A Man Of Sorrows

Introduction:

1. Last Lord’s Day you were exhorted from this section, which God had already impressed upon me.
2. Today we observe the Lord’s Supper at His table with His people, and we want to remember, show, and discern all aspects of His death as fully as we can to obey God and honor Him (I Cor 11:23-29).
3. We exalt actors, athletes, businessmen, and politicians; but they cannot compare at all to Jesus Christ.
4. We emphasize and exalt Jesus as the Blessed and Only Potentate, King of kings and Lord of lords, on His white horse or sitting on the throne of God with a rod of iron for a scepter. But He was more!
5. We do not put Him in a manger, with long hair at a door, or on a crucifix. But He did grieve greatly!
6. What is grief? Anguish, distress, hardship, pain, and trouble are helpful synonyms (Gen 26:35; I Sam 25:31; II Sam 1:16; Job 2:13; 6:2; Ps 31:9-10; Pr 17:25; Eccl 2:23; Jer 10:19; I Pet 2:19).
7. What is sorrow? It is distress or sadness caused by disappointment, loss, or suffering (Gen 3:16-17; 42:38; Lev 26:16; Neh 2:2; Est 9:22; Job 3:10; Ps 90:10; 116:3; Pr 15:13; 17:21; Ecc 5:17; Rev 21:4).
8. What are the lessons of considering Jesus Christ as a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief?
   1. What He went through in His life and death should move us to appreciate Him and our salvation.
   2. How His payment for our sins included much more than just physical pain and bodily death.
   3. How His sorrow and suffering in all respects puts the proper measure on the terribleness of sin.
   4. How He trusted God’s will, laid hold of promises by faith, and waited for the certain reward.
   5. How the perspective of eternity can give even the Lord of glory the resolve to go forward.
   6. What we should remember when we think we are overwhelmed by our own grief and sorrows.
   7. How He can be a merciful high priest and be able to help us through His tasting of the same.
   8. How we cause Him further grief and sorrow when we play the fool or are immature Christians.
9. The Lord Jesus Christ was humiliated before His glorification (Phil 2:5-8; Eph 4:8-10).

What caused His grief and sorrow?

1. Jesus had His own griefs and sorrows, as He dwelt among men and was crucified (Is 53:3).
   1. It is easy overlook the nonphysical and less obvious aspects of His humiliation and passion.
   2. He suffered temptation in all the ways we do, including grief and sorrow, nearly overwhelming.
   3. We cannot rightly measure the grief and sorrow of His Father forsaking Him (Ps 22:1).
   4. He was despised and reproached by God and others as if He was but a worm (Ps 22:6).
   5. He was mocked, ridiculed, and scorned about His relationship with God (Ps 22:7-8).
   6. His enemies surrounded him like bulls or a lion to attack and destroy Him (Ps 22:12-13).
   7. His enemies surrounded him like wild dogs and nailed his hands and feet (Ps 22:16).
   8. He was stripped totally naked to the gaze of enemies and friends alike (Ps 22:17-18).
   9. Satan, the singular dog and lion, was out to destroy his soul, his darling (Ps 22:20-21).
   10. He treated His enemies so well, but they unjustly gathered to destroy him (Psalm 69:1-4).
   11. He was ashamed by the reproach He took for following after God His Father (Ps 69:7).
   12. He was a stranger and an alien to his brothers and sisters, who did not believe (Ps 69:8).
   13. He was grieved and sorrowful by the carnality of Israel’s profane worshippers (Ps 69:9).
   14. Though engaged in sober spiritual exercises, He was ridiculed nonetheless (Ps 69:10-12).
   15. He was in trouble and needed help quickly, but God was hiding His face (Ps 69:17-18).
   16. The reproach, shame, and dishonor His enemies heaped on Him was great (Ps 69:19).
   17. Reproach broke His heart and heavily weighed on Him without any relief (Ps 69:20).
   18. When He cried out in need, they gave Him only gall and vinegar to drink (Ps 69:21).
   19. His parents did not understand or remember His declared purpose from God (Luke 2:49).
   20. His siblings, brothers and sisters, did not believe on Him while He lived (John 7:1-10).
   21. 2Even His friends, when watching Him serve, said, “He is beside himself” (Mark 3:21).
   22. His perfect preaching caused a division and many Jews to say he had a devil (Jn 10:20).
   23. Never was a good man so hated by his own people. The Jews called Him a carpenter’s son (Matt 13:55-57), Samaritan (John 8:48), devil-possessed (John 8:48; 10:20), deceiver (Matt 27:63), and a blasphemer (Matt 26:65). They were offended by Him (Matt 13:57)!
   24. When He told His friends of His coming suffering, they rebuked Him (Matt 16:21-23).
   25. He was so afflicted in Gethsemane that He sweat as it were great drops of blood (Luke 22:44), yet at this very important time His closest friends ignored His requests and slept.
   26. His companions were ashamed of Him at a public confrontation and deserted Him after their most memorable evening together, and one denied vehemently he ever knew Him.
   27. At His travesty of a trial, where were the thousands He had healed and fed? They were in Jerusalem and close at hand, for it was Passover! But they all turned their faces away!
   28. Do you like reproach? The reproaches of God’s enemies fell on Jesus Christ (Rom 15:3).
   29. He had soul torture with knowledge of the future (Matt 26:1-2; Lu 9:51-53; Joh 12:27).
   30. He was neglected by His disciples, who did not discern the theft and treachery of Judas.
   31. His disciples slept instead of responding to His requests for alertness and prayer, though this was after the Last Supper, when He intimately told them of coming trouble and death. This after Peter had grandly promised Him to remain faithful even unto death.
   32. One of His closest friends betrayed Him with a kiss for a mere thirty pieces of silver.
   33. His disciples forsook Him and left Him alone and defenseless with the angry mob.
   34. We read of no defense on His behalf with a listing of His good deeds and words.
   35. We read of no efforts to sacrifice themselves to save His life i.e. Secret Service.
   36. His followers all forsook Him in His great hour of need. There was no rebellion for Him.
   37. He was ridiculed, mocked, and tortured about His identity with clear evidence available.
   38. He was unappreciated for the great amount of good He had done and taught for 3 years.
   39. He was humiliated with nudity, mock titles, a purple robe, crown of thorns, and railing.
   40. He was sarcastically mocked as a king, though He was the King of kings and Son of God.
   41. He was dared by wicked and presumptuous men who knew nothing to prophesy of them.
   42. He was tempted to revenge with twelve legions of angels for His rescue, but He did not.
   43. He was rejected by His nation, which screamed for a Roman oppressor to torture Him.
   44. He was sacrificed in order to free Barabbas, a convicted murderer and seditioner.
   45. He was ridiculed as an imposter that could not possibly be known or helped by God.
   46. He was slandered by false witnesses called against Him to lie rather than hear His truth.
   47. He was despised with facial spit though He sent sun, rain, and fruitful seasons to them.
   48. He was humiliated by two enemies – Pilate and Herod – becoming friends by His trial.
   49. He was deserted by the governor that knew He was innocent and the Jews only envious.
   50. He was tempted to take a sedative offered before the cross. He drank rather of God’s cup.
   51. He was railed on by the two thieves, which were crucified for evil deeds at His sides.
   52. He was ignored and not rescued, though there was darkness over the land for three hours.
   53. He was shamed and tortured to suffer and die naked before women friends and mother.
   54. He was humiliated by being crucified between two common thieves, though Lord of all.
   55. He suffered not for those who loved Him, but rather for His hateful enemies (Rom 5:8).
   56. No man has suffered such nonphysical pain and suffering in such a short period of time.
   57. He wept over children of Jerusalem and saw the coming pain (Luke 19:41-44; 23:27-31).
   58. He was sorrowful, even unto death, in the Garden of Gethsemane (Matthew 26:37-38).
2. Jesus also bore our griefs and sorrows, as He cared for His own (Isaiah 53:4; Matt 8:16-17).
   1. It is hard for us at first pass to comprehend healing is prophesied in Isaiah 53, but it is.
   2. He bore griefs and sorrows by healing infirmities and sicknesses, physical and spiritual.
   3. He cast out devils and healed diseases, delivering many from their griefs and sorrows.
   4. From Isaiah 53:5 to the end of the chapter, it is substitutionary atonement for our sins.
   5. Jesus showed He is a perfect high priest by His work before, during, and after His death.
   6. We tire so easily and quickly from the weight of others’ problems, but He bore them all!
   7. He had compassion for the widow of Nain and his friends (Luke 7:11-18; John 11:33).
   8. He ministered to thousands, who had terrible griefs and sorrows, emotional and physical.
   9. He faced unbelievers on every side, even among His disciples, causing grief and sorrow.
   10. He was tempted in all points like as we are, and we should not modify this statement.

What effect should it have on us?

1. Today we observe the Lord’s Supper at His table with His people, and we want to remember, show, and discern His death as fully as we can to obey God and honor Jesus Christ (I Cor 11:23-29).
   1. As our Lord blessed and sanctified each element, He said, “This do in remembrance of me.”
   2. Furthermore, Paul explained the Lord’s Supper as showing His death, which we are to discern.
   3. His humiliation, grief, and sorrow are all part of His death, which we should know and remember.
2. It further teaches us many practical lessons, as indicated in the introduction and conclusion.
3. He was tempted in all points like as we are, so He can be a fantastic priest (Heb 2:18; 4:15).

How did He respond to His grief and sorrow?

1. He encouraged Himself, though praying and crying strongly, in the fear of God (Heb 5:7).
2. He encouraged Himself, though desiring otherwise, in the will of God (Matthew 26:38-39).
3. He encouraged Himself by considering those He would save by His death (Isaiah 53:10-12).
4. He encouraged Himself enough in the coming reward to endure and despise (Hebrews 12:2).
5. He knew there were pleasures forevermore waiting for Him at God’s right hand (Ps 16:8-11).
6. He was right! Because of His obedient humiliation, God highly exalted Him (Phil 2:5-11).

How should we respond to His example?

1. We should set our affection on things above just as He did to despise this earth (Col 3:2).
2. We should count the reward of the inheritance sufficient compensation (Heb 11:24-26).
3. We should do everything heartily in light of the reward of the inheritance (Col 3:23-24).
4. Any trouble we endure now is nothing compared to benefits that are coming (II Cor 4:16-18).
5. We must wisely make a reckoning of how the future crushes the present (Rom 8:18-19).
6. We should be able to take any employment abuse in light of our Lord’s death (I Pet 2:18-25).
7. We should be able to take abuse from anyone else in light of our Lord’s death (Mat 5:38-48).

Should we consider the effect of our folly?

1. If we grieve the Holy Spirit by our sins, then we bring grief to the Son of God (Eph 4:30).
2. After all He did for us, how can we possibly live foolishly, without any cost (Heb 12:3-4)?

Conclusion:

1. What are the lessons of considering Jesus Christ as a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief?
   1. What He went through in His life and death should move us to appreciate Him and our salvation.
   2. How His payment for our sins included much more than just physical pain and bodily death.
   3. How His sorrow and suffering in all respects puts the proper measure on the terribleness of sin.
   4. How He trusted God’s will, laid hold of promises by faith, and waited for the certain reward.
   5. How the perspective of eternity can give even the Lord of glory the resolve to go forward.
   6. What we should remember when we think we are overwhelmed by our own grief and sorrows.
   7. How He can be a merciful high priest and able to help by His tasting of His own grief and sorrow.
   8. How we cause Him further grief and sorrow when we play the fool or are immature Christians.
2. You should be able to cast your cares on Him, for He cares for you and knows about grief (I Pet 5:7).
3. He sees everything we see that causes grief and sorrow … but He sees it much more clearly!
4. Now exalted and glorified in heaven, He can and will do more for you than when He was on earth.
5. Learn to use Hebrews 2:18 and 4:15 to remind you of His great ability as our high priest in heaven.
6. But God forbid that we should glory or preach anything with more emphasis (I Cor 2:5; Gal 6:14).

For Further Study:

1. Sermon Outline: The Glory of the Cross
2. Sermon Outline: Seven Sayings on the Cross
3. Sermon Outline: The Cross of Christ
4. Sermon Outline: World’s Greatest Lover
5. Sermon Outline: The Blood of Christ
6. Sermon Outline: Psalm 22 Exposition
7. Sermon Outline: We Would See Jesus
8. Sermon Outline: Cross of Jesus Christ
9. Sermon Outline: Isaiah 53 Exposition
10. Sermon Outline: Psalm 45 Exposition
11. Sermon Outline: He Is Altogether Lovely

Christ’s Physical Sufferings:

1. He was SCOURGED by the Romans, who were known for efficient and terrible punishments.
2. He had a CROWN OF THORNS planted on his head and driven into his scalp with a reed.
3. He had His BEARD PLUCKED off His face, though not described in the N.T. (Isaiah 50:6).
4. His FACE WAS BEATEN by the hands and fists of Roman soldiers, while He was blindfolded.
5. He was STRIPPED of His garments in public and exposed to all in total NAKEDNESS.
6. He was kept up all night WITHOUT SLEEP for torture and fraudulent trials to condemn Him.
7. He was forced to CARRY HIS OWN CROSS after being physically abused all night.
8. He had NAILS driven through His HANDS AND FEET into the wooden cross to suspend Him.
9. He was SUSPENDED ON THAT CROSS with those four nails supporting His body weight.
10. He was EXTREMELY THIRSTY from the hours of trial and torture and fluid loss.
11. He was fully conscious of the great pain by REJECTING THE SEDATIVE offered before the cross.
12. Though these physical sufferings are horrific, other men have suffered similarly or even worse and/or longer.

Christ’s Spiritual Sufferings from the devil:

1. Satan and the demons of hell attacked Him without mercy in an incredible, yet invisible, conflict.
2. We are ignorant of the great conflict between spirits in high places (Ep 6:12; Da 10:20; Jude 9).
3. We do not respect Satan, when God looses him (Job 1-2; I Chr 1:1; Zech 3:1; Luke 22:3,31-32).
4. Satan’s demonic host is the most unified and efficient hostile force in the universe (Matt 12:26).
5. Animosity and conflict between Satan and Jesus was prophesied very early (Genesis 3:15).
6. Recall the subtle, arrogant, and malicious efforts to tempt Jesus to sin (Matthew 4:1-11).
7. Satan only left Jesus “for a season” after the temptation in the wilderness (Luke 4:13).
8. The hour of the power of darkness is a foreboding description from Jesus (Luke 22:53).
9. Jesus knew the conflict with Satan was coming and told His disciples of it (John 14:30).
10. It was the time for Satan to be cast out (John 12:31; 16:11). Was he happy with this change?
11. Satan is filled with such malicious hatred for Jesus Christ regardless of the future (Rev 12:12).
12. As the elect angels cannot believe salvation for men, Satan cannot stand salvation by a Man.
13. And he knew that Jesus Christ was manifested to destroy him and his works (I John 3:8).
14. If we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, what did Jesus have to wrestle with? With principalities, powers, the rulers of darkness, and spiritual wickedness in high places (Ep 6:12).
15. “[Deliver] my darling from the power of the dog” refers to the singular dog Satan (Ps 22:20).
16. “Save Me from the lion’s mouth” refers to the roaring lion Satan (Psalm 22:21 cp I Peter 5:8).
17. He was strengthened in the Garden by an angel (Ma 4:11 cp Luke 22:43-44 cp 22:53 cp Jude 9).
18. They have no pity; they did not consider Him; they did not comfort Him; they tortured Him.
19. If they could just get Him . . . to curse God . . . to beg for mercy . . . to quit . . . to be afraid . . . to ask for help . . . to use His Strength to deliver Himself . . . to violate a Scriptural promise . . . to retaliate against His persecutors . . . to ask them for help . . . to speak against the elect.
20. No man has ever even imagined, let alone endured, such a spiritual conflict for His soul.

Christ’s Spiritual Sufferings from God:

1. But most of all He became sin for us, and God the Father forsook His only begotten Son.
2. We must here admit Paul’s description of the incarnation as a great mystery (I Timothy 3:16).
   1. Jesus had a human spirit subject to all our temptations yet without sin (Heb 2:18; 4:15).
   2. Jesus had a Divine Spirit, Which was the Word of God and the Everlasting Father.
3. Remember clearly that no man has ever had a relationship with God as did Jesus of Nazareth.
   1. He had before this event always been One with His Father (John 10:30; 17:20-26).
   2. He had before this event always pleased His Father (John 8:29 cp Matthew 3:17).
4. Many, many martyrs have died more painful deaths with joy and singing from God’s presence.
5. It pleased His Heavenly Father to bruise Him, put Him to grief (Isaiah 53:10), and forsake Him.
6. He became sin for us (II Corinthians 5:21) as our iniquity was laid on Him to pay for (Isaiah 53:6).
7. He became infinitely guilty, fearful, lonely, condemned for the first and only time in His life.
8. He suffered these things in infinite quantity and quality though for a very finite period of time.
9. He suffered the equivalent of an eternity in hell for all the elect in a few hours (Cp Matt 7:23).
10. Yet, we must acknowledge that He was in the presence of God that very day (Luke 23:43,46).
11. No man can weakly imagine the spiritual pain and suffering of this part of the cross.