”For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds.” | Hebrews 12: 3
The Greek word for “consider” is translated in another place, “proportion.”
It is a mathematical term, signifying to compute by comparing things together in their due proportions.
Consider who Christ is in light of who you are.
Consider what Christ endured in light of what you endure.
Consider how Christ endured in light of how you endure.
Consider who he is. This is God in human flesh, the second person in the Trinity; the Lord of glory; Creator of heaven and earth. This is the Son of God, the Beloved of the Father.
Consider who you are in relationship to him. He is the believer’s Redeemer and we are his Possession. The believer is his willing bond-servant; he is our Master.
Consider why he endured suffering. He was called on by God the Father to suffer here on earth — in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. “For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.” (Hebrews 4: 15)
Believer, he suffered for the purpose of obeying God’s law as our Representative Man.
He was born to suffering that he might die in agony as the Substitute of his people, that God might be just and the justifier of all who believe on him. He suffered in order to make his people perfect and complete.
Christ finished this work by first being born and then living in a world of sin and sin’s consequences, despised and rejected of men. Is it a strange thing that you and I should be called on to endure a little suffering in his service. “Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept my saying, they will keep yours also. But all these things will they do unto you for my name’s sake, because they know not him that sent me.” (John 15: 20, 21)
Consider what he was accused of.
He was accused of being a deceiver: “And there was much murmuring among the people concerning him: for some said, He is a good man: others said, Nay; but he deceiveth the people.” (John 7: 12)
He was accused of perverting the people: “Said unto them, Ye have brought this man unto me, as one that perverteth the people: and, behold, I, having examined him before you, have found no fault in this man touching those things whereof ye accuse him:” (Luke 23: 14)
Religious people essentially accused him of being without the law because of those he received into his company: “And the Pharisees and scribes murmured, saying, This man receiveth sinners, and eateth with them.” (Luke 15: 2)
He was accused of being a law-breaker: “And they watched him, whether he would heal him on the sabbath day; that they might accuse him.” (Mark 3: 2)
He was accused of healing sinners by the power of the devil: “But when the Pharisees heard it, they said, This fellow doth not cast out devils, but by Beelzebub the prince of the devils.” (Matthew 12: 24)
He was looked down upon as a lowly, uneducated, uncouth Nazarene from Galilee: “Others said, This is the Christ. But some said, Shall Christ come out of Galilee?” (John 7: 41)
He was called a “glutton and a winebibber.” “The Son of man came eating and drinking, and they say, Behold a man gluttonous, and a winebibber, a friend of publicans and sinners. But wisdom is justified of her children.” (Matthew 11: 19)
He was falsely accused of speaking against Caesar: “And from thenceforth Pilate sought to release him: but the Jews cried out, saying, If thou let this man go, thou art not Caesar’s friend: whosoever maketh himself a king speaketh against Caesar.” (John 19: 12)
When we are reviled, rebuked, treated spitefully by men, we quickly become offended.
All too often we are quick to let folks know why we do not deserve to be spoken to in such a manner.
Then after we have wrestled with the accusations of others in our minds and gloated in how “we told them,” all we have done is weary ourselves to the point of fainting from this gospel of Christ. Oh, we’re somebody aren’t we!
Every grain of wisdom you and I have is total darkness in proportion to the infinite Wisdom of Christ Jesus.
Every good thought or deed you and I have ever done has been full of enough wickedness to send a million men to eternal hell; he was Holy from conception to the cross.
We flatter ourselves with the idea that we treat others the way we want to be treated but fact is our obedience makes the golden rule look like unpolished brass; he left the riches of heaven for you, believer.
The very presence of every single person he came into contact with stunk with such abomination of sin to him by just their very presence.
That is not to mention the cruelness, the venom, the ignorance and the rejection that foamed up out from beneath our tongues toward him the entire time he walked this earth.
Yet he opened not his mouth but trusted God to deliver him. “For this is thankworthy, if a man for conscience toward God endure grief, suffering wrongfully. For what glory is it, if, when ye be buffeted for your faults, ye shall take it patiently? but if, when ye do well, and suffer for it, ye take it patiently, this is acceptable with God. 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: Who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously:” (1 Peter 2: 19-23)
Are you, believer, disheartened by the hard usage you are receiving from men, yea, from the religious world?
Are you fearful as you anticipate the persecutions which may yet attend your Christian profession; or, are you too ready to show resentment against those who oppose you?
Then consider Him that endured such contradiction of sinners against Himself.
Do you desire to be strengthened by Christ as you strive against sin?
Consider him, look to him, and commit yourself to him that judgeth righteously.
What are our trials when compared with His agonies!
I want to blush with shame because of my murmurings.
~ Pastor Clay Curtis
Click here to listen to the message “O Wretched Man”
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Sovereign Grace Baptist Church Bulletin Article date: 2 November, 2008 | Previous post date: n/a | Ewing, New Jersey
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