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FOLLOWING
JESUS' EXAMPLE OF SUFFERING
Luke 23:26-49
For you have been called for this
purpose, since Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an
example for you to follow in His steps . . . (1 Peter 2:2)
Focus on Others.
When they led Him away, they seized a man, Simon of Cyrene,
coming in from the country, and placed on him the cross to carry
behind Jesus. And following Him was a large crowd of the people,
and of women who were mourning and lamenting Him. But Jesus
turning to them said, "Daughters of Jerusalem, stop weeping for
Me, but weep for yourselves and for your children. For behold,
the days are coming when they will say, 'Blessed are the barren,
and the wombs that never bore, and the breasts that never
nursed.' Then they will begin to say to the mountains, 'Fall on
us,' and to the hills, 'Cover us.' For if they do these things
when the tree is green, what will happen when it is dry?" Two
others also, who were criminals, were being led away to be put
to death with Him.
Forgive Immediately (and Keep On Forgiving.)
When they came to the place called The Skull, there they
crucified Him and the criminals, one on the right and the other
on the left. But Jesus was saying, "Father, forgive them; for
they do not know what they are doing."
Refuse to Defend or Justify Yourself.
And they cast lots, dividing up His garments among themselves.
And the people stood by, looking on. And even the rulers were
sneering at Him, saying, "He saved others; let Him save Himself
if this is the Christ of God, His Chosen One." The soldiers also
mocked Him, coming up to Him, offering Him sour wine, and
saying, "If You are the King of the Jews, save Yourself!" Now
there was also an inscription above Him, "THIS IS THE KING OF
THE JEWS."
Fix Your Attention on the Future.
One of the criminals who were hanged there was hurling abuse at
Him, saying, "Are You not the Christ? Save Yourself and us!" But
the other answered, and rebuking him said, "Do you not even fear
God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? And
we indeed are suffering justly, for we are receiving what we
deserve for our deeds; but this man has done nothing wrong." And
he was saying, "Jesus, remember me when You come in Your
kingdom!" And He said to him, "Truly I say to you, today you
shall be with Me in Paradise."
Trust God to Save You.
It was now about the sixth hour, and darkness fell over the
whole land until the ninth hour, because the sun was obscured;
and the veil of the temple was torn in two. And Jesus, crying
out with a loud voice, said, "Father, into Your hands I commit
My spirit." Having said this, He breathed His last. Now when the
centurion saw what had happened, he began praising God, saying,
"Certainly this man was innocent." And all the crowds who came
together for this spectacle, when they observed what had
happened, began to return, beating their breasts. And all His
acquaintances and the women who accompanied Him from Galilee
were standing at a distance, seeing these things. |
