Why did Jesus suffer?

[Note: This was originally posted on my blog on my home church's web site. I thought I would also post it here, even though Good Friday is past.]

Why do we observe Good Friday? When we think about the audacity of human beings to torture and kill God incarnate, our minds are unable to fathom a reason why this could happen. The suffering and death of Jesus Christ is the darkest moment in human history, yet we call this day "good."

In 1 Peter 3:14-18, we find Peter making a connection between the suffering we experience as Christians and the suffering of Jesus. We read: "But even if you should suffer for what is right, you are blessed. “Do not fear their threats; do not be frightened.” But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander. For it is better, if it is God’s will, to suffer for doing good than for doing evil. For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. He was put to death in the body but made alive in the Spirit."

Peter tells us that Jesus suffered for our sins. He, who was perfectly righteous, took on the sins of us, who are unrighteous, so He could bring us to God. Think about that. The way to God is a way of suffering. In order for us to be restored to God, our sins required judgment, and that judgment cam through suffering. Yet we do not have to face the judgment for our sins ourselves, because Jesus did the suffering for us.

This passage also points out the way we should react to suffering in our lives. If we are suffering because we have done wrong, we have no complaint; we get what we deserve. But if we suffer for doing what is right, we suffer in a very faint imitation of our Lord. He took on suffering that He did not deserve so we could be made right with God. We can take our suffering in stride because we know that Jesus has experienced suffering and understands what we are going through, even as He goes through it with us.

For me, the most moving service of our church year at CNCC is our Good Friday service. As we sit and listen to prophetic Scriptures and an account of the death of Christ, and as the darkness slowly envelopes the sanctuary, we are brought in a symbolic way into reflection on the terrible cost of our salvation. We are brought face to face with the agony of our Lord, even if it is only in a small measure, and reminded that the grace which gives us a salvation we did not deserve through faith in Jesus comes because He took a judgment He did not deserve on Himself.

Easter is coming shortly. We rejoice at the resurrection triumph of Christ, and often can't wait to get to the celebration of life over death and grace over sin. In our desire to celebrate, however, let's not rush past the cross and the tomb. The joy of Easter only comes because of the sorrow of Good Friday. We experience the "good" of salvation because of the "bad" of the killing of the Savior. Enter into the darkness for a while, and remind yourself of the price paid for you to be made right with your God.

Tenebrae

As I stated in a previous post, my favorite service of the year is the Good Friday Tenebrae service. It's a solemn service, and very visual, but I find it the most striking and memorable service I participate in each year. I was introduced to Tenebrae at a Baptist seminary, attended for several years at a Reformed Episcopal church, and have organized or led the service at several Baptist churches since. It's not the kind of service most Baptists are familiar with, so I'd like to explain what happens so you can understand why the service is done the way it is.

"Tenebrae" is the Latin word for "darkness." As a separate service, Tenebrae arose from some medieval traditions of darkening the church during Good Friday services, but in the form we use it comes more from a liturgical Protestant tradition. It is a highly structured service, with a set form even of most of the words of the service; this is popularly called a "liturgical" service, from the word "liturgy" which means the form or order of worship. (In truth, all churches are "liturgical," but some are more structured than others!) There are times for the pastor to speak, and for the congregation to respond. The Tenebrae service anticipates active participation by the congregation.

The major focus of Tenebrae is the Bible. There are many Scripture readings related to the events of Good Friday. Many are from Psalms, and have verses that describe the experiences of Jesus during His sufferings and death. Others are of Old Testament prophecy relating to the suffering of the Messiah. There are also readings from the Gospels (Luke, in our case) and the Epistles (Hebrews). The words of the Bible tell us the story of Christ, and we immerse ourselves in God's Word during this service.

There is a highly symbolic aspect to this service, which is unusual in Baptist churches. The candles that are lit are extinguished and the lights dimmed to symbolize the encroaching darkness of Jesus' suffering and death. We recite the Lord's Prayer, but in a whisper to reflect our own awe at remembering the work of our Lord. The Christ candle (often from the Advent wreath) is extinguished and hidden to symbolize the death and burial of Jesus. Bells toll to drive home the finality of the death of Christ-at least, the finality the disciples experienced on that first Friday. We leave the church in darkness and silence, meditating on the fact that it was only through the suffering and death of Jesus that we are able to be made right with God.

The symbolism of Tenebrae is sometimes criticized as an effort to bring in "traditions" from other denominations into the evangelical church. (Seriously. You wouldn't believe what I read last night on some blog attacking Tenebrae.) Any symbol can be misused, so we do need to be careful that we are giving the proper meaning to those symbols. That's why I try to be very specific as to what we are doing in Tenebrae, and what all the symbols mean.

Ultimately, Tenebrae is a service that seeks to remind us, through Word and symbol, of the terrible price Christ paid for our sins. It is meant to draw our attention not to candles or symbols, but to the One whose sufferings they represent. If you leave on Good Friday thinking only of the "theatrics" of the service, you have missed the point. You should leave thinking of the grace of Jesus, and thanking Him for bearing the judgment for you.

The symbolism actually continues on Sunday morning. The church is brightly lit, there is joyous sound, and the Christ candle is there at the front of the church, lit again, symbolizing the Resurrection. We then celebrate the triumph of Jesus over sin and death. I just want to encourage you this week to take time to reflect on Jesus' suffering and death, and not skip too quickly to Sunday. We should recall what Peter wrote: "For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God." (1 Peter 3:18a, NIV) As the "unrighteous" who have been brought to God through Christ, we should respond with honor and gratitude for what He has done for us.

Preparing people to die

As we approach Good Friday, our thoughts are drawn to the suffering and death of our Lord. Many people want to rush right to the triumph of Easter, but if we brush past the occupied tomb to get to the empty tomb we miss what make the celebration of the Resurrection so joyful. We need to take time to meditate deeply on just what Jesus suffered to pay the price for our sins.

My favorite church service of the year is our Good Friday Tenebrae service. While it isn't one that most Baptists are familiar with, the focus on the words of Scripture and the visual aspects of the service create a moving and somber atmosphere that draws your attention to the cross. When you leave the church in darkness and silence, after a time of meditation on the suffering of Jesus, you are in a place from which the joy of Easter can truly flow. From dark and silent, the church on Easter Sunday will be full of light and joyous sound, reflecting the triumph of our Lord over sin and death.

I was listening to a podcast by Carl Trueman, professor of church history at Westminster Seminary, in which he stated that the role of the pastor is to prepare people to die. It's a provocative thought, but there is a lot of truth in it. Thinking about death runs counter to our culture, which is obsessed with staying alive (and preferably young). Yet we are all assured that one day, barring the return of Christ, we will all die. Are we ready for that to happen to us?

In His suffering and death, Jesus showed us how to be prepared to die. Jesus had a strong relationship with His Father, one that led Him to accept the Father's will above His own. He showed a human desire to avoid suffering and death if possible, yet faced His death with purpose. He went through physical, emotional and spiritual agony, yet in the end He knew triumph even in His pain. His sufferings were real (contrary to a variety of heretical teaching throughout history), but they did not break His confidence in His Father.

Before we can even begin to be prepared to die, we have to have a relationship with God. As sinners, we can't do that on our own, but Jesus made it possible for us to be right with God by taking our judgment on Himself. Through faith in Him, and by the grace of God, we can be brought into a right relationship with our Father. We continue to cultivate that relationship through reading and hearing God's Word, prayer, and service to others in the name of Jesus. As our relationship grows, we learn to trust God in everything, even in suffering and, yes, death. In the end, we are prepared to face death because we know it will bring us into our loving Father's presence.

Our churches can't be so focused on Christian living that they forget to prepare us to die. It is in preparing to die that we can really live, knowing that this life is only the beginning of a greater eternal life with our Lord. So think about the triumph of Jesus over sin and death, and the life He brings us through His victory, but don;t forget to think about dying, and what lies beyond death for you as you follow our Lord's example.