The Perseverance of Jesus

Today we will begin a new series. This series will focus primarily upon what Jesus both did and experienced in the last few days of His earthly ministry.

I was going to title this series ‘The Last Days of Jesus’, meaning of course the last time period consisting of just before the Judgment of Christ to the Resurrection of Christ, but I just couldn’t. I think most everyone would have understood what the meaning behind ‘The Last Days of Jesus’ would have meant, however, that title is misleading to say the least. Because it wasn’t he last days of Jesus… In fact, there have not & will never be ‘last days of Jesus’, for Jesus is alive today! And Jesus will be alive forevermore!

So instead we are titling this series ‘From the Cross to the Tomb’. In which we will be paying much attention to the Words of Christ upon the Cross of Calvary.

However, today we’re going to back it up just a bit and examine what took place leading up to the Cross.

Heb. 12:1-3 “Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds.”

The text that we read as our introduction to the message today speaks to the topic of today’s message titled ‘The Perseverance of Jesus’

Perseverance (def) persistence in a thing undertaken; continued pursuit or prosecution of any business, or enterprise begun

We see this mind play out in a word repeated in 2 of these 3 verses. The word ‘endured’.

Today we’re going to look at the Perseverance, the Persistence, the Endurance of Jesus. We’re going to ‘consider Him’ - and my prayer is that it will inspire us to continue in the face of adversity. That you and I, when things get tough - when sorrows compound - when fears arise, we’ll ‘consider Him’, and Persevere, just as Jesus did!

The first thing that I’d like to examine today is how Jesus Persevered in the Garden

I. Jesus Persevered in the Garden (Mat. 26:36-45)

One of the most underrated times in the life of Christ I believe is found in the Garden. The level of Spiritual Warfare that Jesus fought.

He fought the natural impulse of the flesh

I have found no one in history that desired to be outcast, humiliated, beaten, spat upon, subject to the tremendous wickedness that Jesus was about to endure.

Remember - this is God in the flesh that we’re talking about. Yes, He’s God - but cloaked in a robe of flesh, therefore He endured the same temptations that you and I do. Jesus knowing what was to come, fighting this warfare had a decision to make. Either He would persevere, or He would quit. HE COULD HAVE QUIT - AND STILL BEEN GOD! HE DIDN’T HAVE TO CONTINUE, BUT THANK GOD HE DID!

I want to make a few points concerning His Perseverance during this time. First off, He Persevered Through Unanswered Prayer

Through Unanswered Prayer (v39;42)

Jesus began the last 12-18hrs of His natural, physical life in what’s known as the ‘Garden of Gethsemane’. It was there that Jesus prayed - like few if any before or since. The Bible tells us: Luk. 22:44 “And being in an agony he prayed more earnestly: and his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground.” And as He’s praying, He’s saying these words ‘Oh Father, if it be possible - let this cup pass from me’.

The gravity of the hour is pressing upon Him. Literally the weight of the sins of mankind are upon His shoulders - every lie & impure thought - every moral, sexual & physical sin. The sins of the murderers, whoremongers, blasphemers, child molesters & thieves. THAT weight is pressing down upon Him - this man who never sinned, is now feeling the burden of THEM ALL!

And so, in His prayer, He’s asking ‘Father…let this cup pass’… and His Father says ‘no’.

Now Jesus isn’t like you and I - in the sense that sometimes we experience suffering and can do nothing about it. He could have said ‘this burden is too much! I will not bear these sins! But thank God He didn’t! Thank God He said ‘Yet not MY will, but THINE be done!

It was the Father’s Will that Jesus endure the suffering that was going to take place. Had the Father Answered the prayer of the Christ, we’d all be lost today! In short, God had a plan through suffering.

I pray this is a lesson to us all. In this life, no doubt that we’ll experience suffering. We’ll experience trials. And through it all, we may as Jesus did seek for God to take that cup away. But church if He doesn’t, you must understand that God has a reason for it! His ways are higher than ours! And we need to do - just as Jesus did and persevere!

Jesus Persevered Through Unanswered Prayer

Through Unwilling Partners (v40-41;43;45)

Now that we’ve done our best to describe (inadequately) the pressure that our LORD was under, I want to consider something else that He was dealing with. And that was the fact that there was no one there willing to help bear the load.

His closest friends - men who He has invested in. Men who He called, taught, fed & loved - men whose feet He’d just washed earlier that night. He asked them - watch with me! Pray with me!

Not a great ask, right?

He didn’t ask them to run 10 miles.

He didn’t ask them for a million dollars.

He just asked them to watch and pray. And it was evidently just too much to ask.

So here Jesus was, going through this terrible Spiritual Battle - all alone. How easy it would have been for Jesus to just give in. Jesus is literally getting ready to die for these men, and they can’t even stay awake for Jesus? He’s getting ready to be beaten, mocked & crucified, and they can’t even keep their eyes open!

Church, you may find yourself in a Spiritual Battle just as Jesus did and even your closest friends seem to forsake you - you may feel alone, church, but just keep going, because you’re not! Jesus recognized this very thing earlier when He said: Joh. 16:32 “Behold, the hour cometh, yea, is now come, that ye shall be scattered, every man to his own, and shall leave me alone: and yet I am not alone, because the Father is with me.”

Jesus Persevered though His closest friends forsook Him - thank God He did!

Jesus Persevered in the Garden. Secondly, Jesus Persevered in the Gnashing

II. Jesus Persevered in the Gnashing

Gnashing (def) To strike or grind together, as in anger or pain

I chose this word for both the alliteration and the imagery. I like what it envisions. For it speaks to the harsh & cruel nature of these things to which He was subject.

(Background) So Jesus was ultimately taken in the garden by the chief priests band. He stood first before the Sanhedrin that night, He would then be brought to Pilate and Herod to be tried, then ultimately, He would be taken to the whipping post and then up Golgotha’s Hill to be Crucified. This is a summary of His perseverance during this time.

Jesus would first Persevere through the Accusations

Through the Accusations

He was accused of Perverting the People (Luk. 23:2; 14a)

Perverting (def) To turn from truth, to lead astray; to corrupt

Jesus of course did not turn people from truth, He tried to get people to turn unto Him - He who IS TRUTH INCARNATE! Joh. 14:6 “Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” He said in Mat. 11:28 “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.”

He certainly didn’t corrupt either:

Just ask the blind men in Mat. 9

Just ask the lame man of Joh. 5

Just ask the deaf & dumb man in Mar. 7

Just ask the woman with the blood disease Mar. 5

Just ask Jarius about his daughter Luk. 8

Just ask Lazarus! Joh. 11

He was accused of Perverting the People

He was accused of Blasphemy (Mat. 26:65)

Blasphemy in this sense (def) the act of claiming the attributes or prerogatives of deity

My Bible tells me that it would be impossible for Christ commit blasphemy, as it’s not blasphemy claiming to be God if you are!

Joh. 1:1-3 “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.” Joh. 1:10-12 “He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not. He came unto his own, and his own received him not. But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:” Joh. 1:14 “And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.”

He was accused of Blasphemy

He was accused of being a Malefactor (Joh. 18:30)

Malefactor (def) an evil doer, criminal, one who hurts another

Jesus most certainly was not a criminal! 1Pe. 2:21-22 “For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps: Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth:”

Jesus never hurt another - in fact, quite the opposite! Joh. 10:10 “The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.”

Jesus could have quit during these accusations. They were wicked, wrong and hurtful. But He persevered! So whenever you’re enduring false accusations, it’s easy to just quit, but look unto the author & finisher of our faith and just keep going!

Jesus Persevered through Accusations

Through the Rejections

The Bible says: Joh. 1:11 “He came unto his own, and his own received him not.”

Imagine all that God did for the COI:

How He ‘bare them upon eagle’s wings’ when He brought them out of Egypt

How He provided manna & water for them in the wilderness

How He led them to conquer Canaan’s Land and gave them the land flowing with milk and honey

How He presided over them and delivered them countless times afterward

God was good to the ungrateful COI - and Jesus came unto them to offer them the Kingdom - and here they are crying out ‘Crucify, Crucify’!

Not only did they reject Him, they then when given an option, they chose a murder in Barabbas over Him!

Jesus could have quit when they rejected Him. But He persevered - He kept going! Because He knew that though some would reject Him, others wouldn’t!

Let me tell you something - if you serve the LORD and answer His call upon your life & tell others bout Him, guess what - some will reject you. But keep going! Don’t stop! Some will reject you, but if you just keep going, there will be some who don’t! There’s a cause worth continuing for!

Jesus Persevered through Rejections

Through the Mistreatment of Others

The Sanhedrin accused Him

His own Rejected Him

His Disciples forsook Him

Judas Betrayed Him

Peter denied Him

Herod laughed at Him & put a purple robe upon Him

The band mocked Him, covered His Head and smote Him

They plucked His beard

The soldiers beat Him at the whipping post

Platted a crown of thorns upon His head - placed a reed in His hand and mockingly bowed down to Him

Pilate could have helped Him, but chose to help himself instead.

Everywhere Jesus turned, He was being mistreated by others.

What’s amazing is Jesus’ life was filled with Him SERVING, HEALING & HELPING OTHERS! And here it is, Everyone it seems is mistreating Him.

Church, let me ask you something - have you ever been mistreated? Have you ever did & did for someone, only to have them cast that aside & treat you like dirt? Makes you want to quit, doesn’t it! If you are doing as Christ has called us and spend time sharing the Gospel with others, you’ll get some who treat you unkind. (Ill.) Tell the story where Bobby & I were visiting and after he sent us away, Bobby said ‘We’ll just let him go to Hell then!’ - that is not the attitude to have! Jesus persevered so that men DIDN’T HAVE TO GO TO HELL! You and I despite what comes our way and the way others treat us, we need to just keep on for the Cause of Christ!

Jesus Persevered through the Gnashing - the grinding as He was treated on His way to the Cross.

Jesus Persevered in the Garden. Jesus Persevered in the Gnashing & lastly, Jesus Persevered unto Golgotha

III. Jesus Persevered unto Golgotha

Once beaten, Jesus would then have a Cross placed upon Him, and be led up Calvary’s Hill to be Crucified.

In that, Jesus Persevered Though the Load was Heavy

Though the Load was Heavy

I considered the weight of the Cross - upon after enduring the suffering, and the sleep deprivation - the Cross became just too much for Him to bear. So you know what? God provided someone who help Him bear it! Luk. 23:26 “And as they led him away, they laid hold upon one Simon, a Cyrenian, coming out of the country, and on him they laid the cross, that he might bear it after Jesus.”

That load was too heavy - sometimes church, the loads that we bear become too heavy! Sometimes, it’s just too much for us to bear. God knows that, that’s why He does for us, what one did for Him that day! Jesus said: Mat. 11:28-30 “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”

Though the Load is Heavy, Persevere! He’ll help bear your burden!

Though the Way was Hard

He didn’t coast downhill to His crucifixion - He trod up Mount Calvary! It wasn’t easy - But Jesus Persevered!

Though the Way was Hard - Jesus Persevered! He kept on, and finally,

Though the End Seemed Hopeless

Remember - Jesus wasn’t bearing His Cross up the mount for refreshing - He was going to His death. In His earthly life, He wasn’t getting rest. Carnally speaking, it didn’t get any better. But Jesus Persevered! Because He wasn’t living for this life, He was living for life eternal - YOURS & MINE!

Church, whatever your circumstances are here - whatever you endure for the Cause of Christ - Persevere! Don’t quit! KEEP GOING! It will all be worth it afterwhile!

I’ll close with this: Psa. 30:4-5 “Sing unto the Lord, O ye saints of his, And give thanks at the remembrance of his holiness. For his anger endureth but a moment; in his favour is life: Weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning.”

Jesus Persevered. Look unto Him. Consider Him, lest ye faint.

Conclusion

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