SERMON: SUFFERIN PRIVILEGE
GOOD FRIDAY...for everyone but Jesus! I want to focus in on cross carrying - Like Simon of Cyrene - Jesus the Christ And You The Disciple! I want to challenge you in the priviledge you've been given. To, perhaps reveal your priviledge. To encourage you in the Christian life! Carrying the cross is a costly and controversial task. There were many disciples named Simon, but where was Simon Peter, the leader of the twelve apostles? Why did he not say something? Where was Simon the zealot when the Roman soldiers were crucifying the Lord? What happened to his anti-Roman zeal? Where was Simon, Jesus’ half-brother, when their mother Mary was crying her tears out (Mk 6:3)? 1PETER2:21 For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps: Would you have been there to bear the cross? Are you now? Suffered for doing right is pleasing (shows your love) to God and expected (He wants to show Himself on your behalf, but you must die everytime so the world can see Him through you!) from our example! The shame of the cross -- to the Greeks, Jews, and to the world -was understandable. We need big minds, broad shoulders, and brave hearts for the journey. Simon the frequent traveler was right for the job. In the end, Simon became Jesus’ side show, the butt of jokes and object of ridicule. Whether Simon treasured it, he was still serving Jesus. The walk behind Jesus was unanticipated. If he walked in front of Jesus he could have reached Golgotha easily in half the time. But to walk behind Jesus, you will have to slow down every time Jesus slowed, paused, or tripped. You cannot walk fast, be frantic, or arrive first. The walk behind Jesus still is unanticipated. 1PETER3:18 For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit: Do you get ahead of Christ? Easier to show Him where to go? You may find your moving at your pace but there is little/no fruit! Simon saw Jesus fall over and over. He heard Jesus heave a sigh of relief, struggle for air, but eventually reached Golgotha. Hudson Taylor said: "Fruit-bearing involves cross-bearing. There are not two co Christ – an easy-going one for easy-going Christians, and a suffering, toiling one for exceptional believers. There is only One Christ" CRUCIFIXTION: Finally arriving at Calvary, the old rugged cross was placed on the ground, and Jesus is quickly thrown backward with His shoulders against the wood. The legionnaire feels for the depression at the front of the wrist. He drives a heavy, square, wrought-iron nail through the wrist and deep into the wood. Quickly, he moves to the other side and repeats theaction. The cross is then lifted into place and a placard is placed above His head reading: Jesus of Nazareth King of the Jews. The left foot is pressed backward against the right foot, and with both feet extended, toes down, a nail is driven through the arch of each, leaving the knees flexed. Jesus is now crucified. As He slowly sags down with more weight on the nails in the wrists, excruciating, fiery pain shoots along the fingers and up the arms to explode in the brain --the nails in the wrists are putting pressure on the median nerves. As He pushes Himself upward to avoid this stretching torment, He places His full weight on the nail through His feet. Again there is the searing agony of the nail tearing through the nerves between the bones of the feet! The Roman soldiers in attendance, look up at this so-called "king" and wag their heads. They continue to laugh at Him as he is suspended between heaven and earth. The Jews sarcastically cried out: "If you are the Son of God, come down from the cross". Others were heard to say "He saved others, yet Himself , He cannot save!" The angels in heaven looked on in stunned disbelief. Here was the Creator; the Lion of Judah; the Son of the Living God being crucified at the hands of His creation! And God the Father was walking away from His Only Son!! Simon the Cyrene. The Lord Jesus. What was carrying the cross like? Not the right question: What IS the carrying the cross like? I found an example of cross-bearing a little more recent? You may not like it. This about a missionary by the name of Helen Roseveare,and how she had underwent suffering and pain as a medical missionary for 20 years to Zaire. HEBREWS11:25 Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season; Do you agree? Will you suffer with your family of God? OR Does the pleasure of sin win sometimes in your choices? Dr. Roseveare wrote a book about her ordeal in Zaire, Africa. The book’s name is Living Sacrifce, Helen Roseveare had a zest for life, and believed that she would make a difference in with her training, but she quickly found out that her pride, the numerous languages of Zaire natives, and the lack of medical supplies and equipment, were unkind barriers. But nothing compared to the terror she experienced when guerillas held her captive for many months, and repeatedly hit and raped her. Dr. Roseveare wrote candidly: "Beaten, flung on the ground, kicked –teeth broken, mouth and nose gashed, ribs bruised – driven at gun point back to my home, jeered at, insulted, threatened -I knew that if the rebel lieutenant did not pull the trigger of his revolver and end the situation, worse pain and humiliation lay ahead. 1PETER4:19 Wherefore let them that suffer according to the will of God commit the keeping of their souls to him in well doing, as unto a faithful Creator. Do see Him as a faithful Creator? Creator...? Faithful..? WOW! He wants us to draw near, for Rosevair to... Dr.Rosevair con't: It was a very dark night. I felt utterably alone. For a brief moment, I felt that God has failed me. He could have stepped in and prevented this rising crescendo of wickedness and cruelty. He could have saved me out of their hands. Why didn’t he speak? Why didn’t he intervene?And in desperation, I almost cried out against Him: "It is too much to pay!"… MATTHEW27:46 And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is to say, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? Has it seemed God wasn't around? Jesus had been there! Trust me He's Coming!! In the darkness and loneliness, He met with me…And He breathed a word into my troubled mind: the word privilege. Lord said"These are not your sufferings: they are not beating you. These are my sufferings: all I ask of you is the loan of your body." Dr. Roseveare served faithfully in Zaire for 20 years, and though misfortune struck her, she survived the attack, worked tirelessly for eight or nine years more in the village, and concluded the briefly reported incident in the book with these words: "For that night, cost became swallowed up in privilege. 2TIMOTHY3:12 Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution. Let me read that again! 2TIMOTHY2:12 If we suffer, we shall also reign with him: Priviledge? Do you see suffering as a priviledge? We are called to suffer and serve now and then reign forever! Worth it? Con't And then, after hours of torment Jesus lifted His weight momentarily from the cross, allowing Him to fill His lungs in order that He might make one final proclamation: "It is finished! Father into your hands I commit my spirit" With this statement pandemonium broke loose. Nature convulsed. The sun refused to shine its fair rays down upon a creation which would treat the Creator so. The birds refused to sing their lovely songs to those who had shed innocent blood. Earth convulsed, Hell rejoiced; and Heaven stood amazed. God the Father looked down from His throne and with a glint in His eye said: "It’s all right -- Satan HAS NOT won. It’s Friday --- But Sunday’s coming!" - Always remember - When suffering comes, your living out Good Friday. But Soon, Sunday Comes,and the priviledge becomes clear in His resurrection glory and eternal victory! PPHILIPPIANS3:10 That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death; It may not make immediate sense, but the privilege od suffering for Him is the only way to really know Him!! JOHN3:30 He must increase, but I [must] decrease. The more this happens, the more He is known by you, seen by others, and formed in you to make you who you were meant to be! TEXT: PHILIPPIANS1:29 For unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for his sake; It is given! - His Son - His Cross - His Salvation - His Suffering - His Blessing - His Glory. What A Priviledge! AMEN!?
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