Archive for the ‘Sufferings of Christ’ Tag
GOD: The Most Important PERSONS and TASK For Everyone! Part 4 (Jesus’ Suffering/ The Biblical Worldview)
Part 4A:
Part 4B:
Bible Verse: Luke 4
Introduction:
In this series we are rehearsing and remembering the centrality of Jesus Christ, the Father’s Son, and how important every part of Who He is and what He does holds together as our Salvation. We are reviewing what it means that Jesus was born of a Virgin, that He lived a fleshly life for quite awhile, that he suffered and was crucified. We’re remembering what it means that he was the Resurrection, personally, in His Resurrection, what it means that He Ascended into Heaven, and what it means that He will return in His Final Appearing and Advent.
Theological Theme:
Jesus suffered because God-Father-Son-Holy-Spirit was intent to absorb every drop of sin and evil out of our human nature, in order to give us a renewed and healed nature in its place! The cross was not about the Father punishing His Son because He hates us and took out the hate on his Son. The Cross was about us punishing His Son because we were provoked by God’s goodness and Godness and we hated him! Two crucial questions arise: How was God going to get rid of the hate in our hearts without becoming human and substituting for us?!?! How was the Potter going to shape the clay without becoming the clay, while also remaining God?!
Christ Connection:
Jesus, the Son of the Father and Holy Spirit, assuming our human nature, had to go to the depth of sin by taking on our exact nature physically and spiritually, if he were to reach every part of us. The entire extent of our human being and activity had to be assumed, and was assumed by Jesus, without sin, thereby cleansing and renewing us with the love and life of the Trinity!
Keeping Jesus’ unity with the Trinity always in mind, we can say that: God-Father-Son-Holy-Spirit reveals Himself, through Himself, To Himself, As Himself, For us, and in us (for and inside our human being and nature) We then receive this gift in the Holy Spirit Jesus sends!
Missional Application:
In the Light of such Good News for humanity, the Church participates with Jesus Christ in receiving the Spirit and sharing this Good News with all, encouraging them to turn from their sin and receive relationship with the Father-Son-Holy-Spirit-God!
Our Gospel message can be proclaimed similar to what St. Augustine has written:
“There is nothing too subtle or dense for the Spirit to penetrate or too sinful for the Spirit to cleanse or too weary for the Spirit to refresh or too dead for the Spirit to breathe life into again. The Spirit strives with us, prays for us, groans with us (Rom. 8:18–27; Augustine, Hom. on 1 John 8).”
Photo Compliments: trinityandhumanity.com
JESUS: The Most Important PERSON and TASK For Everyone! Part 3 (Jesus’ Suffering / The Biblical Worldview)
Part 3A:
Part 3B:
Full Message:
Bible Verses: Luke 4: 1-28
Introduction:
In this series we continue understanding the Person of Jesus and the Father’s Work in Him, and what the entire course of His Incarnate Human Life (God in Human Flesh) meant and means for us. We’re understanding more accurately and biblically what it means to place our trust in and say “Jesus Christ!”
Theological Theme:
We’re in the process of answering the question “Who are You Lord?” and Jesus’ own answer back to us as the revelation of God, in the Holy Spirit, is that He is, Himself, God, and therefore He is the human expression of God’s Love. It is Revealed in Jesus that because God is Love and God is a Relationship in His own Being, God stoops and draws near to His creation, to sustain it, and, when it falls into sin, He seizes and lifts it up again in His Son, renewed. He does not forsake His own or turn from what He has made, He fulfills that which He has purposed! He literally fulfills it in Himself! The story of Who God is and Who he has revealed Himself to be for us in Jesus is the Greatest Love Story there is!
Christ Connection:
As the One Who becomes human taking our place in the entire range of our human activity, Jesus is also the one who substitutes for us in our suffering, and our death. With Representation, Substitution and Renewal in mind, we can receive that the suffering and crucifixion of Jesus isn’t about the wrath of the Father against His Son, but the Father, Son and Holy Spirit against sin and for our complete and total salvation! The suffering of Jesus is not about God the Father needing to have a pound of flesh (or an eye for an eye, or a tooth for a tooth) so that he could be satisfied (the Lord does not take pleasure in the death of anyone – Ezekiel 18:23, 32, 33:11!) but because the Father is intent to absorb every drop of evil out of our nature and give us a renewed and healed nature in its place! The suffering and cross of Jesus is not about the Father punishing His Son because He hates us, but about us punishing His Son because we have hated him in the evil of sin! Jesus did take on the punishment we deserved but it was sinners who dealt it out!
God is not afraid of sin as if he is intimidated by it and can’t get near to or touch it. He can and must get near it (assume it by getting inside of it) to get rid of it. His goodness absorbs it completely because he is completely righteous and doesn’t sin at all, therefore “mopping up” the mess of sin – undoing it !
Missional Application:
Because of Jesus, sinners can draw near to God to be healed, reconciled and redeemed. God in Christ touched lepers! Sick people touched him! It was the sickness that was defeated and overcome when Jesus drew near, not Jesus! This is what we proclaim to the world of pre-believers that they might turn from their sin and put their trust in Jesus. This is also why St. Augustine wrote about the Spirit Jesus now sends in this way:
“There is nothing too subtle or dense for the Spirit to penetrate or too sinful for the Spirit to cleanse or too weary for the Spirit to refresh or too dead for the Spirit to breathe life into again. The Spirit strives with us, prays for us, groans with us (Rom. 8:18–27; Augustine, Hom. on 1 John 8).”
Photo Compliments: http://www.crosswalk.com
Perspective On Your Present Sufferings and Future Resurrection!
Because of God – Father, Son and Spirit’s involvement in our real human lives as revealed in Jesus, and the fact that Jesus himself did not get out of sharing in our humanity without suffering, we will suffer with Him as we participate in and from Jesus.
As I like to say by analogy, sin was us missing the mark in relationship with God and rejecting him was like forcing our heads through a knothole. In undoing the mess we made, Jesus took on our humanity and pulled it back through the dark knothole, literally!, undoing the mess we made. As you can imagine, or maybe even know by experience, being pulled back out of a situation in which you’ve been stuck HURTS TOO!
This is what we see, hear and feel in Jesus as he is facing the supreme point and pain of getting us out of our stuckness, when he says in Luke 22:42, “Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done.” You might remember that the context of these words shows that an angel was sent to strengthen Jesus and he was in “great anguish, he prayed more earnestly, and his sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground.”
This expectation of having to suffer with Jesus and share in his pain is important and is actually one way of relieving the suffering that is to be experienced by us in our participation with him. How is it relieving? Well, when you are told about something in advance, it is not as shocking to you when it occurs and, in some way, though not fully, you are more prepared for it, at least mentally. As a former human resources director, I remember that nothing was more fearful for people in the workplace than “fear of the unknown!”
One consideration for your suffering as a Christian is definitely the same reason Lazarus, Jesus’ friend, suffered:
John 11: “Now a man named Lazarus was sick. He was from Bethany, the village of Mary and her sister Martha. 2 (This Mary, whose brother Lazarus now lay sick, was the same one who poured perfume on the Lord and wiped his feet with her hair.)3 So the sisters sent word to Jesus, “Lord, the one you love is sick.” 4 When he heard this, Jesus said, “This sickness will not end in death. No, it is for God’s glory so that God’s Son may be glorified through it.”
Ultimately, your participation is with Christ and in his sufferings as one who trusts him and is being saved! Consider this awesome union with Jesus Christ we have, from the Father and by the Spirit, and receive encouragement from these words penned by George MacDonald in this light:
“But oh, my friends, what shall I say about this wonderful message? Think of being sick for the glory of God! of being shipwrecked for the glory of God! of being drowned for the glory of God! How can the sickness, the fear, the brokenheartedness of his creatures be for the glory of God? What kind of God can that be? Why just a God so perfectly, absolutely good that the things that look least like it are only the means of clearing our eyes to let us see how good he is. For he is so good that he is not satisfied with being good. He loves his children so, that except he can make them good like himself, make them blessed by seeing how good he is, and desiring the same goodness in themselves, he is not satisfied. He is not like a fine, proud benefactor, who is content with doing that which will satisfy his sense of his own glory, but like a mother who puts her arm round her child, and whose heart is sore till she can make her child see the love which is her glory. The glorification of the Son of God is the glorification of the human race, for the glory of God is the glory of man, and that glory is love! Welcome sickness, welcome sorrow, welcome death, revealing that glory!”
2 Timothy 2: 8 Remember Jesus Christ, raised from the dead, descended from David. This is my gospel, 9 for which I am suffering even to the point of being chained like a criminal. But God’s word is not chained. 10 Therefore I endure everything for the sake of the elect, that they too may obtain the salvation that is in Christ Jesus, with eternal glory. 11 Here is a trustworthy saying:
If we died with him,
we will also live with him;
12 if we endure,
we will also reign with him.
Have a glorious Easter weekend (especially if you’re suffering!), Participating in Your Share of the Sufferings of Jesus Christ, and in Hope of Your Future Resurrection and Glorification in Him!
– tjbrassell
*picture courtesy of michaelkrahn.com
How To Share God’s Good News With Others! pt.6
In the POWERFUL conclusion to this series, where it is proclaimed that you are CALLED, EMPOWERED and SENT by the FATHER, through JESUS THE SON, and IN THE SPIRIT, understand:
- How to be a faithful steward of time in this hectic world to which you are sent!
- How to be the best steward of gifts and talents and experience God’s best even through discouraging personal weaknesses that can distract you!
- How to organize money and maximize its impact in participation with Christ in this world that’s trying to consume it all!
You won’t have time to sleep on this one cause you’ll be either glad or mad! hahaha
Then:
1.) get this NEW and UPDATED WORKSHEET you’ll want to keep for review: goroncy-a-theology-of-mission-share-God’s-good-news copy 2, , and…
2.) grab a pencil or pen
3.) fill-in-the-blanks as you prepare to share with others what you are learning to others who can share what their learning to others!
Here is part 1 if you are wondering: https://trinityandhumanity.com/2015/09/14/some-things-jesus-come-before-other-things/
Here is part 2 https://trinityandhumanity.com/2015/09/21/how-to-share-gods-good-news-with-others-pt-2/
Here is part 3 https://trinityandhumanity.com/2015/09/28/how-to-share-gods-good-news-with-others-pt-3/
Here is part 4 https://trinityandhumanity.com/2015/10/05/how-to-share-gods-good-news-with-others-pt-4/
Here is part 5 https://trinityandhumanity.com/2015/10/19/how-to-share-gods-good-news-with-others-pt-5/
Photo courtesy of: http://www.lifeway.com
How To Share God’s Good News With Others! pt.4
15.10.04 How To Share God’s Good News With Others, pt.4 (Rom 8 The Msg) – TAH
Do you realize the opportunity you have been given to reach those who have not yet received the Jesus Who has received them? Pastor Timothy reminds you how your union with Christ means your participation with Jesus Christ, our Lord, in this present evil world. God has called you to participate with Him in sharing Himself with others so others can walk with us even as we all struggle together worshiping our Father in the Spirit! As a child of God, Father, Son and Spirit, you have the empowerment of the Spirit to see lives joyously transformed as people are informed by His light of love in this world, in and through you!
Plus…
In this very practical message, be reminded HOW to share God’s grace graciously… How TO share, and how NOT to share, the Good News with those struggling in the LGBT community… Be reminded of a better image you and everyone should have in mind about our present trials and pains… Understand how to point people to the real intent and subject of scripture so that scripture reading becomes less burdensome and more joyful and hopeful as they meet Jesus there…, Grasp an often overlooked “cure” for depression if other medical, biological and spiritual reasons can be ruled out… plus LOTS more!
So,
1.) grab a pen or pencil,
2.) download this worksheet: How To Share God’s Good News With Others- TAH (fill in the blank), (or use the one you have already printed out), and,
3.) fill-in-the-blanks as you prepare to teach what you are learning to others who can teach what their learning to others!
Here is part 1 if you are wondering: https://trinityandhumanity.com/2015/09/14/some-things-jesus-come-before-other-things/
Here is part 2 https://trinityandhumanity.com/2015/09/21/how-to-share-gods-good-news-with-others-pt-2/
Here is part 3 https://trinityandhumanity.com/2015/09/28/how-to-share-gods-good-news-with-others-pt-3/
Photo courtesy of: http://www.k180.org
How To Share God’s Good News With Others! pt.3
https://trinityandhumanity.files.wordpress.com/2015/09/15-09-20-how-to-share-gods-good-news-with-others-pt-3-rom-12-1-2-1-peter-3-4-tah.mp3
Are you suffering in either a small or great way?
Do you know anyone who is suffering?
How do we understand suffering in the Light of the God Revealed in Jesus?
In this message, understand the place of suffering in sharing God’s Good News with others and be sure, again, to:
1.) grab a pen or pencil,
2.) download this worksheet: How To Share God’s Good News With Others- TAH (fill in the blank) , or use the one you have already printed out, and,
3.) fill-in-the-blanks as you prepare to teach what you are learning even in the middle of your suffering!
Here is part 1 if you are wondering: https://trinityandhumanity.com/2015/09/14/some-things-jesus-come-before-other-things/
Here is part 2 https://trinityandhumanity.com/2015/09/21/how-to-share-gods-good-news-with-others-pt-2/
Photo courtesy of: http://www.k180.org