The Sufferer

In our last lesson, we considered how our First Love, the absolute Lord of Lords, also serves us.

In this lesson, let's consider how God also suffers for us.

In Philippians 2, we read what is likely an early hymn of the Christian church:

"Adopt the same attitude as that of Christ Jesus, who, existing in the form of God, did not consider equality with God as something to be exploited. Instead he emptied himself by assuming the form of a servant, taking on the likeness of humanity. And when he had come as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death— even to death on a cross. For this reason God highly exalted him and gave him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow— in heaven and on earth and under the earth— and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father."

This hymn clearly teaches us the Lordship of Jesus the Messiah.

Yet it also shows us the pathway Jesus took: suffering death on the Cross.

And what was that death? It was biological death, social humiliation, but most of all: payment for our wicked sins before a holy God.

From our experience, this is a strange way to demonstrate that you are the greatest authority, the one who will be acknowledged by every tongue as Lord.

Our First Love is the absolute Lord. He is also the greatest servant. He has descended as low as one can go to suffer for us, to show us his love, to demonstrate that he has our best interests at heart.

It might be hard to trust a new boss. But what if at the first meeting, your boss said to you, look, I'm donating my salary to you. I don't want any compensation. Here, I just want to make sure you have what you need. And I want you to have my corner office - I'll sit in the cubicle. And the company car - you can have that too, I'll take the bus.

You might initially be suspicious, but assuming the boss was a good man, and meant what he said, eventually you might trust that he had your best interests at heart? If he then said, hey, could you work on this report for me, wouldn't you be inclined to do a great job, and trust that it was an important project?

Jesus has done so much more than that for you. I invite you to consider how he has served you, sacrificed for you, and loved you.

Your First Love has earned the right to be the authority over your life. He already had that right as your Creator, but surely he also has this authority because of how he has served us and suffered for us?