WHO IS JESUS? PART IV Kay Keith Peebles 10/18/2019 19.36
It is rare for one to escape experiencing suffering in their lifetime. Suffering is a necessary part of life. It is a teacher that profoundly enhances the value of life. To fully understand how precious life is, we must experience some form of suffering.
Gratitude is the fruit of suffering for all who understand its purpose. Those who are pampered live with a mindset of entitlement, but those who have experienced suffering become grateful for even the simplest things. The ones who volunteer to suffer on behalf of others receive the greatest blessing of all. No matter the degree of suffering we may have experienced, none of us will ever touch the level of Jesus’ suffering for us.
It is hard to imagine the Creator, Savior, and Son of God laying down His divinity, power and glory to take on the form of a man. Even more difficult to comprehend is His willingness to be the helpless infant of a young woman. He left the eternal perfection of heaven where He was honored and worshipped, to enter the realm of earth. Here He experienced pain, suffering, hatred, rejection and death at the hands of lawless men. Oh that we could understand the incredible love He has for us all, to have willingly experienced such suffering, rejection and pain in order to save us and welcome us into His family.
Paul’s prayer to the Ephesian church is my constant prayer for us all. “May He grant you out of the riches of His glory, to be strengthened and spiritually energized with power through His Spirit in your inner self, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through your faith. And may you, having been [deeply] rooted and [securely] grounded in love, be fully capable of comprehending with all the saints the width and length and height and depth of His love; and to know [practically, through personal experience] the love of Christ which far surpasses, that you may be filled up to all the fullness of God [so that you may have the richest experience of God’s presence in your lives, completely filled and flooded with God Himself].” Ephesians 3:16-19
His Suffering and Death: Prophecy and Fulfillment
“For we do not have a High Priest who is unable to sympathize and understand our weaknesses and temptations, but One who has been tempted [knowing exactly how it feels to be human] in every respect as we are, yet without [committing any] sin”. Hebrews 4:15.
Prophecy of hatred, rejection and betrayal: “He was despised and rejected by men, a Man of sorrows and pain and acquainted with grief; and like One from whom men hide their faces. He was despised, and we did not appreciate His worth or even esteem Him.” Isaiah 53:3
Jesus was hated and rejected by the Jewish leaders. “For this reason the Jews began to persecute Jesus because He was doing these things (healing) on the Sabbath. But Jesus answered them, ‘My Father has been working until now and I too am working. This made the Jews more determined than ever to kill Him, for not only was He breaking the Sabbath [from their view point], but He was also calling God His own Father, making Himself equal to God.” John 5:16-18. (Emphasis mine).
Judas’ betrayal of Jesus was prophesied by Zechariah. “”I said to them, ‘If it seems good to you, give me my wages, but if not, do not.’ So they weighed out thirty pieces of silver as my wages. Then the LORD said to me, ‘Throw it to the potter [as if to the dogs]—that magnificent sum at which I am valued by them’ So I took the thirty pieces of silver and threw them to the potter in the house of the LORD.” Zechariah 11:12-13. The fulfillment of that prophecy is found in Matthew 26:14-15 and Matthew 27:3-9. See also Mark 14:10-11, Luke 22:1-6 and John 6:70-71.
“No sooner had He finished speaking when suddenly a mob approached and right in front of the mob was his disciple Judas. He walked up close to Jesus and greeted him with a kiss. For he had agreed to give the religious leaders a sign, saying, ‘The one I kiss is the one to seize.’ Jesus looked at him with sorrow and said, ‘A kiss, Judas? Are you really going to betray the Son of Man with a kiss?’” Fulfilled, Luke 22:47-48; Matthew 26:47-56; Mark 14:43-50; John 18:3-12.
Jesus suffered excruciating pain, disfiguring injuries, and the weight of God’s wrath and judgment for the sins of the whole world. “[For many, the Servant of God became an object of horror; many were astonished at Him.] His face and His whole appearance were marred more than any man’s, and His form beyond that of the sons of men—but just as many were astonished at Him…” Prophecy, Isaiah 52:14.
“Surely He hath borne our griefs and carried our sorrows and pains, yet we considered Him stricken, smitten, and afflicted by God. But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our guilt and iniquities; the chastisement for our peace was upon Him; and by His stripes, we are healed and made whole.” Prophecy, Isaiah 53:4-5 (See vs. 1-12).
“He prayed even more passionately, like one being sacrificed, until He was in such intense agony of spirit that His sweat became drops of blood, dripping onto the ground.” Fulfilled, Luke 22:44.
Jesus willingly suffered and gave Himself so that we might be saved! The wages of sin is death. He laid down His life, His glory, His power, and His majesty in order to obtain for us what we could not do for ourselves. He was the sinless sacrifice without spot or wrinkle. He was the perfect Passover lamb who died once and for all for the sins of the world.
He was considered a transgressor and died among thieves. “Therefore will I divide Him a portion with the great, and He shall divide the spoil with the mighty, because He poured out His life unto death, and (He let Himself) be regarded as a criminal and be numbered with the transgressors; yet He bore the sin of many and made intercession for the transgressors.” Prophecy, Isaiah 53:12.
“Two criminals were led away with Jesus, and all three were to be executed together. When they came to the place that is known as The Skull, the guards crucified Jesus, nailing Him on the center cross between the two criminals. While they were nailing Jesus to the cross, He prayed over and over, ‘Father, forgive them, for they don’t know what they’re doing’…It was now midday, yet the whole world became dark for three hours as the light of the sun faded away. And suddenly in the temple the thick veil hanging in the Holy Place was ripped in two! Then Jesus cried out with a loud voice, ‘Father, I surrender my Spirit into Your hands.’ And He took His last breath and died. When the Roman captain overseeing the crucifixion witnessed all that took place, he was awestruck and glorified God. Acknowledging what they had done, he said, ‘I have no doubt; we just killed the righteous One.’” Fulfilled Luke 23:26-47; Matthew 27:45-56; Mark 15:33-39.
“But Israel shall be saved by the Lord with an everlasting salvation; you shall not be put to shame or confounded to all eternity. For thus says the Lord—Who created the heavens, God Himself, Who formed the earth and made it. Who established it and did not create it to be a worthless waste; He formed it to be inhabited—I am the Lord, and there is no one else.” Prophecy, Isaiah 45:17-18.
“For Israel shall be saved by the Lord with an everlasting salvation; you shall not be put to shame or confounded to all eternity.” Restated and Confirmed, Hebrews 5:9.
“For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world should be saved through Him. He who believes in Him is not judged; He who does not believe has been judged already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.” Fulfilled, John 3:16-18.
“He who did not withhold or spare His own Son but gave Him up for us all, will He not also with Him freely and graciously give us all things?” Fulfilled by the Cross, and Confirmed in Romans 8:32. See also 8:3.
“Although He was a Son, He learned obedience through what He suffered and, making Him perfectly, He became the Author and Source of eternal salvation to all those who give heed and obey Him.” Confirmed in Hebrews 5:8-9.
Jesus is the only one who fulfilled hundreds of prophecies written over thousands of years. It was not possible to show them all in this article. He is the one and only sacrifice that the Lord God will accept and He did it for us! There is no other religion whose god expresses love to its followers. There is no other religion where god sacrificed for the people. There is no other religion that offers complete forgiveness of sin. There is no other religion that causes the people to have joy and peace. All other religions oppress the people, keeping them in poverty, depravation and fear. They consist of useless idols that represent gods who lead their people into the religious and physical slavery of demons.
When we find Jesus, the Author and Finisher of our faith, we find everything! Freedom, joy, peace and well-being flood those who have faith in Him and His finished work of the cross. We live in the hope of His second coming that culminates the end of the age, and life in eternity with Him. When we abide in His continual presence, we live surrounded by His Kingdom authority and benefits enabling us to share them with others. The same healing, wisdom and power of God is available to those who are His disciples, filled His Holy Spirit and fire.
Jesus’ life and ministry were prophesied for 4,000 years, fulfilled during His 33 years on earth, and ratified by His ascension into heaven. He is truly the Son of God, Savior of the world and the only way to the Father in heaven. Blessed are those who believe in (adhere to, trust in and rely upon) Him, for theirs is the Kingdom of God.
