The Suffering King
The following is an excerpt from Keely’s new book,
“More Than A Song: Worship is the Relentless Pursuit of the Lover of our Soul.”
Our King was beaten and betrayed by those He came to save. He was beaten to the point where He no longer looked like Himself. Before killing Him on the cross, they wanted to torture Him. He was missing skin and had bones exposed. Jesus felt it all. Yet it says that we were the joy set before Him (Hebrews 12:2.)
Jesus demonstrated His love for us in an unmatched way. Below, let’s just look at a little bit of what He went through for us.
Jesus was betrayed - Matthew 26:45–46 - “But look—the time has come. The Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners.Up, let’s be going. Look, my betrayer is here!”
Jesus bled - John 19:34 - “But one of the soldiers pierced His side with a spear, and immediately blood and water came out.”
Jesus was spit on - Mark 14:65 - “Then some began to spit on Him, and to blindfold Him”
Jesus was beaten - Luke 22:63 - “Now the men who held Jesus mocked Him and beat Him.” [The Roman weapon used was designed to inflict the most pain and damage possible without killing. They wanted them to suffer and be tortured. This whip rips the skin off and bruises. Romans took great pride in their ability to inflict pain.]
Jesus had His beard pulled out - Isaiah 50:6 - “I gave My back to those who struck Me, And My cheeks to those who plucked out the beard”
Jesus was Mocked - Mark 15:16-19 (NLT) - “The soldiers took Jesus into the courtyard of the governor’s headquarters (called the Praetorium) and called out the entire regiment. They dressed Him in a purple robe, and they wove thorn branches into a crown and put it on His head. Then they saluted Him and taunted, “Hail! King of the Jews!” And they struck Him on the head with a reed stick, spit on Him, and dropped to their knees in mock worship.”
Jesus had crown of thorns place on His head - Mark 15:17 - “And they clothed Him with purple; and they twisted a crown of thorns, put it on His head”
Jesus was nailed to a cross - Matthew 27:35-36 - “After they had nailed him to the cross, the soldiers gambled for his clothes by throwing dice. Then they sat around and kept guard as he hung there.”
Jesus endured all of this pain and suffering for us. He went through it so we could return to a relationship with Him and have eternal life in His glorious presence. This is the One we worship, one of the many reasons He deserves our all. His love for us is undeniable. How can we not respond to Him with our bodies, obey Him, tell others about Him, and live for Him after what He went through for us?
Jesus did not deserve the beating and the cross. We are the ones that deserved it, we are the ones with sin in our lives, yet He covered us on calvary. He is so good to us, and worship will be our only response when we realize that. Nothing else will matter.
This liturgical prayer, often used for Good Friday, carries a tremendous anointing to draw you into the sufferings of Jesus. Read this slowly, and thoughtfully, as you contemplate His love for you.
“Each member of Your holy flesh endured dishonor for our sake: Your head the thorns; Your face the spitting; Your cheeks the blows; Your mouth the taste of gall mixed with vinegar; Your ears the impious blasphemies; Your back the scourge and Your hand the reed; Your whole body the stretching on the cross; Your joints the nails and Your side the lance. You suffered for our sake and freed us from passions. You stooped down to us in Your love for humankind and raised us up. All-powerful Saviour, have mercy on us.”
Resolve to live a life of worship to Jesus.
Jesus loves you.
Jesus died for you.
