Christ the Victim (part 1).
A few months ago I stumbled across a theologian’s observation that shook me.
It came on a day when I was already swimming in a pool of self-pity and the feeling of culture shock was overwhelming. The thoughts in my mind were a mixture of pride (look how incredible my sacrifice is) and despair (how can I live like this?). My morning quiet time was a desperate hour of asking God to bring relief and ease – even if just for a few hours (though I was really hoping for a lifetime).
And as I was mindlessly scrolling through my Twitter feed that afternoon, this phrase caught my attention:
When you read ancient Christians, you notice: We talk a lot about Christ sharing in our sufferings. They talk more about our sharing in his.
I urge you to read that quote again. Two times. Three times. Let it sink in.
Did you read it again?
One thing that should (but often doesn’t) unite Christians is our worldview. That simply means that as we walk in obedience to Christ we see the world in a different way than is common to man. We receive this worldview from God’s word, in community, with the help of the Holy Spirit and (don’t freak out): tradition. It’s a willingness to receive God’s perspective, though our own are often conflicting and urging.
One of our most conflicting views with the world is how we view suffering. One of my favorite verses from the Apostle Peter is found in 1 Peter 4:12-13:
Dear friends, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal that has come on you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice inasmuch as you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed.
This verse is power-packed with a worldview on suffering. The first thing it tells us is to expect suffering. We don’t need to wonder what we did wrong when we are suffering. We don’t need to channel all of our energy to protect ourselves from harm. We do not need to feel personally victimized by suffering because we know that it is part of life on a broken planet. And it’s especially part of the Christian life (2 Tim 3:12).
And then this verse gets really off the beaten path. Rejoice every time to you participate in the sufferings of Christ. It doesn’t say “tolerate” or “don’t grumble” – it says rejoice. (Peter is not the only one to urge us towards this worldview – James and Paul both write this as well). This is a skill that most be honed, fought for, implanted by something greater than you.
Have you seen those hilarious DirecTV commercials from the Super Bowl of people rejoicing in their suffering?
Why are these commercials so funny? Because it is so contrary to human nature to celebrate hardships. Yet the Bible tells us to do exactly that.
And I love Peter’s why he places at the end. So that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed.
I’m not a Bible scholar or a theologian but I think what Peter means is this:
Every time this world hurts, remember that Christ the King is coming again!
The pain of this world will one day pass away!
In 2 Corinthians Paul puts the pain of our suffering on a two-way scale with God’s coming glory and his conclusion is this: far outweighs them all!
How painful our suffering is cannot be measured on the same scale as God’s glory – it is so insignificant. It’s like trying to weigh an ant on a bathroom scale.
Peter, Paul, and James fought this battle their whole lives, as we will also – but Jesus did it perfectly.
For the joy set before Him, he endured the cross, scorning it’s shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
Christ is the ultimate victim. As we celebrate Maundy Thursday later this week and Good Friday, we must acknowledge that our suffering cannot compare to what He endured on the cross. He was crucified by the ones he came to save and betrayed by His most intimate allies. He was separated and forsaken by God as He took on a punishment that was rightfully owed to someone else.
Yet He never acted as such.
He could’ve been a king. He could’ve been rich and famous. He could’ve been esteemed by high society.
Yet with all those options available, He chose the cross.
For the joy set before Him.
part two coming later this week…
Reading Rachel 
Thanks for the reminder to embrace the suffering and trust God to provide the joy we need- in the moment and when we join Him in Heaven! Love your heart, Rachel. I look forward to part 2!
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