Third Sunday in Lent

March 19, 2006

Scripture Readings: Psalm 116:1-19; Luke 22:31-38

Hymns: 144; 516; 171; 585

            Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen. This morning we will be considering the Word of God recorded in 1 Peter 2:21-24:

21 For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that you should follow His steps: 22 “Who committed no sin, Nor was deceit found in His mouth”; 23 who, when He was reviled, did not revile in return; when He suffered, He did not threaten, but committed Himself to Him who judges righteously; 24 who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness——by whose stripes you were healed.

The Results of Christ’s Suffering for Us

Now and Forever    

In the Name of our Savior, Jesus Christ, Fellow Redeemed by the blood of His sacrifice,

I would like you to think for a moment about the role of music in our worship services. Music and song have been part of worshiping and praising God since the days of the Old Testament. After the LORD delivered His people from Egypt by parting the water and then burying the army of the Egyptians, we are told that Moses and the sons of Israel sang a song to the LORD praising Him for their deliverance. King David also wrote many songs of praise which were sung by the people of Israel in their worship of the LORD. Again in the New Testament the apostle Paul encourages us to “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord” (Colossians 3:16).

Singing is very much a part of our worship services in the songs and responses of our liturgy as well as in our hymns, just as it should be. The Lutheran church has long had the reputation of the “singing church.” Much of this was because of the emphasis of Martin Luther on song in worship. Luther once wrote: “Following the example of the prophets and ancient fathers of the church, my counsel is to create psalms for the lay people in their own language, that is spiritual songs, so that the Word of God might also be retained among the people through song.”

Over the past two weeks we have been considering hymns of our Savior’s passion. Many individuals have carried on the emphasis of song in worship by writing scripturally based hymns to be sung. One of those individuals was a pastor who lived in Germany 100 years after Martin Luther. His name was Paul Gerhardt. This morning we will be considering hymn 171, “Upon the Cross Extended” - another hymn by Paul Gerhardt which describes our Savior’s suffering on the cross, and its results for us. Based on the words of the apostle Peter we are reminded that the Results of Christ’s suffering are for us now and forever! May our God sanctify us by His truth, for His Word is Truth! Amen.

You may have noticed that I have used the word “passion” often during this lenten season. In the English language the word “passion” is usually used to describe something that we feel strongly about, or something that we get really excited about. For example, you may have a passion for a certain sport or a certain team; you may have a passion for collecting something; you may be passionate about a certain topic or subject. Certainly our Savior did have that kind of a passion for what He had become true man to do, but that is not how the word “passion” is used in connection to the work of Jesus. The English word “passion” comes from a similar Latin word which means “to suffer.” That is how we are using the word “passion” - to describe the suffering of our Savior beginning Maundy Thursday night and ending with His death on the cross on Good Friday afternoon. The passion of Jesus was all part of His sacrifice for us.

During these weeks leading up to Easter we focus intently on the passion or the suffering of our Savior. The apostle Peter emphasizes the sufferings of Christ in the verses of our text saying simply, “Christ also suffered for us.” To that Peter adds two more simple statements in verse 23, “He was reviled” and “He suffered.” All very simple statements but full of meaning!

The hymn we are considering this morning describes in a little more detail the suffering of our Savior. If you haven’t already, open up your hymnals to hymn 171 and look at how Christ’s suffering is described there. In the very first verse we see the crucifixion of Jesus, culminating in His death: “Upon the cross extended, see, world, thy Lord suspended, Thy Savior yields His breath.” But more of the sufferings are described. The end of that verse reminds us that Christ willingly gave Himself to “shame and blows and bitter death.” This suffering is found in even more detail in the second verse where we find that “blood streams from every pour.” The third verse refers to those who bruised and abused Jesus. Halfway through the fifth verse we are pointed to “the fetters and the scourging,” and the seventh verse speaks of the crown of thorns which the Roman soldiers mockingly drove onto Christ’s head.

Quite a picture isn’t it? The physical suffering that our Savior endured is impossible for us to imagine. Jesus had been manhandled and beaten by the Jews for hours before He was ever turned over to the Romans. After being handed over to the Romans He was abused by Herod’s soldiers, and then severely beaten by Pilate’s soldiers. Then He was led away to be crucified. By then Jesus was already so weak that He was not able to carry His cross. Then there was the crucifixion. We often hear that crucifixion is one of the most painful and gruesome forms of death ever contrived. Yet the physical pain Jesus suffered is still hard for us to understand or relate to, isn’t it? Is that what we think of when we read those simple words of Peter, “He suffered”?

We should think of all that when we hear Peter tell us that He suffered. We should think of the great pain and agony that He endured. But that’s not all that we should think of. Many people have been crucified. We are told that there were two other men that were crucified with Jesus on that very same day. We need to remember that it wasn’t the physical suffering of Jesus that made what He did so important. There are two things that make Christ’s sufferings unique. First, He was sinless, and second, He was bearing our sins upon Himself.

In our text Peter speaks of the sinlessness of Jesus, writing, “Who committed no sin, Nor was deceit found in His mouth.” Peter even goes on to give three examples of His sinlessness during His suffering as He continues: “who, when He was reviled, did not revile in return; when He suffered, He did not threaten, but committed Himself to Him who judges righteously.” Last week we studied how Jesus went to the cross willingly, without complaining and without retaliating. Instead of speaking out against the injustice that was going on Jesus put His trust in God His Father. What wonderful examples of the sinlessness of our Savior! Again, our hymn also speaks of the sinlessness of Christ. At the end of the fourth verse we proclaim, “While we must make confession of sin and dire transgression, Thou deeds of evil dost not know.” Then again halfway through the ninth verse Gerhardt takes this thought of Peter and reminds us how Christ’s actions at the cross reveal His innocence.

Christ’s sinlessness was the first thing that made His sufferings different from what others have suffered, but there is more. On top of all the physical pain and suffering which were described earlier is the fact that Christ was bearing our sin on the cross. Peter says, “Christ also suffered for us.” The key words there are “for us!” Peter makes this more clear in verse 24 of our text writing, “who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree.” What Jesus was suffering on that day was more than just the beating and the mocking and the pain of crucifixion. While we might be able to relate to the physical suffering of another human being, we can’t even begin to comprehend the agony of Jesus as He bore the sins of all people, and made the complete sacrifice for the sins of all people. He was suffering for the sins of all people of all time. He “bore our sins in His own body on the tree!”

Gerhardt describes the substitution of our Savior, His suffering for me, and His bearing of my sins in His body on the tree, throughout verses four through seven: “I caused thy grief and sighing... I caused the woes unnumbered with which Thy soul is cumbered.” And verse five: “‘Tis I who should be smitten, my doom should here be written: bound hand and foot in hell. The fetters and the scourging, the floods around Thee surging, ‘Tis I who have deserved them well.”

That’s what makes the suffering of Jesus so unique, so important and with such wonderful results! So far we have studied the sufferings of Christ, the physical pain as well as the load of our sin. But what about the results? What does the suffering of Christ mean for us?

Peter tells us that one of the results of Christ’s suffering is to be an example for us now - here in this life. Look at verse 21 once again: “For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that you should follow His steps.” If you back up the verses prior to our text you will find a list of exhortations for believers: He tells us to abstain from fleshly lusts, to conduct our lives honorably before unbelievers, and to submit to the government and to others who are over us in the world. Then he concludes in verse 20, “For what credit is it if, when you are beaten for your faults, you take it patiently? But when you do good and suffer, if you take it patiently, this is commendable before God.”

This is where the example of Christ fits in. We are going to suffer in this life. We are going to be persecuted. Sometimes justly because we deserve it, but many times unjustly only because of our faith in Him. Our human nature wants to retaliate when we suffer. But what is commendable to God is enduring such suffering patiently, not reviling those who revile us, not threatening those who abuse us, and committing ourselves “to Him who judges righteously.” When you are hurt or abused, let Christ be your example. Instead of seeking revenge, turn it over to the LORD who knows all things and judges righteously. Peter concludes, “who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness.”

The result of Christ’s suffering is that we have a new life. Consider the fitting words of our hymn in verse eight: “Thy cords of love, my Savior, bind me to Thee forever, I am no longer mine. To Thee I gladly tender all that my life can render and all I have to Thee resign.” And verse eleven: “When evil men revile me, with wicked tongues defile me, I’ll curb my vengeful heart. The unjust wrong I’ll suffer, unto my neighbor offer forgiveness for each bitter smart.” May the Holy Spirit enable us to be more Christ-like in our dealings with both our fellow believers and the world around us!

While Christ is a wonderful example for us in our lives as believers in Him, we would still be eternally damned if that was the only result of His suffering for us. Peter assures us that while the example of Christ is a valuable one for us now, the greatest result of His suffering is one that guarantees our eternal future. Peter concludes with the assurance, “—by whose stripes you were healed.” Again, a very simple statement, but full of meaning! Because Christ suffered for you, your debt of sin has been paid! It has been said, “His pain is your gain!” In the sixth verse of our hymn Gerhardt writes, “The load Thou takest on Thee, that pressed so sorely on me, it crushed me to the ground. The cross for me enduring, the crown for me securing , my healing in Thy wounds is found.” And that’s what Christ’s passion is all about!

As we continue to ponder the sufferings of our Savior, let us remember that He suffered more than just physical pain. He bore our sins and our guilt in His own body on the cross. And the results of His sacrifice are for us now – as we die to sin and live to righteousness with Christ as our sinless example in this life – and they are forever as we are assured that through His suffering and death on the cross, He has paid our debt and secured our eternal rest in heaven! Thanks be to Christ who suffered for us. Amen.

And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:7 Amen.

Pastor Nathanael Mayhew