What do you usually do when faced with suffering?
After being beaten, stripped of his clothes, and dragged through streets to his place of execution, Jesus was nailed and hung on a cross to die (Mark 15:22-47). Those around him—soldiers, the crowd, and even those who were crucified with him—mocked him. But how did Jesus face all this? Rather than easing his pain (with wine mixed with myrrh) or arguing with those mocking him, he chose to accept his suffering.
Jesus decided to take the path of suffering. He was given this mission from God, and he chose to suffer so that we may be redeemed from the bondage of sin. Because of his suffering, we can be reconciled with God. 🙌
How do we respond to this?
A centurion saw Jesus’s death and recognized Jesus to be the Son of God. Joseph of Arimathea saw Jesus’s death and took courage to give Jesus a proper burial. When we see Jesus’s death how do we respond?
Will we strive to follow Jesus, enduring the suffering that we may face, so that people may be reconciled with God?
May we ask God to help us grow and become more like Christ each day, even in the face of death. 🙏
Summary by Evan