Silent Suffering of Christ

O Lord, God of my salvation; I cry out day and night before you. Let my prayer come before you; incline your ear to my cry! For my soul is full of troubles, and my life draws near to Sheol. I am counted among those who go down to the pit; I am a man who has no strength, like one set loose among the dead, like the slain that lie in the grave, like those whom you remember no more, for they are cut off from your hand. You have put me in the depths of the pit, in the regions dark and deep. Your wrath lies heavy upon me, and you overwhelm me with all your waves. Selah You have caused my companions to shun me; you have made me a horror to them. I am shut in so that I cannot escape; my eye grows dim through sorrow. Every day I call upon you, O Lord; I spread out my hands to you. Do you work wonders for the dead? Do the departed rise up to praise you? Selah Is your steadfast love declared in the grave, or your faithfulness in Abaddon? Are your wonders known in the darkness, or your righteousness in the land of forgetfulness? But I, O Lord, cry to you; in the morning my prayer comes before you. O Lord, why do you cast my soul away? Why do you hide your face from me? Afflicted and close to death from my youth up, I suffer your terrors; I am helpless. Your wrath has swept over me; your dreadful assaults destroy me. They surround me like a flood all day long; they close in on me together. You have caused my beloved and my friend to shun me; my companions have become darkness. (Psalm 88:1-18 ESV)

Prayer:

Heavenly Father, we come to you in this early morning hour to learn about Jesus' silent suffering under his own people. The people you had called out as your nation had turned their back and claimed that God incarnate had blasphemed. We have done the same. We have turned our backs on you in our refusal to suffer. But now we lift our eyes to you and plead for your forgiveness and mercy. Show us how to be more like you and empower us through your spirit to suffer for Jesus' name's sake. We ask that you make yourself known in a special way and that you would move powerfully among us. In Christ's name and through the Holy Spirit we pray, amen. 

Then those who had seized Jesus led him to Caiaphas the high priest, where the scribes and the elders had gathered. And Peter was following him at a distance, as far as the courtyard of the high priest, and going inside he sat with the guards to see the end. Now the chief priests and the whole council were seeking false testimony against Jesus that they might put him to death, but they found none, though many false witnesses came forward. At last two came forward and said, “This man said, ‘I am able to destroy the temple of God, and to rebuild it in three days.’” And the high priest stood up and said, “Have you no answer to make? What is it that these men testify against you?” But Jesus remained silent. And the high priest said to him, “I adjure you by the living God, tell us if you are the Christ, the Son of God.” Jesus said to him, “You have said so. But I tell you, from now on you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of Power and coming on the clouds of heaven.” Then the high priest tore his robes and said, “He has uttered blasphemy. What further witnesses do we need? You have now heard his blasphemy. What is your judgment?” They answered, “He deserves death.” Then they spit in his face and struck him. And some slapped him, saying, “Prophesy to us, you Christ! Who is it that struck you?” (Matthew 26:57-68 ESV)

Jesus has been turned over and abandoned by his friends. He now stands before the high priest and is falsely accused by many that are trying to make their name known. The false testimonies are completely useless until two come forward who present Jesus' statement about tearing down and rebuilding the temple in three days. Even then Jesus remains silent. As we learned in Jesus' prayer in the garden Jesus is focused on accomplishing the will of God. There is nothing that will get in the way of that. It is not until the council asks Jesus point blank if he is the Messiah, the Son of God, that Jesus responds back "You have said it yourself". The high priest tore his robes and said that was blasphemy.

Jesus stands in silence. Is that even possible for you and me? Can we sit back and just take false accusations being thrown in our faces? When people misquote me I know I want to set the record straight. But Jesus just takes it. He turns the other cheek. It's only when they ask the question that they've been dancing around that Jesus sets the record straight. "Are you the Messiah?" "I am." The claim of blasphemy was deserving of death. The priests beat him. They used him as a punching bag and told him to prophesy. Silence. 

Peter however was not silent.

Now Peter was sitting outside in the courtyard. And a servant girl came up to him and said, “You also were with Jesus the Galilean.” But he denied it before them all, saying, “I do not know what you mean.” And when he went out to the entrance, another servant girl saw him, and she said to the bystanders, “This man was with Jesus of Nazareth.” And again he denied it with an oath: “I do not know the man.” After a little while the bystanders came up and said to Peter, “Certainly you too are one of them, for your accent betrays you.” Then he began to invoke a curse on himself and to swear, “I do not know the man.” And immediately the rooster crowed. And Peter remembered the saying of Jesus, “Before the rooster crows, you will deny me three times.” And he went out and wept bitterly. (Matthew 26:69-75 ESV)

While Jesus accepted suffering as part of God's will, Peter did not like this idea. The man who had claimed Christ as being the Son of God now denied even hearing of him. Peter was scared, and I think that at times you and I are scared. We deny knowing Christ so that we don't have to suffer. We deny him because of what we've done in the past. We're afraid of what people will think. We're afraid of rejection. Peter was afraid of all these things. He publicly denied Jesus and had to face the consequences of doing such

But Peter said, “Man, I do not know what you are talking about.” And immediately, while he was still speaking, the rooster crowed. And the Lord turned and looked at Peter. And Peter remembered the saying of the Lord, how he had said to him, “Before the rooster crows today, you will deny me three times.” And he went out and wept bitterly. (Luke 22:60-62 ESV)

The Lord looked at Peter. Peter denied Jesus, and Jesus knew it. Imagine what it's like to see a friend right after you swear that you don't them. Imagine the pain on both of their hearts. Jesus knew his followers would fall away from him even though they said they wouldn't. Peter wept bitterly. He didn't just cry he wept. Peter's refusal to suffer separated him from Christ. Our refusal to suffer also separates us from Christ. 

As we continue through Matthew we see that once again Jesus sits silently before Pilate as the chief priests hurled accusations. Pilate asks him if he was the king of the Jews. Just as he had answered the chief priests earlier, "you have said it". Otherwise there was no response, only silence. Suffering without complaint is something that we must learn. The willingness to suffer for God without complaint is something that we should learn from Christ. If God calls us to be humbled we must be obedient just as Christ was. 

Now at the feast the governor was accustomed to release for the crowd any one prisoner whom they wanted. And they had then a notorious prisoner called Barabbas. So when they had gathered, Pilate said to them, “Whom do you want me to release for you: Barabbas, or Jesus who is called Christ?” For he knew that it was out of envy that they had delivered him up. Besides, while he was sitting on the judgment seat, his wife sent word to him, “Have nothing to do with that righteous man, for I have suffered much because of him today in a dream.” Now the chief priests and the elders persuaded the crowd to ask for Barabbas and destroy Jesus. The governor again said to them, “Which of the two do you want me to release for you?” And they said, “Barabbas.” Pilate said to them, “Then what shall I do with Jesus who is called Christ?” They all said, “Let him be crucified!” And he said, “Why, what evil has he done?” But they shouted all the more, “Let him be crucified!” So when Pilate saw that he was gaining nothing, but rather that a riot was beginning, he took water and washed his hands before the crowd, saying, “I am innocent of this man’s blood; see to it yourselves.” And all the people answered, “His blood be on us and on our children!” Then he released for them Barabbas, and having scourged Jesus, delivered him to be crucified. (Matthew 27:15-26 ESV)

In order to keep peace among the peoples the Romans would often do small things for the groups that they had taken control of. In this case Pilate liked releasing a prisoner of the people's choosing to them at times of feasts. He offers up Jesus and Barabbas. Barabbas a murderer and insurrectionist could not be trusted, but Jesus was a man of healing and teaching. Surely the people would take Jesus over Barabbas. However the chief priest and the council stirred up the people to ask for Barabbas. Pilate didn't want Jesus killed nor did Pilate's wife as we can see with her dream. They knew Jesus had done no wrong, but had no choice but to hand over Barabbas. He washed his hands of the punishment and the people took it upon themselves. 

Barabbas was a horrible man. The people chose him over Christ, but Christ remained silent. Barabbas one of the first to be spared because of Christ's sacrifice. God loved Barabbas. Christ gave himself for Barabbas. How often do we serve the bad people? How often are we the bad people? You and I are each our own Barabbas. Christ has stepped into our place and takes our death for us. He tells us he loves us and that he will take our place. How do you respond? We don't know how Barabbas responds, all we know is how we will respond to the same situation. 

Jesus is then beaten and whipped. He then is lead into the officer's residence and is mocked by the soldiers who dress him up as a king complete with a crown of twisted thorns. Placing the thorns on the head they take his scepter and being him burying the thorns deep into his scalp. Imagine the pain. But still there is silence. They place him back in his own clothes and lead him to his cross. 

As they went out, they found a man of Cyrene, Simon by name. They compelled this man to carry his cross. (Matthew 27:32 ESV)

They came out and found Simon. Mark 15:21 tells us they pressed him into carrying the cross. It also tells us he is the father of two boys named Rufus and Alexander. Simon carried the cross all the way to Golgotha. In this moment Simon was able to serve Christ in both his own and in Christ's suffering. Because of his service and willingness to suffer we find out that his family benefitted. 

Greet Rufus, chosen in the Lord; also his mother, who has been a mother to me as well. (Romans 16:13 ESV)

Rufus, a choice man in the Lord, and his mother and mine. Rufus grew to know God and became a great man of God. His mother, Simon's wife was able to grow closer to God and became as a mother to Paul. Because of a willingness to suffer and serve Simon brought his family to Christ. When we suffer and serve for Christ we bring our friends and family closer to Christ. 

Jesus was taken to Golgotha and was nailed to his cross. His clothes were stripped and torn apart only to be won by centurions who were placing bets. "Behold the naked, shamed, and dying King of the Jews!" Jesus was placed amongst the worst of men. Two robbers were at his side. People walked by throwing insults and mocking him. The robbers did the same until one robber changed his mind.

One of the criminals who were hanged railed at him, saying, “Are you not the Christ? Save yourself and us!” But the other rebuked him, saying, “Do you not fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? And we indeed justly, for we are receiving the due reward of our deeds; but this man has done nothing wrong.” And he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” And he said to him, “Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise.” (Luke 23:39-43 ESV)

The robber knew Jesus better than his friends did. He knew that Jesus would have power over death and because of his acknowledgement of this Jesus would carry him into paradise as the first fruits of God's redemption of man. We deserve that cross just like the thieves did. But Christ took it for us. He suffered for you and me. How do we respond? Do we respond with acknowledgment of Christ's power over death and suffer for him or do we simply pass by and throw an insult or two. Do we follow or do we fall away? When the going gets tough do we get going?

Silence. Darkness falls upon the earth when light should be spreading forth. Creation laments at humanity's ignorance. The world is in mourning while satan is in joy. A shout breaks the silent atmosphere "Eli, Eli, Lama Sanachthani!" "My God, My God, why have you forsaken me". The father turns his face away. Christ has taken on our sins and once again cries out in a loud voices and yields up his spirit. It is finished. The curtain is ripped in two and God's presence is established in the heart of men. The earth shakes violently in torment as its creator has perished and the tombs give up their dead as the author of life overcomes death. Even the centurions that gambled over the clothes faced the reality that Jesus was indeed the son of God.  Christ had suffered his last. He was obedient even unto death. 

After these things Joseph of Arimathea, who was a disciple of Jesus, but secretly for fear of the Jews, asked Pilate that he might take away the body of Jesus, and Pilate gave him permission. So he came and took away his body. Nicodemus also, who earlier had come to Jesus by night, came bringing a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about seventy-five pounds in weight. So they took the body of Jesus and bound it in linen cloths with the spices, as is the burial custom of the Jews. Now in the place where he was crucified there was a garden, and in the garden a new tomb in which no one had yet been laid. So because of the Jewish day of Preparation, since the tomb was close at hand, they laid Jesus there. (John 19:38-42 ESV)

Joseph, Nicodemus, and what followers remained took Jesus and buried him. Because of Jesus' suffering and willingness to follow God's will two more men were brought into the fold of God. Nicodemus the same man Jesus talked to earlier in John chapter three had come and helped lay him to rest. Joseph who was one of the men who tried Jesus on the high council and didn't agree with the decisions also stepped forth as a disciple. Jesus' willingness to suffer for God cost him his life but it brought so many into life. It brought the thief, Nicodemus, Joseph, Mary Magdalene, Peter, Paul, John Doss, Shane Foley, and each of us that have accepted him into a brand new life. Are we willing to suffer to bring others into this life. Are we living a life worth suffering for? Would anyone look at your life and say "hey I want that". Yeah we all screw up and we all sin. But we can turn it around give it to God and be willing to suffer for him. We are not called to an easy life we are called to suffer for him. We are called to serve for him. We are called and chosen. Live like it. Christ didn't die for us to live on easy street. He died so that we could live for him and find life in him. It means giving up our desires. Step away from things that take you away from God, give it up! If it's laziness get active and involved. If it's pornography get rid of your access. If it's partying that draws you away find people who you can fun with that will keep you honest. If you're being complacent stop! Give it to God. Leave it at the cross with Jesus. He's there saying give me your sins, give me your burdens, take mine for my yoke is easy and my burden is light. It's hard but it's joyful, it means giving things up but it means gaining eternal life with him, it means having to say no to pleasures but it means God holding back his wrath from us. It's worth suffering for.