SUCCESSFUL SUFFERER SERIES
As I studied this series, I repeatedly marveled at Jesus’ response to these betrayals. It helped me to better grasp, the depth of submission that was required for Jesus to fulfill the Father’s will. It is difficult to be in a situation to not have any power to defend yourself or retaliate; you just have to endure it. However, Jesus is all-powerful; yet, He did not invoke the forces of heaven to come to His defense.
Then said Jesus unto him [Peter], Put up thy sword into his place…Thinkest thou that I cannot now pray to My Father, and He shall presently give Me more than twelve legions of angels? But how then shall the scriptures be fulfilled, that thus it must be? (Matthew 26:52-54)
As our Advocate with the Father (1 John 2:1), Jesus could have mounted a defense for Himself against the false charges of the religious leaders; instead, He did not defend Himself.
Who [Jesus] did no sin, neither was guile found in His mouth: Who when He was reviled, reviled not again; when He suffered, He threatened not; but committed Himself to Him that judgeth righteously. (1 Peter 2:22-23)
Jesus stayed focused on God’s eternal plan and submitted to the Father. We must learn to follow the example of Christ. There are likely some traits in us that God wants to crucify through the sufferings that we experience. We are not on this road of salvation just to get to our end destination but to reflect the character of God and be lights in this dying world.
On the Cross, Jesus asked the Father to forgive those who had orchestrated the events (Luke 23:34). After His resurrection, Jesus extended forgiveness, through the message of His apostles, to those that had betrayed Him. In offering forgiveness, Jesus did not come from a posture of pride or making the betrayers feel guilty but He humbly offered forgiveness and a reconciled relationship with Him (and so should we).
Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from among you, with all malice: And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you. (Ephesians 4:31-32)
Like Christ, let us stay focused on the eternal plan of God and submit our way to Him. There is no eternal glory for us if we do not take up our cross and learn to be a Successful Sufferer.
The Spirit Himself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with Him, that we may be also glorified together. (Romans 8:16-17)
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Copyright 2023 T.L. Lockley. All rights reserved.
Scripture taken from the King James Version®. Public domain
