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David Scudder
DaveBethel at gmail dot com Sr. Pastor of Bethel Chapel Church
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Last Sunday I ended my sermon about suffering by showing a picture of a beautiful sunset with a large cross silhouetted to one side. On the screen was a quote by Joseph Church: “Sufferings are but as little chips of the Cross.” I had talked about God’s grace and the reasons why we should be willing to suffer for Christ. Those are beautiful things to talk about.
The cross was an ugly thing, though. The chips of suffering that God lets fall into our lives are ugly, too, but God wants the words we say in church to mirror the life we live on the street. He sent some chips of the cross into our lives about an hour later. Derick (an adult son of mine and one of the pastors here at Bethel) stopped by Wawa after church with Bill, an older man who recently found Christ and began attending our church. Derick left the store first. After he unlocked his car, he looked back and saw Bill on the pavement and three young men beating him up. Derick ran back, yelling at them, expecting them to scatter. Instead, the men left Bill lying there and went after Derick. They slugged him in the face several times and then ran off, leaving Derick staggering and blood-splattered.
You can probably imagine that desperate scene at Wawa: the thugs attacking, the blood, and the frantic calls to the police. That all happened in our neighborhood, at a store we go to often. Can you imagine the cross, though? Much more injustice, more blood, more suffering than we will ever see in our neighborhood. Anytime we suffer it should remind us of the much bigger suffering that Jesus endured on Good Friday over 2,000 years ago. “For consider [Christ] who has endured such hostility by sinners against Himself, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart” (Hebrews 12:3). “But we do see Him who was made for a little while lower than the angels, namely, Jesus, because of the suffering of death crowned with glory and honor, so that by the grace of God He might taste death for everyone” (Hebrews 2:9). Jesus was God. He didn’t have to suffer and die. He volunteered to do it for us.
You can imagine my feelings as I raced through the neighborhood looking for Derick. He’d called me first, but in the stress of the moment didn’t tell me (or I didn’t hear) where the beating had happened. I went several places before I found the ambulance and the police cars, the scene of the crime. Can you imagine my emotions? It was almost half an hour before I could find out how badly Derick had been hurt. I was torn with grief and love. Can you imagine how God felt about His Son’s suffering for us? Jesus, His Son, who had never wronged anyone, beaten and bruised and bloody, dying in agony for the wrongs we have done. God was also torn with grief, but His love for us was greater. He let the world’s greatest injustice happen on Good Friday to Himself.
Can you imagine how Bill felt? When we first saw him standing beside the police car, he was fighting tears. We told him how thankful we were that he was unhurt, but he pointed to Derick’s bloody face and said in a choked voice, “That would have been me if it hadn’t been for Derick.” This Easter season, those of us who know Jesus Christ as Savior point to a bloody cross and say, “That should have been me. I deserved God’s punishment for my sin, but Jesus stepped in and took it for me.”
I’m so glad the cross isn’t the end of the story. After Good Friday came Easter Sunday—the resurrection, the beginning of the end of death forever. The death of Jesus made a way for those who accept His sacrifice to live forever with Him. My story, too, had a very good ending. Quick action by the police and witnesses helped them capture all three criminals. The doctor stitched up Derick’s face, and his black eye is healing. Bill was unhurt, and the police found and returned his money that the thieves had stolen.
Will your life have a good ending? No, I’m not talking about how you will die. I’m talking about what will happen afterwards. Have you accepted Christ’s sacrifice? Does the Easter message fill your heart with grateful joy? “He [God the Father] made [Jesus] who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him” (2 Corinthians 5:21).
The cross was an ugly thing, though. The chips of suffering that God lets fall into our lives are ugly, too, but God wants the words we say in church to mirror the life we live on the street. He sent some chips of the cross into our lives about an hour later. Derick (an adult son of mine and one of the pastors here at Bethel) stopped by Wawa after church with Bill, an older man who recently found Christ and began attending our church. Derick left the store first. After he unlocked his car, he looked back and saw Bill on the pavement and three young men beating him up. Derick ran back, yelling at them, expecting them to scatter. Instead, the men left Bill lying there and went after Derick. They slugged him in the face several times and then ran off, leaving Derick staggering and blood-splattered.
You can probably imagine that desperate scene at Wawa: the thugs attacking, the blood, and the frantic calls to the police. That all happened in our neighborhood, at a store we go to often. Can you imagine the cross, though? Much more injustice, more blood, more suffering than we will ever see in our neighborhood. Anytime we suffer it should remind us of the much bigger suffering that Jesus endured on Good Friday over 2,000 years ago. “For consider [Christ] who has endured such hostility by sinners against Himself, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart” (Hebrews 12:3). “But we do see Him who was made for a little while lower than the angels, namely, Jesus, because of the suffering of death crowned with glory and honor, so that by the grace of God He might taste death for everyone” (Hebrews 2:9). Jesus was God. He didn’t have to suffer and die. He volunteered to do it for us.
You can imagine my feelings as I raced through the neighborhood looking for Derick. He’d called me first, but in the stress of the moment didn’t tell me (or I didn’t hear) where the beating had happened. I went several places before I found the ambulance and the police cars, the scene of the crime. Can you imagine my emotions? It was almost half an hour before I could find out how badly Derick had been hurt. I was torn with grief and love. Can you imagine how God felt about His Son’s suffering for us? Jesus, His Son, who had never wronged anyone, beaten and bruised and bloody, dying in agony for the wrongs we have done. God was also torn with grief, but His love for us was greater. He let the world’s greatest injustice happen on Good Friday to Himself.
Can you imagine how Bill felt? When we first saw him standing beside the police car, he was fighting tears. We told him how thankful we were that he was unhurt, but he pointed to Derick’s bloody face and said in a choked voice, “That would have been me if it hadn’t been for Derick.” This Easter season, those of us who know Jesus Christ as Savior point to a bloody cross and say, “That should have been me. I deserved God’s punishment for my sin, but Jesus stepped in and took it for me.”
I’m so glad the cross isn’t the end of the story. After Good Friday came Easter Sunday—the resurrection, the beginning of the end of death forever. The death of Jesus made a way for those who accept His sacrifice to live forever with Him. My story, too, had a very good ending. Quick action by the police and witnesses helped them capture all three criminals. The doctor stitched up Derick’s face, and his black eye is healing. Bill was unhurt, and the police found and returned his money that the thieves had stolen.
Will your life have a good ending? No, I’m not talking about how you will die. I’m talking about what will happen afterwards. Have you accepted Christ’s sacrifice? Does the Easter message fill your heart with grateful joy? “He [God the Father] made [Jesus] who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him” (2 Corinthians 5:21).
COMMENTS
Dave on 2009-04-10 11:29:45
You hear about such things, but to have had it happen to you?! Wow! But praise the Lord for your pastoral spirit, giving thanks to God even (especially) in such a situation! I trust you're all doing well now. May the Lord protect you.
You hear about such things, but to have had it happen to you?! Wow! But praise the Lord for your pastoral spirit, giving thanks to God even (especially) in such a situation! I trust you're all doing well now. May the Lord protect you.
Ed on 2009-04-18 18:15:51
I am so sorry that this happened . It is said "What the Lord leads you to He leads you through" My prayer to Jehovah Rophe that Dericks wounds heal without problem and he is able to move forward. Bill, it's a tough trip,but God gives you tough shoes (Deut.33:25) you have seen it first hand. Your in the right place, your faith will grow in time, and you'll learn God's promises and how to pick out the promise that fit's the situation and to hang your body in faith from it. God brought you to Bethel to help through the Valleys and you have a great group of people to worship with and great leadership. It's not going to be easy, BUT your gonna make it.
I am so sorry that this happened . It is said "What the Lord leads you to He leads you through" My prayer to Jehovah Rophe that Dericks wounds heal without problem and he is able to move forward. Bill, it's a tough trip,but God gives you tough shoes (Deut.33:25) you have seen it first hand. Your in the right place, your faith will grow in time, and you'll learn God's promises and how to pick out the promise that fit's the situation and to hang your body in faith from it. God brought you to Bethel to help through the Valleys and you have a great group of people to worship with and great leadership. It's not going to be easy, BUT your gonna make it.
