9.2 The Suffering Messiah
Read Psalm 22 and 118:22. How was the Messiah treated by those He came to save?
Psalms 22 and 118:22 offer profound perspectives on the suffering and redemption through the Messiah, Jesus Christ. These psalms prophetically reveal the sufferings endured by Christ and His exaltation after His resurrection.
Psalm 22 is a direct messianic prophecy expressing the deep suffering and ultimate abandonment of the Messiah. The words of this psalm find remarkable fulfillment in the events of Jesus Christ’s crucifixion. Jesus Himself prayed with the words of this psalm on the cross, demonstrating His complete identification with the suffering Messiah.
Psalm 22 vividly describes the agony of Christ’s separation from His Father and the burden of the world’s sins that He bore. Despite this profound darkness and abandonment, Jesus unconditionally trusted in His Father and submitted to His divine will.
Psalm 118:22 describes the rejected cornerstone that becomes the cornerstone of God’s spiritual temple. Although Jesus was rejected by people and endured great suffering, He was exalted after His resurrection from the dead to become the source of redemption for the people of God. Jesus was made the living cornerstone of God’s spiritual temple, and through Him, salvation and healing became possible for all.
Overall, these psalms depict the deep suffering and redemption through Jesus Christ. Although He was rejected and mistreated, He was exalted and became the source of salvation for all who believe in Him. These psalms remind us that even amidst the greatest suffering and deepest darkness, there is hope for redemption and healing through Jesus Christ.
Jesus paid the penalty for every sin you have ever committed with His own life on the cross. How should the fact that He suffered for you affect how you live now, meaning why should you detest sin?
The fact that Jesus paid the penalty for every sin we have ever committed or will commit should have a profound impact on how we live our lives and how we view sin. Here are some reasons why we should detest sin in light of the sacrifice Jesus made for us:
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Recognition of God’s Love: The fact that Jesus gave His life for us reveals the immeasurable love of God for us. As we recognize this love, we should strive to live lives that honor God and are worthy of His love and sacrifice.
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Acknowledgment of Jesus’ Suffering: Jesus’ suffering on the cross should remind us of the seriousness of sin and its consequences in our lives. Seeing how much Jesus suffered for us, we should strive to avoid sin and live lives of holiness and purity.
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Understanding the Cost of Redemption: Jesus paid a high price to free us from the power and consequences of sin. Therefore, we should understand the cost of redemption and detest sin that prompted Jesus to sacrifice His life for us.
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Appreciation of Freedom in Christ: Through Jesus’ sacrifice, we are freed from the power of sin and have the freedom to live lives that please God. We should appreciate and cherish this freedom by turning away from sin and striving to fulfill God’s will in our lives.
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Witness to the World: By detesting sin and living lives of holiness, we bear witness to the transformative power of the gospel. Our lives should reflect the love and grace of God that we have experienced through Jesus Christ.
Ultimately, we should detest sin because we recognize and appreciate the love and sacrifice of Jesus Christ. Through lives of holiness and dedication, we can demonstrate our gratitude for the redemption Jesus has secured for us and contribute to the glorification of God in this world.
The connection between understanding the sacrifices Jesus made for us and our everyday life in faith is of paramount importance. Here are some ways in which this connection should manifest in our daily lives:
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Holiness and Purity: Since Jesus gave His life for us, we should strive to lead lives of holiness and purity. This means turning away from sin and seeking to honor God in all our actions.
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Gratitude and Appreciation: By recognizing and appreciating the sacrifices of Jesus, we should maintain an attitude of gratitude and appreciation toward God in our daily lives. We should be aware that everything we have and are is a gift from Him made possible through the sacrifice of Jesus.
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Love and Mercy: The love that Jesus showed us through His sacrifice should motivate us to practice love and mercy towards others. We should strive to treat others with the same love and grace that we have experienced through Jesus Christ.
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Forgiveness and Reconciliation: Since Jesus has granted us forgiveness and reconciliation with God through His sacrifice, we should also be willing to forgive others and seek reconciliation. Our daily lives should be characterized by a spirit of forgiveness and reconciliation based on the example of Jesus.
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Witness and Service: By reflecting the love and sacrifice of Jesus in our daily lives, we can be effective witnesses to the world and contribute to building God’s kingdom on earth. We should be willing to serve others and point them to Christ so that they too can experience the redemption made possible through His sacrifice.
Overall, our faith in Jesus Christ and His sacrifice for us should not remain merely theoretical but should have practical implications in our daily lives. Through lives of holiness, gratitude, love, forgiveness, and service, we can deepen our relationship with God and contribute to advancing His kingdom and manifesting His love in this world.
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