The Suffering of Christ and the
Sovereignty of God
Notes
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The entire universe exists to
display the greatness of the glory of the grace of God.
And - - the glory of God shines
most brightly, most fully, most beautifully in the manifestation of the glory
of his grace. This is the aim of all things - - and the explanation of all
things - - including suffering.
Jesus - by suffering and dying -
- and by that suffering and death to save sinners like you and me - - is the
highest, clearest, surest display of the glory of the grace of God.
So - - the ultimate reason that
suffering exists is so that Christ might display the greatness of the glory of
the grace of God. The suffering of the innocent and infinitely holy Son of God
in the place of undeserving sinners like you and me, to bring us to everlasting
joy, is the greatest display of the glory of the grace of God.
Bible walkthru
- Before
the beginning of the world, God had planned that Jesus would be
slaughtered....
- Revelation 13:8 - 8All
inhabitants of the earth will worship the beastall whose names have not
been written in the book of life belonging to the Lamb that was slain from the
creation of the world.
- God gave us grace in Christ
Jesus before the ages began - - before we were even created
- 2 Timothy 1:9 - 9who has saved
us and called us to a holy lifenot because of anything we have done but
because of his own purpose and grace. This grace was given us in Christ Jesus
before the beginning of time,
- The suffering and death of the
Lamb of God is the best possible display of the glory of the grace of God!....
and that's why it was planned before the beginning of time....
- Ephesians 1:4-12 - 4For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be
holy and blameless in his sight. In love 5he
predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in
accordance with his pleasure and will 6to the praise of his glorious
grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves. 7In him we have
redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the
riches of God's grace 8that he lavished on us with all wisdom and
understanding. 9And he made known to us the mystery of his will according to
his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ, 10to be put into effect when
the times will have reached their fulfillmentto bring all things in
heaven and on earth together under one head, even Christ. 11In him we were also chosen, having been predestined according
to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of
his will, 12in order that we, who were the first to hope in Christ,
might be for the praise of his glory. 13And you also were included in Christ
when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having
believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, 14who
is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are
God's possessionto the praise of his glory.
- The hosts
of heaven are worshipping the Lamb because He was slaughtered.....
The greatest suffering in history will be at the center
of our worship forever and ever....
- Revelation 5:9-12 - 9And they
sang a new song: "You are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals,
because you were slain, and with your blood you purchased
men for God from every tribe and language and people and nation. 10You
have made them to be a kingdom and priests to serve our God, and they will
reign on the earth." 11Then I looked and heard the
voice of many angels, numbering thousands upon thousands, and ten thousand
times ten thousand. They encircled the throne and the living creatures and the
elders. 12In a loud voice they sang: "Worthy is the Lamb, who was
slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength and honor and
glory and praise!"
- The mystery of God Ordaining
but not doing Sin
- God permits sin into the
world
- Sin has led to suffering and
death
- Horrible things followed -
disease, defects, disabilities, catastrophes, human atrocities
- God does not delight in this
suffering
- God sends His Son into the world
to suffer in the place of sinners
- All that Christ accomplished for
us sinners he accomplished by suffering.
- The Display of the Glory of
the Grace of God in the Achievements of Christ by His Suffering
- 1. Christ absorbed the wrath of
God on our behalf - and He did it by suffering
- Galatians 3:13 - 13Christ
redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, for it is
written: "Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree."
- 2. Christ bore our sins and
purchased our forgiveness - and He did it by suffering
- 1 Peter 2:24 - 24He himself bore
our sins in his body on the tree, so that we might die to sins and live for
righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed
- 3. Christ provided a perfect
righteousness for us that becomes ours in Him - and He did it by
suffering
- Philippians 2:7-8 - 7but made
himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human
likeness. 8And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and
became obedient to death even death on a cross!
- Romans 5:19 - 19For just as
through the disobedience of the one man the many were made sinners, so also
through the obedience of the one man the many will be made righteous.
- 4. Christ defeated death - and
He did it by suffering
- Hebrews 2:14-15 - 14Since the
children have flesh and blood, he too shared in their humanity so that by his
death he might destroy him who holds the power of deaththat is, the
devil 15and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their
fear of death.
- 1 Corinthians 15:55-57 -
55"Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?"
56The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. 57But thanks be
to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
- 5. He disarmed satan - and He
did it by suffering
- Colossians 2:14-15 - 14having
canceled the written code, with its regulations, that was against us and that
stood opposed to us; he took it away, nailing it to the cross. 15And having
disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them,
triumphing over them by the cross.
- 6. Christ purchased perfect
final healing for all His people - and He did it by suffering
- Isaiah 53:5 - 5 But he was
pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the
punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are
healed.
- Revelation 7:17 - 17For the Lamb
at the center of the throne will be their shepherd; he will lead them to
springs of living water. And God will wipe away every tear from their
eyes."
- 7. Christ will bring us finally
to God - and He will do it by suffering
- 1 Peter 3:18 - 18For Christ died
for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God.
He was put to death in the body but made alive by the Spirit,
- Conclusion
- The ultimate reason that
suffering exists is so that Christ might display the greatness of the glory of
the grace of God by suffering in himself to overcome our suffering and bring
about the praise of the glory of the grace of God.
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