The Reason for Jesus’s Suffering and Dearth
Remember it is better to suffer for doing good, if that is the will of God, than to suffer for doing
wrong. Christ suffered for our sins once and for all time. He never sinned, but He died for
sinners to bring you safely home to God. He suffered physical dearth, but He was raised to life
in the Spirit (1Peter 3:17-18 NLT)
Peter has just stated that Christians are sometimes called to suffer, by the will of God. He again
reminds us that is exactly what Jesus Himself did for us, when He suffered on the cross for our
sins. He was completely innocent. He did not deserve such suffering, to be forsaken by His
Father. He was completely free from all sin, but endured suffering on the cross on our behalf so
that we can have access to the holy God.
Your sins are the reason why Jesus suffered on the cross. On the cross He endured God’s wrath
against the sin of mankind, so that we who are guilty, can be freed from sin. When the blood of
Jesus flowed on the cross, He paid the dept in full, and God forgave us our sins on the grounds
of His Son’s atonement. All of us experience tribulations at one time or another. However, if you
must suffer undeservedly, remember how Jesus also had to suffer and let that be your strength.
The creator God gave His own Son to be crucified so that we can experience salvation. He
allowed His only Son to be put to dearth so that you and I can have eternal life. That is amazing,
it is a miracle that we can only accept with gratitude and faith. God is omniscient. When He
sent Jesus to the world, He knew fully well how His Son would have to suffer, what He would
have to endure before His worldly mission would be completed. Yet God did not hesitate for a
moment. He sent Jesus to this world to be crucified so that whoever believe in Him shall not
perish but have everlasting life.
Jesus knew that a terrible cup of sorrow awaited Him. “Yet it was the Lord’s will to crush him
and cause him to suffer” writes (Isa 53:10) Jesus knew that He could not escape the Way of the
Cross, and yet because He was also human, He asked if His Father would take His cup from
Him. In Mark 14:34 we find Jesus’s heart-rending confession “My soul is overwhelmed with
sorrow to the point of dearth” Jesus knew that His heavenly Father could change His
circumstances but chose to abide by the will of His Father.
We too become distressed and anxious at times when God does not respond to our prayers
even though we know that everything is possible for Him. Sometimes God says “no” to His
children (as He did to His Son), because He has a greater purpose for us. If God had agreed to
Jesus’s request, His coming to the world would have been in vain. Whenever God says “no” we
often realize afterwards that He indeed knew best.
After Jesus had accepted God’s will, God sent an angel to strengthen Him. God will also
strengthen you in times of suffering if you are willing to place His will first. May He make us
willing to abide by His will.
Sipiwe Chisvo World President
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