The Prophecies of Christ

[00:00:00] This audio sermon is provided by AnabaptistSermons.com and may be freely copied and distributed. You may not sell or edit this sermon. Our prayer is that you would be blessed by this ministry. Mine was drawn to a verse in Proverbs chapter 14, verse 10. The verse is this, The heart knoweth his own bitterness, and a stranger doth not intermeddle with his joy. This is what this widower told me. [00:00:33] He said, I came to the conclusion that my sorrow is mine alone to carry. And it's not that other people don't help, that other people don't do what they can, but there is a certain sense in which each one of us have our own life to live. And although other people may help what they can, we have to do what the Lord has before us, what our decision is in some cases, but we must bear that burden. [00:01:09] And I'm glad that we have help in carrying that. I'm not saying we don't have help. But we have our life to live. Jesus had his life to live. And somehow the meaningfulness of the words of that song were just impressed upon me as I thought of it in preparation for the message. This morning, as an introduction to the message, I would like with you to just look at some of the prophecies about the suffering of Jesus. [00:01:43] Some of the things that we have, I think, I don't have nearly all of them necessarily, but I just tried to look at some of these together. This first one may not be so much of a prophecy in Exodus chapter 12. If you want to, I'm going to turn to each one of these. If you, you're welcome to turn to them with me. Exodus chapter 12, a type or a shadow of Jesus Christ. Chapter 12 of Exodus, verse 46. This is about the Passover lamb. And it says this, in one house shall it be eaten. This is the Passover lamb. Thou shalt not carry forth aught of the flesh abroad out of the house. [00:02:29] Now, the type is this last part, neither shall ye break a bone thereof. That was how they were to treat the Passover lamb. They could eat it, they could roast it, but they were not to break a bone. Numbers chapter 9 verse 12 says the same thing I'll not turn to that but I will turn to Psalm 34 verse 20 if you want to turn with me there are a number of Psalms that speak about the suffering of Jesus [00:03:03] the 34th Psalm, the 20th verse I think this is a prophecy I believe some of the prophecies had dual meanings. They had perhaps a more immediate meaning, but they also pointed ahead. And I don't know if this had an immediate meaning or not, but I believe we recognize that verse 20 of the 34th Psalm, where it says, He keepeth all his bones, not one of them is broken. [00:03:36] I think we recognize that that points to the Lord Jesus Christ As he suffered, we heard some this morning already of the things that he went through, but not one of his bones was broken. Now, go back to Psalm chapter 22 with me and look at one of the verses here, verse 18. Perhaps we should read more than verse 18. [00:04:08] Verse 16, for dogs have compassed me, the assembly of the wicked have enclosed me, they pierced my hands and my feet. And I didn't even notice the first several verses here of what I'm reading. I may tell all my bones, they look and stare at me. In other words, his bones were protruding, I think is what he is saying here. Then verse 18 here, they part my garments among them and cast lots upon my vesture. This is just simply, I think, the psalmist David. [00:04:43] Under the inspiration of the Holy Scriptures, I don't suppose that David knew what the meaning of these words were. Maybe he did, I don't know. But what he wrote here, they're going to part my garments. They made, I think we read in one place that they parted his garments in four, but then his undergarment was in one piece. and the suggestion came from one of them and I'm sure those Roman soldiers didn't realize that they were fulfilling this prophecy [00:05:14] by doing that, by casting lots upon my vesture. Then one that would not be quite so outstanding, I might not have picked it up, but the 27th Psalm talks here about false witnesses. The 27th Psalm, verse 2, When the wicked, even mine enemies and my foes, These came upon me to eat up my flesh. They stumbled and fell. This is talking, I think this is a prophecy of Jesus here. [00:05:47] The wicked, even mine enemies. I thought it said something about a false witness, but I do not see that here. Psalm 41 is another one that points ahead to the suffering of Jesus. And I think this is one that we are familiar with. Verse 9 of the 41st Psalm says this, Yea, mine own familiar friend in whom I trusted, which did eat of my bread, hath lifted up his heel against me. [00:06:23] Again, this may have had a more immediate fulfillment or perhaps David was thinking, at least my Bible says it's a Psalm of David. Maybe he was talking about one of his friends that betrayed him. But we understand that that also is talking about Jesus and his experience with Judas. When Judas betrayed him into the hands of sinners. Isaiah chapter 49 is the next one that I would like to look at. [00:06:56] Verse 7 of Isaiah chapter 49 says, Thus saith the Lord, the Redeemer of Israel, and his Holy One, to him whom man despiseth, to him whom the nation abhorreth, to a servant of rulers, kings shall see and arise, princes also shall worship, because of the Lord that is faithful and the Holy One of Israel, and he shall choose him. I believe that is a prophecy, if I'm not mistaken, of the Lord Jesus. Now turn with me to Isaiah chapter 53 and I'll be reading more of this chapter, not in its entirety, but I would like to read a number of verses here that definitely talk about the suffering. [00:07:40] I think some of the other verses here talk about Jesus coming to the earth. Verse 2 would be his coming to the earth. But verse 3 through verse 7 definitely talk about his suffering where it says, He is despised and rejected of men, a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief, and we hid, as it were, our faces from him. He was despised and we esteemed him not. Surely he hath borne our griefs and carried our sorrows, yet we did esteem him stricken, [00:08:19] smitten of God and afflicted but he was wounded for our transgressions he was bruised for our iniquities the chastisement of our peace was upon him and with his stripes we are healed all we like sheep have gone astray we have turned everyone to his own way and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth. [00:08:52] He is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth. Now drop down to verse 10 and 11. Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise him. He hath put him to shame. When thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed. He shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hand. He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied. [00:09:27] By his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many, for he shall bear their iniquities. Did you know that Isaiah 53 is forbidden reading for the Jews today? Can you understand why? Such a graphic portrayal of Jesus' suffering. I don't know of any other place in the Bible where the portrayal is more graphic than in these verses here. A man of sorrows, despised, and then we hid, as it were, our faces from him. [00:10:03] I don't know what comes to your mind when you read that phrase. To me, I see the disciples as they turned away. And we hid, as it were, our faces from him. Even his closest associates didn't go with him in his trial. Well, yes, they did go in with him. They were inside the gates there, but they could not help, is what I should say. They forsook him and fled when Jesus was taken in the garden. We did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. [00:10:40] I don't know what you see here, but I see the disciples after his death, before his resurrection here. They thought it was all over, but indeed it was not all over. but the blessing to me is that he was wounded for our transgressions he was bruised for our iniquities the chastisement, the punishment of our peace was laid upon him the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all [00:11:12] and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb so he openeth not his mouth I just get, talk about types and shadows I see that here and I just am blessed as I look at this scripture. There are a few more. Zechariah. Zechariah has a number of scriptures that relate to his or that prophesy, foretell his suffering or things, events that happen. [00:11:44] Zechariah chapter 11 verse 13 says this. And the Lord said unto me, Cast it unto the potter a goodly price that I was prized at of them. And I took the thirty pieces of silver and cast them to the potter in the house of the Lord. What do you see there? Jesus, what was the price that Judas was given? Thirty pieces of silver. And that's what we have here. [00:12:16] and you know what happened when Judas went back and threw those pieces of silver into the temple? He was wanting to give them back and they didn't take it. They said, what's that to us? You see to that. And he said, I've betrayed innocent blood. We read that he threw the pieces down there. He didn't want them on his hand. And as they debated what they should do, they said, we can't put this in the treasury because it's blood money. And so they took it and bought the potter's field. You are acquainted with that. And this is the scripture that foretells that. [00:12:54] Zechariah chapter 12, the 10th verse. And I will pour upon the house of David and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem the spirit of grace and of supplications. And they shall look upon me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him as one mourneth for his only son, and shall be in bitterness for him as one that is in bitterness for his firstborn. An only son, a firstborn, the picture of Jesus, they shall look on him whom they have pierced. [00:13:31] And that is, I think, talking about the piercing of Jesus' side. Chapter 13, verse 7. Awake, O sword, against my shepherd and against the man that is my fellow, saith the Lord of hosts. Smite the shepherd and the sheep shall be scattered, and I will turn mine hand upon the little ones. You remember that Jesus said, it's written, smite the shepherd and the sheep shall be scattered. And I think this is the verse that he was referring to. Now, if you will go with me to the New Testament, there is one that I would like to look at. [00:14:08] Now, in the New Testament, Luke chapter 2, this was what was said to Mary, the mother of Jesus. You remember when Simon came to, or was it Simeon, Simeon came to hold the baby Jesus in his hands. He had a number of things to say about Jesus, but especially, I'd like to especially notice verse 35 of Luke chapter 2. [00:14:43] Yea, a sword shall pierce through thine own soul also, that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed. A sword shall pierce thine own soul also. I don't know if Mary thought about this as she was standing at the cross of Jesus as Laverne had us think this morning but it seems to me that she might have because we read that Mary took these things and I don't know if it wasn't talking about this thing [00:15:15] it was talking about other things that were told her and pondered them in her heart and I don't know if these things came back to Mary or not but I would like to think that perhaps they did she thought oh this is what Simeon meant when he said a sword shall pierce through thine own soul also now we could with profit read of the scriptures perhaps this morning I will forego that I would like to just simply as I studied this lesson [00:15:49] or as I studied for this message I did look at this hymn that we sang that Brother Darrell led us in just before the message. And as far as I know, it is factually quite accurate. I don't know if Jesus asked for water or not. He did say, I thirst. But other than that, I have just appreciated the words of this hymn. and the fact that they help us to see our suffering Savior and our Lord. [00:16:26] I don't know about you, but we are made to be social creatures. We are made to relate together, to interact together. And I suppose that is why those words, all alone, he suffered everything. He died for me, all alone. The Korah says he could have called 10,000 angels. And I don't know about you, sometimes I like to think mathematically. [00:17:00] I thought back of the time of Hezekiah, when the Assyrian army was there, and Hezekiah prayed. He said, God, what shall I do? Because we don't have the wherewithal to meet this great army. And I think if I remember correctly, I looked at this, I think he sent word to Isaiah. And Isaiah sent word back to Hezekiah and said, you don't have to worry because this commander is going to go back into his own land and he'll be struck down there. [00:17:30] And if you look, that's what happened there. You read about that in 2 Kings, toward the last part of 2 Kings. How many people did that angel kill there? You remember the story. The Assyrian army got up the next morning and most of the people were dead corpses. How many people died there? 185,000. If Jesus could have called 10,000 angels, strictly mathematically speaking, what would those 10,000 angels, how many people would they have been able to face? [00:18:04] If we take the 185,000, if my math is correct, that comes to 1,850,000,000 people that the angels would have been able to take care of. Now, to me, that is not that important. That angel could have stricken more than 185,000 if he would have chosen to. If the Lord would have wanted him to. That is what was done in that situation. But Jesus suffered all alone. [00:18:37] Even though he had that tremendous power at his disposal. in a number of scriptures in the Gospel of John and I didn't look these up but Jesus said no man takes my life from me I lay it down of myself and that is brought out by the fact that he said I could call ten legions or twelve legions of angels I think is what it says in the scripture but he could have called a host of people [00:19:08] he could have called a host of angelic beings to his aid, but he chose to die all alone. And if you go back to Isaiah, you understand why he chose to die all alone. I don't know if it is just my imagination or if it is really so, but as I was preparing for this message, it seemed to me that perhaps women were more attuned to Jesus' needs than the men that surrounded him. [00:19:40] I'm talking about the people that were followers of Jesus now when I say that and I'll tell you why I say that. Why did Mary Magdalene anoint, was it the head that she anointed or the feet or was it both? I'm not sure. As I look at the anointing of Jesus, especially for the message in Illinois, I looked at that and I wondered, was this one happening or was it perhaps two happenings? Because there are things that are different. We'll just look at a few of those differences with you this morning here. [00:20:14] Not spent a lot of time at that. If I remember correctly, the first three Gospels say it took place in the house of Simon the leper. Some of them don't name him. Some of them say that it was a Pharisee, I think. But in that case, I think it was Simon the leper. There is this one thing that was also in Bethany, if I understand correctly. I think in John it says it took place in the house of Lazarus and Mary and Martha. So, I don't know. I told Amy that if I were an agnostic, these are some details that might keep me. [00:20:53] But I am not an agnostic. I choose to believe and there are some details like that that to me are incidental and they are not that important. Perhaps it was two events. I don't know. Was it one or was it two? I think in two of the places it says, I'm not quite sure of my numbers here, I think two of the places it says she anointed his head as he sat at the meet there. The other two it says she anointed his feet. There are more important things than these details. [00:21:29] You remember what Simon was thinking in his heart as was recorded in the one place? Jesus, if this were truly a prophet, if Jesus were truly a prophet, he would know that this is a sinner that is anointing his feet here. But Jesus knew his thoughts and Jesus had something to say. In fact, that's kind of the way he addressed that situation. He said, Simon, I have somewhat to say to you. [00:22:00] And Simon said, say on. And then Jesus just asked, who is it that is most in love with somebody if somebody forgives much or forgives little? And Simon said, well, the one that's forgiven much. And Jesus just, I would imagine, Jesus pointed to the woman and said, Simon, this woman was forgiven much. I don't know that he said it, but he might have said, you were given little and you love little. [00:22:34] But Mary was in tune, I think, with Jesus' needs. And the fact that she anointed his head, his feet, whatever it was, or both, tells us something about that. There is one other thing. This alabaster box is taken to mean different things. But there is one thing that I think helps us to understand the magnitude of what Mary did. When we have perfume in a bottle, we have a little cap that we take off and we use a little bit and then we put the cap on and put it back, right? [00:23:11] That's usual today. If I understand correctly, this was a container made out of alabaster. Alabaster is what, a kind of stone, I think. but I don't know how it was made but I understand that it was made you read that she broke this and I understand that's the only way they had of opening this and once it was broken you use everything it was given without reserve and the picture is a beautiful picture [00:23:42] of a husband and wife coming together in marriage and that is the way it's used and that is right and good but I think what we see here is a woman that was willing to give her all to the Lord Jesus Christ and I think that perfume was a sweeter one than the spicknard that they smelled in the room that offended the disciples and especially Judas. As we look at that we see that they said what with this waste [00:24:15] and I don't know what you think of as far as how much money it cost but I think it was over a year's salary for an average wage earner because it's over 300 pence is what it says in one place maybe in another place it says 300 pence and if you look at that that would be working about six days a week for almost a year and so I would take it that that was at least a year's salary And I'll let you put a dollar amount to that. [00:24:46] As I've talked about Mary, the mother of Jesus, I think Mary's heart was with Jesus all the way through, but she was not able to help. And for that reason, I think the song is correct when it says, all alone, he suffered everything. You know, as we look at the men closest to Jesus, I'd like to look at them just a little bit. And I want to be careful how I look at these. I want to recognize that if you or if I would have been there, perhaps we would have responded the way they did. [00:25:21] Peter denied Jesus, although he said, I'm going to die with you. I'd be willing to go to death with you. And not just Peter said this to Jesus. In one of the Gospels, we read that all of them said that. But when push came to shove, what did Jesus say? The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak, about the three that were with him in the garden. And I think that's what happened to Peter. Was Peter standing in the strength of the, in the arm of flesh here? [00:25:55] Perhaps, but the spirit, the Holy Spirit had not been given to them. And what Judas did was especially terrible, it seems to me. Jesus said the son of man goes, he's going to go in the way that he had prophesied to his disciples but woe to that man by whom he is betrayed and those are my own words but was it Judas that said what a waste this perfume that Mary Magdalene gave [00:26:27] we could say that Judas was mercenary in his values Maybe Judas just thought he was being a good steward. I don't know. Although we do read in the Bible that Judas was also a thief, we get the idea that he helped himself to the money that was in the treasury. But the reason I say that is it is good to be good stewards of the things that God gives us. [00:26:57] In fact, we are called to be good stewards. But sometimes there are things that go beyond stewardship. And I think Mary found that when she was willing to give, make that sacrifice of that spickner that she had in that alabaster box. She broke it and she, I think she used everything. She gave everything. I shouldn't say that she gave everything that she had. I don't know that. But it is a type of giving everything that we have to the Lord Jesus. You know, the three disciples that were closest to Jesus, they couldn't stay awake. [00:27:33] I don't know if you sympathize with that or not. Some of us do. Sometimes we have a problem staying awake with Jesus as we are watching with him. As we are in services, sometimes we display our humanity by doing the very same that these disciples did. Theirs was a little different situation. Theirs was at night when they were usually sleeping, although couldn't they stay awake all night sometimes to fish? [00:28:05] And perhaps it's a different thing. They were working there. They were occupied when they were fishing. Here, it was a matter of being more of being sitting still or kneeling and holding still is what I am trying to say. Jesus suffered all alone, I said, and that was by choice. I say that just simply because of what I said to you before I lay my life down, Jesus said Now, looking at the sufferings [00:28:40] Looking at some of the things that Jesus did for us The things that he went through Would it have been necessary for him to go through these things? I am not sure and exactly what went on behind the scenes that were not shown, I don't know. C.S. Lewis writes about the suffering of Jesus but what happened before that. And he brings out something that I never thought of. [00:29:13] And he brings out the fact that Jesus may have just simply had a face-to-face encounter with Satan. Satan was wanting to get Jesus out of the way. Jesus was wanting to do the will of the Father and C.S. Lewis has Jesus agreeing with Satan I will give my life of course and then he points out the fact that Satan didn't realize what could happen after death [00:29:45] after Jesus' death and that if you look at it Would Satan have been as anxious to kill Jesus if he would have known what would happen afterwards? But looking at the things that Jesus went through for you and for me, some of these Laverne mentioned already, and that's fine. He was spit upon. What is the worst thing that you can do to your enemy? [00:30:16] I recall one occasion in the Old Testament where it talks about this person shall go and spit in this person's face. And you can read that, I'm not sure where it is, I just thought of this just now. But if a person was not willing to, if a brother died, man's brother died and left a widow, And this person was not willing to raise seed. Then this woman was permitted to go, what was it, take off her own slipper or take off the others? [00:30:50] I don't remember, but and spit in his face. The most despicable thing that you can think of doing. They blindfolded Jesus. Then they, these were Roman soldiers, hardened Roman soldiers. Then they struck him, prophesy to us. Tell us who did this. Could Jesus have done this? Most certainly he could have. Why was it that Jesus remained silent? I'm not sure. But sometimes silence is more powerful than words. He was willing to take that for you and for me. [00:31:27] He could have, but as a lamb before her shearers is dumb, so he opened not his mouth. Those are words I read from Isaiah chapter 53, and that's what I think of as I think of his silence then and his silence before Pilate. A few times he answered Pilate, but most of the time he was silent. When he appeared before Herod, Herod was glad to see him because he wanted to see a miracle. but Jesus didn't answer one word and they mocked him, they arrayed him in one translation [00:32:04] it says a gorgeous robe and they mocked him, his soldiers mocked him. Jesus was crowned but with a crown of thorns and I don't think that the imagery of the crown of thorns The thorns that was given to the church at Fairhaven and for many years hung on the wall behind the pulpit, I don't think that image will ever leave me. Thorns that were maybe this long, and of course it was somebody's idea of what this crown of thorns might have been like. [00:32:37] Somebody suggested they may have been poisoned. They certainly were painful. They took them, they beat upon that crown of thorns with a stick they had in their hand. When they bowed their knee, it was in mockery, as though they were worshipping him. And I know I have mentioned the fact that the trial of Jesus was a mockery, but it was. I don't know how many laws of their own that the Jews broke in the trial of Jesus, But it was many, many laws of their own that they broke in order to get Jesus out of the way. [00:33:15] Tried by the Jewish Sanhedrin, then he was taken to Pilate's hall and tried there as well. One of the things that stood out to me, I don't know how many questions Jesus was asked by Pilate, But in one of the scriptures, one question was recorded, one answer by Jesus. What did Pilate say? I find no fault in this man. I don't see any reason that he should die. Was Pilate a righteous man? [00:33:46] No, he wasn't. But I think Pilate recognized innocence when he saw that. They looked for false witnesses. They didn't find any. Finally, there are two that came that said that he said he's going to destroy this temple and rebuild it in three days. And even so, they didn't agree, it says in one of the scriptures. So, it came back to, we have to judge him out of his own mouth. And so they asked Jesus, are you the son of God? I think in one place it says he was just quiet. [00:34:19] And then they said, I adjure you by Almighty God that you tell us. And Jesus said, it is as you say, and that was enough for them to condemn him. As I look at the, I'd like to look at the seven sayings of Jesus on the cross. And these you find in different places. You find some of them in Luke, some in John, and then I think one of these comes from Mark. [00:34:49] In Luke chapter 23, verse 34, I appreciate the example that Jesus gave to us in this verse where Jesus, as he was, I think it was as he was being nailed to the cross by these Roman soldiers. Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do. What were some of the words with which some of the martyrs died as they faced death? [00:35:23] What did Stephen say? Father, lay not this sin to their charge. Very similar words. And I think you read this about other martyrs as well. That they prayed for their enemies even as they were dying. Not willing to hold a grudge. And I'm not sure of the order, of the exact order of these sayings, but perhaps one of the next things that Jesus did was when the thief, by his side, the one thief reviled him. [00:36:01] The other thief said, don't you realize that we're guilty as charged? And here's a man that's innocent. And then he turned to Jesus and he asked for mercy. And Jesus' answer, Verily I say unto thee, Today shalt thou be with me in paradise. Was Jesus thinking about himself? He thought of other people ahead of himself, I guess I would say. I don't know if this was the next one or not. [00:36:32] but perhaps the next one was the one that Brother Laverne alluded to in John chapter 20 verse 26 and 27 where Jesus looked down and saw his mother there and she must have been quite close because he talked to her and I assume in a normal tone of voice so maybe as close as you are to me here and his words there Woman, behold thy son and then to John, behold thy mother and we read that John took her and took care of her. [00:37:05] Jesus was looking out for his mother, not thinking about himself, although he was suffering tremendously. I have not heard a lot of what people go through when they're crucified, but they have tremendous pain in their feet. They have the tremendous pain in their hands. and if they hang on their hands I understand that it almost chokes them so it's hard for them to speak so he had to raise himself up on his feet enough so that he could speak [00:37:36] and that each one of his sayings here I think represents tremendous excruciating pain all the while he was on there he was in tremendous pain and then in Mark chapter 15 verse 34 those words and I'm not sure what language Jesus was speaking where he said, in one place it says Eli, Eli, and in several other places it says Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani, but it's translated for us here so we don't need to know the language. [00:38:07] My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? All alone he suffered everything. You know, that phrase, just as I look at the sufferings of Jesus, that all alone just comes back to me again and again. But even his father had to forsake him so that he could die, is what some people say, and I have no, I think that is correct. And then the fifth saying that he said is recorded in John chapter 20, verse 28. [00:38:45] I say the fifth. I have put these in my own order. They may not be the exact order in which they happen. The first and the last two are fairly, I think we are fairly comfortable in saying that these were first and last. But in John chapter 20, verse 28, Jesus was just giving recognition to his need here. He said, I thirst. I understand that in crucifixion where they lose blood and they go through a tremendous thirst at that time. [00:39:22] And in this case, I think Jesus took some of the wine that was offered him on a sponge. Before he was offered wine to drink that was mixed with gall, and he refused that. If I understand correctly, the wine with gall was made to serve as a kind of an aesthetic. It made it so they didn't suffer quite as much. Jesus refused them. But here he took the wine that was given to him to assuage his thirst. [00:39:54] And then the last two, and I'm not quite sure what order these are given. I know that in John it says, John chapter 20 verse 30, it says, he said, it is finished. And I think in John you read that he bowed his head and died. My own words, but the meaning is that. And in Luke chapter 23 verse 46, it says, Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit. And then it says there that he died. And I think these are all correct, but in the exact order that they were given, I am not sure. [00:40:34] Can we feel Jesus' pain? I'm just going to take us back to Proverbs chapter 14 verse 10 and just simply say that no, we can't. We can try to imagine. We can only try. And I don't think that we feel. I don't know if any of us have been forsaken by others. Amy and I, between the two of us, have buried four parents. [00:41:06] One of the things that we tried to do in their last days was to be there for them as much as we could, to provide all the comfort that we could. That was the United Jesus. even the people that would have done that for him couldn't do that and I just see so many contrasts here that I would just conclude that we cannot know what it was that Jesus went through [00:41:36] well, we can't in the sense that all of us are guilty all of us have a sin nature all of us are worthy of death But Jesus died so that we might live So in that sense we cannot identify with Jesus I would say this though That even today there are people that know what it is to suffer and to die as martyrs [00:42:08] Just since my mother-in-law's death We get a newsletter that is put out by Tom White, the voice of the martyrs. I don't know how many of you get that newsletter. But if you are interested in looking at that, I brought one along today. It's out in our vehicle. I thought of bringing it in. I thought maybe it's a distraction more than a help. On the front page is a picture of a, I don't know, 10, 12-year-old girl. I think maybe it says how old she was. [00:42:40] She was a young Indian girl. I'm talking about not a Native American, but she's from India. She survived. I think they tried to kill the family. They set fire to the house and she was badly burned. I think she had burns over 40% of her body. They have a picture of before and then after she was starting to heal and then after Voice of the Martyrs helped with plastic surgery to restore her face [00:43:13] so that it's something that is not so offensive to look at. The thing that probably is most impressive of all to me is that this girl is saying, I want to go back to share the good news with my people. If I don't, there are people that are going to die without hope. And to me, that embodies the spirit of Christ in a way that perhaps none of us have had to. [00:43:44] So, Jesus had his suffering to go through. And this service is especially to commemorate that. We don't know what's ahead of us and I am not a fear monger. I don't think I am. I don't aim to be. We do know that the grace that is given us is sufficient for that which we will face. And I take comfort in that. But each of us, you and I, have our own thing to go through. And I need to take up my cross and follow Jesus. You need to take up your cross and follow Jesus. [00:44:23] And as we look at the example that Jesus gave us, it gives us courage. Jesus was able to do that. Could you? Could I? On our own strength? We'd be just like Peter. But Peter was strengthened afterwards. When he was filled with the Holy Spirit, Peter became a man that was bold, that could suffer, and he suffered and died for his Lord.