Try to imagine the words of your new best friend, one you have been hanging with for a few years, a person you respect, love, and have given up everything and everyone else to follow as he explains to you that someday soon he will suffer greatly. 

In the same breath your beloved friend and teacher tells of how he will go through the ordeal of a trial, be found guilty, be tortured, and then be put to death—as ordered by religious leaders!  But not to worry—on the third day, after all this—I will come back alive! 

Wait, what now?

Luke 9, the Message

Don’t Run from Suffering

¹⁸ One time when Jesus was off praying by himself, his disciples nearby, he asked them, “What are the crowds saying about me, about who I am?”

¹⁹ They said, “John the Baptizer. Others say Elijah. Still others say that one of the prophets from long ago has come back.”

^20-21 He then asked, “And you—what are you saying about me? Who am I?”

Peter answered, “The Messiah of God.” Jesus then warned them to keep it quiet. They were to tell no one what Peter had said.

²² He went on, “It is necessary that the Son of Man proceed to an ordeal of suffering, be tried and found guilty by the religious leaders, high priests, and religion scholars, be killed, and on the third day be raised up alive.”

^23-27 Then he told them what they could expect for themselves: “Anyone who intends to come with me has to let me lead. You’re not in the driver’s seat—I am. Don’t run from suffering; embrace it. Follow me and I’ll show you how. Self-help is no help at all. Self-sacrifice is the way, my way, to finding yourself, your true self. What good would it do to get everything you want and lose you, the real you? If any of you is embarrassed with me and the way I’m leading you, know that the Son of Man will be far more embarrassed with you when he arrives in all his splendor in company with the Father and the holy angels. This isn’t, you realize, pie in the sky by and by. Some who have taken their stand right here are going to see it happen, see with their own eyes the kingdom of God.”

Jesus in His Glory

^28-31 About eight days after saying this, he climbed the mountain to pray, taking Peter, John, and James along. While he was in prayer, the appearance of his face changed and his clothes became blinding white. At once two men were there talking with him. They turned out to be Moses and Elijah—and what a glorious appearance they made! They talked over his exodus, the one Jesus was about to complete in Jerusalem.

^32-33 Meanwhile, Peter and those with him were slumped over in sleep. When they came to, rubbing their eyes, they saw Jesus in his glory and the two men standing with him. When Moses and Elijah had left, Peter said to Jesus, “Master, this is a great moment! Let’s build three memorials: one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.” He blurted this out without thinking.

^34-35 While he was babbling on like this, a light-radiant cloud enveloped them. As they found themselves buried in the cloud, they became deeply aware of God. Then there was a voice out of the cloud: “This is my Son, the Chosen! Listen to him.”

³⁶ When the sound of the voice died away, they saw Jesus there alone. They were speechless. And they continued speechless, said not one thing to anyone during those days of what they had seen.

WHAT DO WE LEARN—HOW DO WE RESPOND?

Jesus’ dear friends have followed Him closely for three years.  They have learned what real is love by watching Him relate to people in ways they have never see before He came into their lives.  They have marveled at His wisdom, awed by his power to heal, while observing firsthand the glory of God at work in miraculous ways.  Now, as Jesus is coming close to the conclusion of His ministry and mission on earth, He teaches the greatest and most challenging lesson of all to His beloved— “embrace suffering, don’t run from it.  Follow Me, I’ll show you how.”

Jesus circles back with this same teaching a few times.  John relates in His gospel—

“I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.” –Jesus John 16:33

Jesus teaches that real life, eternal life, requires loving God back with undivided hearts, minds focused on God’s will while losing our own desired will that falls short of the glory of God, allowing a filling our souls with all that God wants to give.  In this world, who does not know God and does not care to know God, we will suffer for believing fully in Him.  We will be mocked and ridiculed and called a “fool” as scriptures tell us.  Why?  Because the prince of this world, the “father of lies” as Jesus calls him, will do everything in his limited power to pull us away from the splendor and majesty of Jesus who lives in us.   

When we know and expect suffering, however, it is easier to embrace it and work through it knowing that Jesus has already won!  When we believe, really believe, that we are on living on the side of victory, His confidence and assurance rise within us—even through the suffering! 

We embrace what Jesus endured for us so that we might share in the glorious splendor of God’s will and work in and through us.  Paul, a life dramatically changed by Jesus explains it best—

^“But whatever were gains to me I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ—the righteousness that comes from God on the basis of faith. I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow, attaining to the resurrection from the dead.” Philippians 3:7-11

Paul walked with Christ, prayed, obeyed His will, and sought to glorify His name. When he was living under law, all Paul had was a set of rules. But now he had a Friend, a Master, a constant Companion.  All we need is Jesus.  Embrace Jesus.  Embrace Life.

Jesus clearly defines how to embrace suffering that leads to the splendor of knowing Him:

• Anyone who intends to come with me must let me lead.
• You’re not in the driver’s seat—I am.
• We cannot do this by ourselves.  Self-help is no help.
• Self-sacrifice is the way—MY way of finding your true self.
• Lose all you tightly hold in your fists and let it fall away. 
• Open your hands to be filled with all I desire to give that is better—unspeakable joy, full of glory! 
• Be the answer of who Jesus is to the world! 
• Jesus removed all our shame at the cross.  Who are we to be ashamed of what He is doing in us? 
• Who we are will be known when Jesus comes back in splendor!  God knows our hearts.  And we just can’t hide it!

“And you, who do you say I am?” –Jesus asks today…

We must answer Jesus with our very lives.  Who is truly in the driver’s seat of our hearts and minds?  Who is filling our souls today?  Embrace suffering for a little while on earth as we look forward to all the splendor and glory of God later.  It will indeed be worth it all when we see Jesus! 

Believe and be saved for eternity.

Lord,

You are worth it all of life to me now!  You are life.  You are everything I hoped for and everything I need.  Trying circumstances in my life were used to teach me.  Suffering from time to time just brought me closer to realizing your compassionate care and protection for us.  I see your glory at work daily in my life in the lives around me who believe and trust you.  I see your glory at work even in those who do not yet believe!  So, I just want to say thank you even though those words never see to be enough. Help me to live a grateful life so others will be drawn to you in me.

In Jesus Name, Amen