ENDURANCE OF CHRIST

 

ENDURANCE

 

What is Endurance?

Endurance is the power to withstand hardship or stress. It is an act of staying strong in the face of what problem and not giving in for an unpleasant situation.

 

The bible says that one needs to endure so that one can do the will of God and receive what is promised. The inheritance is only giving to those who endure in obedience to the will of God. (Heb 10:36).

 

Jesus Christ our example endured many things before his glorification. (Heb 12:2).

 

He did nothing wrong and still went through adversity pain and hardship for us all. The cross experience was not palatable as explained in the book of Isaiah chapter 53 verse 3-11.

 

Jesus endured the shame of the cross Heb 12:2, He endured torment of crucifixion from the beginning to the end, emotional, spiritual, agony, trauma.

 

He was beaten and whipped, so severally that it tore the flesh from his body, it was horrible Mark 15:24.

 

1. He endured hunger: He went from a life full of fellowship and food to life in a desolate desert to fast and pray for forty days and forty nights. After the fasting, he was hungry (Luke 4:1-12) the devil now used that to tempt him and asked him to command stone to become bread but Jesus told him that man shall not live by bread alone but by every word of God. Luke 4:4.

 

Again when He was coming from Bethany, He was hungry buy the fig tree did not bear fruit that He can eat to satisfy His hunger. Mk 11:12-14.

 

2. Jesus endured insults and humiliation: He was mocked by chief priest, teachers of law at his trial and when He was on the cross (Mk 15:31-32) other passer bye too hurled insults on Hem and told Him to come down from the cross to proved He was powerful. Jesus exercised great self control and refused to threaten those who were insulting Him but instead he prayed for them.           

 

3. Jesus faced wrong accusation: He was accused of healing with the spirit of Belzebub and thereby called him a law breaker.

 

He was also accused for dinning with tax collectors and sinners as somebody not be regarded as holy. (Matt 9:10).

 

4. Jesus endured homelessness: Jesus started his ministry by leaving the family home and wandered through the region. He identified himself with the homeless, disabled, sick people, tax collectors, fishermen and endured the seasons of life, where he literally had no home of His own. Jesus even said that “Foxes have den and birds have nets, but the son of man has no place to lay his head” (Lk 9:58). He spent his day time in the temple or moving about spreading the gospel, healing etc and the night on mount olives the hill outside Jerusalem.

 

5. He endured rejection: Jesus was rejected by his own family and people as messiah (Jn 7:5). He was hated by Pharisees, Sadducees and others in Jewish ruling class but Jesus continually showed himself as the messiah. He did not give up (John 2:37-43). They even rejected him in favour of a criminal Barabbas while Jesus was condemned to death.

 

6. He endured persecution: He faced many persecutions, was falsely accused of being an anti government, rebel, blasphemy i.e. making himself one with God and for pointing their hypocrisy to the Pharisees and the Sadducees. Finally, he endured the suffering and death on the cross.

 

7. Why Jesus endured: Jesus endured the cross in other to:

        i.            Fulfill the work of redemption of man so that man can be delivered from death and hell.

      ii.            To break the curse of poverty and restore the blessings of Abraham. (Gal 3:13-14).

    iii.            For the joy that was set before him. (Heb 12:2).

 

To endure, we need to have strong faith which comes by hearing God’s word. You have to trust in the Lord with all your heart (Prov 3:5-6) acknowledge him and do not subject yourself to fear.

 

Finally, in our contemporary society, believers need to endure many things or crosses such as struggling with marital problems, temptations, barrenness, poverty, persecution, painful breakup, hostility from others etc.

 

Just have it in mind that Jesus is there for you. He understood perfectly what you are passing through and he will deliver you in due season. Do not quit or run back, focus on Jesus Christ our example and do not be weary, not be discouraged, stand firm and have hope in God that everything will end in joy.