Christ Suffered

"Therefore, since Christ suffered..." (I Peter 4:1)

The Apostles' Creed summarizes the whole life of Jesus in one word—suffered. Yes, he suffered during his whole life: leaving his home in glory, taking on human nature, assaulted by the devil, misunderstood by his followers, and rejected by his own people. But as his earthly life drew to a climax, the dregs in his cup of suffering grew more and more bitter until his suffering reached the point where words cannot describe it.

"Arm Yourselves With the Same Attitude"  

My Mom suffered much due to rheumatoid arthritis. Yet, she did not complain. She often said, "I'm thankful my mind is good." A church member said, "I cry to the Lord day and night in my pain." Another said, "I'm glad we're not going to live in this world forever." Still another person, when her husband was suffering greatly, said, "Sometimes I wish the Lord would take us together." The suffering of believers in Jesus is like certain paintings. Viewed from close up, they are meaningless blobs of paint. But seen from a distance, they are beautiful works of art.