We have been looking for the last few weeks at the things they did to our Lord. The crowd and the soldiers arrested Him falsely, put Him in the place of Barabas you and me, and mocked Him. Jesus endured all of this and remained silent. He never spoke harshly to the crowds or His persecutors. Through it all he remained focused on His purpose- to seek and to save that which was lost. He did all this for us, so we could be with Him for eternity.
The punishment that Jesus endured did not stop there. He continued to suffer far more than anyone should ever have to. Not only did Jesus endure all this, but He experienced the ultimate humiliation.
Read Mt. 27:27-31
after the mockery, the guards continued the humiliation:
I. They Spat on Jesus
The guards had taken Jesus and mocked Him mercilessly. They had spent some time alienating Him for who He was. They had beaten Him w/ a cat of nine tales and then placed a robe, crown, and bowed before The King. Now they do the ultimate in humiliation- they spit on Jesus. There is nothing that is more of an insult than to be spit upon. Jesus remained silent and did not retaliate.
There are times when you may be spit upon for the cause of Christ. Will you be ready? How will you respond?
II. They Struck Jesus
The humiliation grows w/ each moment. Now, they continued to humiliate Him by striking Him. It was not enough that they had whipped Him and left His back as a mound of bloody flesh. It was not enough that they had spit on them. Now they had to strike Him. They had a reed that they used as a mock scepter that a king would hold. This reed was now used as a method to strike Him on the head. Remember that Jesus already had a crown of thorns on His head. Now this crown was forced deeper into His skull through this rod.
There are times that you may be struck for the cause of Christ. Will you be ready? Are you willing to endure for Christ as Christ did for you?
III. They Stretched Jesus
They had stretched Jesus farther than anyone has ever been stretched. They were trying to break Him. They were seeking to make Him recant His claims. Jesus held fast and never backed down. He continued to stay focused on His purpose and plan. He refused to deny or turn His back on the Father.
Jesus did all of this for you. You may never be asked to be humiliated for the cause of Christ. If you are, will you be ready?
Most of us will probably never be asked to endure such things as Jesus did. There are those Christians in the world today who are. They accept the challenge and serve God through their suffering.
Looking back on all Jesus did for you, how has that changed your life? Has it changed it you? God loved you so much that He gave you Jesus that everyone who would believe would be saved. The extent of God’s love for you exceeds all comprehension.
Rom. 12:1 “I beseech you therefore brethren, by the mercies of God, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable, and pleasing to God, which is your reasonable service.”
Because of all He has done for me, I should be willing to live for Him. Steven Curtis Chapman- Live Out Loud- are you living out loud for Him? Can others see the love of God through your life?
“If any man come after me he must deny himself, take up His cross, and follow me” Mt. 16:24- are you willing to deny yourself and live for Him- that means we give up our wants and our needs and do for God.
How has your life changed since you met Christ?
What are you willing to give up for Him?-
prejudice- we may have to change how we were raised and love someone despite the color of their skin or social position.
Tobacco- we may have to give up something that we enjoy in order that we can be a better witness for Him.
Children- God has only lent them to us for a time. Are you willing to raise them in a godly environment, be an example to them, and allow God to use them as He desires?
Comfort- God may ask you to minister in a way that truly stretches you. Maybe with children, youth, or just people. He desires for you to use your talents and gifts for the K of G and the benefit of others. Will you?
Friends- are the relationships in your life godly? Are they representing your sacrifice and denial of self?
It doesn’t matter how old you are- there is something that you can do for God. It does not matter how young you are there is something that you can do for God. All that Christ suffered for you- what are you willing to suffer for Him? He endured for a little while so that you would not have to endure for eternity. Are you living your life according to God’s standards or your own? We will never experience full life on our own.
If you have never asked Jesus into your heart-
He suffered and died on the cross so that you could live with Him in eternity. You think- I can’t give up all this. You don’t have to. God deals w/ each one of us where we are and how He desires. If God wants you to give up something, He will give you the strength and ability to do it. Rms. 10:13 “if anyone will call upon the name of the Lord, he shall be saved.” Jesus said in John 3 that all one must do to enter heaven is to be born again. That means that we are reborn spiritually. Jn. 3:16 “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him shall be saved.”
Will you trust Him today? You come to Him and experience life as God intended and let Him handle all of the rest.
