew 23:13-16

13 “Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You shut the door of the kingdom of heaven in people’s faces. You yourselves do not enter, nor will you let those enter who are trying to. 15 “Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You travel over land and sea to win a single convert, and when you have succeeded, you make them twice as much a child of hell as you are. 16 “Woe to you, blind guides!….

Jesus addresses the hypocrites, calling them as blind men and blind guides, describing them as cups that appear clean on the outside but are filled with greed and self-indulgence within. He further compares them to whitewashed tombs. Moreover, Jesus goes on to refer them as snakes and a brood of vipers.

Matthew 2:33

You snakes! You brood of vipers! How will you escape being condemned to hell?

It is not surprising that the religious leaders wanted to kill Jesus because He exposed their hypocrisy. They could no longer maintain their self-righteousness in His presence. Jesus was attempting to teach them the lesson that Christianity cannot be reduced to a mere set of rules; it is about establishing a personal relationship with Him. Christianity cannot be authentically lived out by adhering to a rigid list of rules; it necessitates a genuine, personal walk with Jesus. Similarly, no church can be effectively led by relying solely on a list of rules or a series of do’s and don’ts. People must cultivate a personal, intimate relationship with Jesus.

ILLUSTRATION

In a village in India, there existed a church that displayed a list of rules on a board at its front. The list outlined prohibitions such as no television, no makeup, no V-necks, no cigarettes, and no wine. Ironically, some of the young members of the church were discovered engaging in drug use, claiming that it was not explicitly mentioned in the list.

This example demonstrates the inability to confine Christianity within a rigid set of rules. Christianity is primarily about inner spirituality, not outward adherence to regulations. Jesus exposed the darkness within individuals, but instead of embracing the light, they opted to extinguish it.

As the Jewish religious leaders plotted against Jesus, Judas betrayed Him by providing them with insider information regarding His whereabouts in the garden and the timing of His presence.

Matthew 26:36-38

36 Then Jesus went with his disciples to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to them, “Sit here while I go over there and pray.” 37 He took Peter and the two sons of Zebedee along with him, and he began to be sorrowful and troubled. 38 Then he said to them, “My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me.”

Let us reflect upon Gethsemane together this morning. Gethsemane, which means “oil press,” is remarkably fitting as Jesus is about to undergo immense pressure and crushing, enabling the oil of salvation to freely flow to each one of us. The events of that night hold mysteries that surpass human comprehension. Even before Jesus went to the cross, He achieved victory over the cross and death within the garden. This victory was attained when Jesus willingly surrendered to the will of God.

v38

Jesus said: I am exceedingly sorrowful. My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death.

In Greek, this word carries the meaning of being immersed, surrounded, and engulfed by sorrow. It depicts a state similar to being caught in a whirlpool of sorrow. The extent of what Jesus endured in the garden of Gethsemane is beyond our full comprehension. It delves into depths that surpass our imagination.

There was emotional suffering

Consider the weight of these circumstances. Jesus was rejected by His own people and faced hatred and malice from the religious leaders, and even His closest disciples had abandoned Him. The emotional suffering that Jesus endured is profound. He possessed full knowledge of what lay ahead: the injustice, the mockery, the public humiliation, and the shame. Each of these factors, individually, would devastate anyone, but Jesus experienced them all simultaneously.

His human nature recoiled in response to these emotional trials. Furthermore, Satan himself tempted Jesus, presenting an additional layer of stress and attempting to divert Him from carrying out the ultimate sacrifice on the Cross.

There was physical suffering

Crucifixion stands as one of the most severe forms of torture. It represents enduring a thousand deaths. In the case of Jesus, His sacrifice encompassed innumerable deaths, symbolizing His selfless act for each and every one of us.

There was spiritual suffering

His spiritual suffering was the worst. Take a moment and imagine Jesus’ spiritual suffering with me.

Matthew 26:39

Going a little farther, he fell with his face to the ground and prayed, “My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will.”

What is the cup? What was inside the cup? Within that cup resided every sin that would be committed by every individual throughout the ages. It contained the weight of God’s wrath, representing the consequences of humanity’s transgressions.

Psalm 75:8

In the hand of the Lord is a cup full of foaming wine mixed with spices, he pours it out, and all the wicked of the earth drink it down to its very dregs.

Jeremiah 25:15-16

This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, said to me, “Take from my hand this cup filled with the wine of my wrath and make all the nations to whom I send you to drink it. When they drink it, they will stagger and go mad because of the sword I will send among them.”

Jesus willingly accepted the task of drinking that cup, which symbolizes Him taking upon Himself the weight and consequences of sin. Despite being perfect and holy, He made the choice to bear it all. In that moment, Jesus cried out to the Lord, expressing His deep desire for an alternative if possible.

Emotionally, physically, and spiritually, He understood the immense price He would have to pay. However, His love for humanity was so profound that He submitted to the will of God. Even though Jesus is 100% God, in this instance, He spoke as 100% man. He pleaded for the cup to be removed, but ultimately surrendered Himself to God’s plan, saying, “Thy will be done.”

Painful Surrender: Embracing the Cross Over Self-Will

Jesus willingly set aside His own will in order to fulfill the will of God. He faced two choices: the cross or self. He had the option to embrace the cross or to pursue His own desires, avoiding the cross. For every believer, there exists the cross and the throne, representing the choice between having Jesus on the cross and oneself on the throne, or having Jesus on the throne and oneself on the cross.

The Bible teaches us the importance of dying to ourselves and being crucified with Christ. I die daily and put Christ on the throne. Does your life say, “My will be done, my will be done” or does it say, “Thy will be done”? It is a commitment to exalt Jesus as the King while assuming the role of a servant. It involves crucifying our own self-centeredness, declaring, “Thy will be done.”

Lucifer fell from heaven with the declaration, “I will, my will,” as he pursued his own desires. In the Garden of Eden, the first Adam also exerted his own will, leading to the downfall and condemnation of the entire human race. However, in the Garden of Gethsemane, the last Adam, Jesus Christ, chose not to exert His own will but rather surrendered it, thus bringing about the redemption of humanity.

Luke 22:44

And being in anguish/agony, he prayed more earnestly, and his sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground.

Anguish refers to both mental and physical pain. Some may perceive Jesus as being afraid to die, but it is important to note that Jesus did not fear physical death itself. His purpose was to drink the cup, which symbolized bearing the wrath of God. In order to fulfill this mission, Jesus had to die as a sinner, experiencing separation from God and the hiding of God’s face. It was the prospect of spiritual death that caused Jesus distress.

The agony that Jesus endured encompassed His body, soul, and spirit. His suffering was immense. It reached a point where His sweat became like drops of blood. Luke, being a medical doctor, likely observed this condition known as hemathidrosis, a rare phenomenon where intense distress causes the rupture of blood vessels in the brow. As a result, the blood mingles with sweat glands and flows as a mixture of sweat and blood from the brow.

In Eden, Adam’s sin led to the curse of living by the sweat of the brow, but in Gethsemane Jesus conquered Adam’s sin, and His blood mingled with the sweat of the curse; the redemptive power of Jesus’ blood drips, symbolically undoing the effects of the curse.

Luke 22:43

An angel from heaven appeared to him and strengthened him.

Every individual encounters their own Gethsemane in life. While our sufferings may not compare to those of Jesus, He Himself acknowledged that we would face troubles in this world. He empathizes with our pain. Just as Jesus had His Gethsemane, we too have our own moments of deep anguish. However, in every Gethsemane, there is an accompanying angel sent by God to provide assistance and support in our time of distress.

Whatever garden God leads you to walk through, when you surrender with the words, “Thy will be done,” He sends an angel to strengthen and uplift you. And when the ultimate Gethsemane arrives, which is death, we can express our gratitude that we will be carried to heaven by the angels, provided that we place our trust in Jesus.

What happens next? Judas, who had betrayed Jesus, was aware of His whereabouts. He arrived at Gethsemane accompanied by a group of soldiers and officials from the chief priests and Pharisees. Their purpose was to carry out a plot to arrest Jesus.

John 18:4-6

4 Jesus, knowing all that was going to happen to him, went out and asked them, “Who is it you want?” 5 “Jesus of Nazareth,” they replied. “I am he,” Jesus said. (And Judas the traitor was standing there with them.) 6 When Jesus said, “I am he,” they drew back and fell to the ground.

At the very moment Jesus declared, “I am,” a remarkable event unfolded. Everyone present was forcefully pushed backward and fell to the ground. It is intriguing to observe that throughout the Bible, when individuals fall backward, it often signifies their enmity with God. On the contrary, those who are friends of God typically bow down and prostrate themselves on their faces as a sign of reverence.

JESUS’ TRIAL

On the night of His arrest, Jesus was brought before the high priest’s residence. Throughout the entire night, He endured suffering without any rest. In the early morning, He was taken to Pontius Pilate for the purpose of trial. Despite Pilate’s inability to find any wrongdoing in Jesus, he sent Him back to King Herod. However, Herod, too, found no valid charges against Jesus and returned Him to Pilate. Eventually, due to the relentless outcry from the religious leaders, Pilate made Jesus suffer by sentencing him to death by crucifixion.

Jesus’ trial which was a sham. It was a shameful and illegal mockery of justice. Everything about the trial of Jesus was illegal – from start to finish.

The Agony of Christ

He was considered guilty before the trial even began.
Furthermore, certain aspects of the trial took place during the night, which was against the legal procedures. Moreover, Jesus was denied the opportunity to summon any witnesses to testify on His behalf. If given the chance, Jesus could have called upon the angels as witnesses or individuals whom He had miraculously healed, such as those who were once blind, deaf, or disabled. However, Jesus was unjustly prevented from presenting any witnesses in His defense.

The Sanhedrin held a dual role as both judges and prosecutors in Jesus’ case. They went to great lengths to secure false witnesses, despite the severe consequence of perjury, which entailed receiving the punishment designated for the accused—in Jesus’ case, death.

Death penalty sentences required a mandatory waiting period of three days. During this period, the religious leaders were expected to engage in fasting, prayer, and careful consideration to ensure the correctness of their decision. However, in the instance of Jesus, from the moment of His arrest to His crucifixion, only a few hours transpired, disregarding the prescribed waiting period.

Everything about the trial and the sentence of Jesus was illegal. Jesus did not get justice.

By the way, even with all this against Him, He could have proven His own innocence if He wanted to, even with this unfair treatment. Jesus did not open His mouth or defend Himself. When given an opportunity to speak Jesus did not open His mouth. Jesus did not defend Himself. This was fulfilment of the prophecy.

Isaiah 53:7

He was oppressed and afflicted, yet he did not open his mouth; he was led like a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before its shearer is silent, so he did not open his mouth.

But why did Jesus remain silent? It’s almost as if He WANTED to die! Yes Jesus did want to die. Jesus could have got out of death, He is God. None can take life out of Him, He is God, He gives life; Jesus wanted to die for you and me.

THE MOCKERY OF JESUS

Matthew 26:67-68

67 Then they spit in his face and struck him with their fists. Others slapped him 68 and said, “Prophesy to us, Messiah. Who hit you?”

They played games and subjected Him to mockery, reaching the height of humiliation by spitting in His face multiple times throughout His trial. This was the same face that shed tears at the grave of Lazarus, radiated warmth while welcoming little children, and gazed upon this world with love. It was this beloved face that they shamefully spat upon.

If one recognizes their need for salvation and acknowledges that Jesus can save them, yet rejects this offer, they are, in a profound sense, spitting in the face of that beautiful, compassionate visage. Such an individual is essentially saying, “I don’t care that you love me, died for me, suffered for me, were humiliated for me, were tortured for me!”

They mocked Jesus’ deity

They blindfolded Him and then hit Him, mocked Him and asked Him who was it that hit Him. Even with the blindfold Jesus did know who hit Him but Jesus remained silent. They mocked His deity.

The soldiers mocked Jesus’ human nature

Matthew 27:28 

They stripped him …

Every human has to be given dignity for his human body. Jesus was stripped half naked and naked many times. They mocked the human nature of God.

They mocked Jesus’ royalty

Matthew 27:28

They stripped him and put a scarlet robe on him, and twisted together a crown of thorns and set it on his head. They put a staff in His right hand. Then they knelt in front of him and mocked him. “Hail, king of Jews!”

They put a purple robe on Him and a scepter in His hand and the crown of thorns on His head. Purple shows royalty in the Bible. They bowed and made fun of Him. The royalty of Jesus was mocked. Everyone laughed at Him while he suffered.

THE PHYSICAL ABUSE OF JESUS

John 19:1-3

1Then Pilate took Jesus and had him flogged. 2 The soldiers twisted together a crown of thorns and put it on his head. They clothed him in a purple robe 3 and went up to him again and again, saying, “Hail, king of the Jews!” And they slapped him in the face.

The Affliction of Christ

Jesus endured the excruciating torment of being flogged, with His body mercilessly beaten from head to toe. They cruelly placed a crown of thorns upon His head, piercing His brow and causing blood to flow. His back was lacerated, and now He endured the lashes of the cat of nine tails—a handle with nine whips adorned with sharp fragments of metal, glass, and bone. And the Bible says that with His stripes we are healed! To add to His agony, they spat upon Jesus, defiling his sacred countenance.

The soldiers subjected him to further suffering and brutality, leaving his face bruised and disfigured. In a mocking gesture, they adorned Jesus with a purple robe, momentarily covering His wounds and offering comfort; the robe took the place of a bandage. Jesus would have felt comforted in the midst of suffering. Suddenly they took off his robe, like peeling off a bandage. It opened all the wounds again. Jesus bled more profusely and suffered even more.

Psalm 22:14-15

14 I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint. My heart has turned to wax; it has melted within me. 15 My mouth is dried up like a potsherd, and my tongue sticks to the roof of my mouth; you lay me in the dust of death.

According to scripture, He already wasn’t recognizable—what a man He is. 

Isaiah 52:14

Just as there were many who were appalled at him— his appearance was so disfigured beyond that of any human being and his form marred beyond human likeness.

You do not know who Jesus is now, he is disfigured.

CONCLUSION

You see, Jesus’ suffering was not solely on the cross; it was not fully on the cross. The victory of the cross was actually won long before Jesus was crucified, specifically in the garden. We are healed by His stripes even before He goes to the cross. And then the final victory for us was achieved when He died on the cross.

He willingly submits to all of this,suffers, giving His life without anyone taking it from Him. He had the power to stop it at any time, but He chose not to. Why? For the love of you and me! The movie ‘Passion of the Christ’ depicts Jesus as a man covered in blood and wounds, although I personally couldn’t bear to see that particular poster. However, when we read the scriptures, we realize that Jesus actually endured far more than Hollywood could ever dramatize.

In this narrative, we witness humanity at its worst and God at His absolute best. It’s astonishing how wickedly humanity can treat God, and yet how supremely, gloriously, and lovingly God can turn around and treat humanity!

Though sinless, Jesus bore the full force of God’s wrath upon Himself. He willingly drank the cup of suffering. The spiritual agony of having all the sins of humanity placed upon Him and experiencing His Father turning His back on Him is beyond our comprehension. Separation from God is hell. What does God’s anger and wrath feel like? Like hell! We cannot truly fathom what hell feels like, and I sincerely hope you never have to suffer like that. Jesus, however, experienced it so that you wouldn’t have to. And out of love, He clung to that cross.

Will you cling to the old rugged cross?