Suffering For A Purpose

Jesus gave us a perfect example of suffering in order to achieve a goal that is greater than the pain involved in pursuing that purpose. His goal is to save sinners from eternal damnation, and to make them children of God. His suffering involved paying the price for sin by insults, pain, loneliness, being deserted by friends, seeing His mother suffer because of His plan, and finally dying a most terrible death, separated from the One He loved most, his Father in Heaven.  No one ever suffered more than Jesus.  The words of Jesus on the cross cry out to us.  Only a heart of stone can refuse to be touched by his agony as He spoke the opening words from the beginning of the ancient prophecy of David, Psalms 22:1-28 - My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me? Why are You so far from helping Me, and from the words of My groaning? ------------

But I am a worm, and no man; a reproach of men, and despised of the people. All those who see Me ridicule Me; they shoot out the lip, they shake the head, saying, "He trusted in the LORD, let Him rescue Him; let Him deliver Him, since He delights in Him!"----------

I am poured out like water, and all My bones are out of joint; My heart is like wax; it has melted within Me. My strength is dried up like a potsherd, and My tongue clings to My jaws; You have brought Me to the dust of death.

For dogs have surrounded Me; the congregation of the wicked has enclosed Me. They pierced My hands and My feet; I can count all My bones. They look and stare at Me. They divide My garments among them, and for My clothing they cast lots. --------------------

You have answered Me.

 I will declare Your name to My brethren; in the midst of the assembly I will praise You. You who fear the LORD, praise Him! All you descendants of Jacob, glorify Him, and fear Him, all you offspring of Israel! For He has not despised nor abhorred the affliction of the afflicted; nor has He hidden His face from Him; but when He cried to Him, He heard.

My praise shall be of You in the great assembly; I will pay My vows before those who fear Him. The poor shall eat and be satisfied; those who seek Him will praise the LORD. Let your heart live forever!

All the ends of the world shall remember and turn to the LORD, and all the families of the nations shall worship before You. For the kingdom is the LORD's, and He rules over the nations.  NKJV

The writer of Hebrews explains the purpose of Jesus, Heb 12:1-4 -Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

For consider Him who endured such hostility from sinners against Himself, lest you become weary and discouraged in your souls. You have not yet resisted to bloodshed, striving against sin.  NKJV

He endured such suffering willingly, because of the desired outcome of calling people to be children of God, through His death, burial, and resurrection (I Cor 15:1-8). Our own suffering to follow Jesus promises great things to us, Romans 8: 18-21 - I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us. The creation waits in eager expectation for the sons of God to be revealed. For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the glorious freedom of the children of God.  NIV

Randolph Gonce